A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed me. This chapter is back to the storyline. I would like to thank Phoenix23 for her help with an aspect of this chapter. Also to Lady lorethei who knows what's gonna happen, you can close your mouth now and stop being so shocked.
Chapter 21
Siege of Minas Tirith
They had finally arrived at Osgiliath. Tigerlily was quite happy about it. She wasn't quite at home on a ship. Aragorn had found her being sick over the railing that morning. They had gone through some turbulent water the night before which hadn't helped. They were hidden; crouched down so the orcs that filled Osgiliath couldn't see them. "Late as usual, pirate scum!" cried the shrill nasal voice of one orc, "There's knife work here needs doing. Come on you sea rats! Get off your ships!" Aragorn looked from Tigerlily on his left to Legolas and Gimli on his right and nodded. All four jumped off the ships and landed in front of the orcs. Gimli looked over the orcs and grinned. "There's plenty for the both of us," he said loudly to Legolas, "May the best Dwarf win." Tigerlily rolled her eyes. These two were getting way out of hand with the competing. She blamed herself for starting it back on Lothlorien with Legolas' challenge. Tigerlily drew her sword. She looked at the orcs. 'Go on Tigerlily,' she thought to herself, 'You can do this. Just take them one at a time. Pick out the ones at the same strength as you. Don't pick a fight with someone stronger. Oh Gods I sound like my father!' She saw a fairly small orc charging at her. She swung her sword quickly beheading him. A much larger orc ran at her. She looked around but Aragorn and the others were far off and heading out of Osgiliath with the ghosts. The orc swung its blade and started pushing hers the ground. His upper body strength far surpassed hers. She felt her arms bending under the force. The orc swung its leg and Tigerlily fell onto her back and dropped her sword. Tigerlily quickly reached out for it but the orcs foot beat her too it. It stamped on her blade and broke it just as Sauron had done to Isildur's sword more than three thousand years before. The orc sniggered and lifted its foot from the snapped blade. Tigerlily should have known that was going to happen. It had been an old blade when she had been given it. She grabbed the handle of the sword which still had part of the blade attached. She stabbed the orc in the stomach. It let out a howl of pain and seized her hand. Tigerlily cried out as she felt the orc squeeze it. She let go of the blade but the orc didn't let go. She felt her bones start to snap as the orcs grip slowly crushed her hand. She began to scream for it to release her hand. But the orc carried on crushing her hand and laughing. "Please!" she cried, "Please let go!" The orc stopped laughing. Tigerlily looked over her shoulder. Through her vision blurred by tears of pain, she could make out the ghost king. He let out an almighty yell. The orc dropped Tigerlily's hand and she ducked as the ghost charged at the orc. She lifted her head to thank him but he was gone. Osgiliath was empty now. She could see through to the battle happening on the plains. She stood up and froze with pain. Her hand was broken. It was the hand she used to wield her sword. Now even if she found one, she would be at a serious disadvantage. She ignored the pain and ran through the city and out onto the plains. There were several dead soldiers from Gondor scattered around. She found one with a blade the right size for her. She thanked the dead soldier and wished him luck in the after life and good fortune to his family if he had any. Ashe held the sword in her left hand. It felt uncomfortable but there was nothing that could be done about it. The fighting had now moved closer to Minas Tirith and all that was around her was dead soldiers and orcs. She ran to catch up with it. She froze when she thought she heard Legolas' voice faintly say 'Please make Tigerlily stay in Osgiliath. Please make her stay there where it's safe.' She shrugged it off as her imagination. She heard a thud followed by another and another. She turned and saw mumakil heading straight for her. She had no defense against the giant beasts except to run. She ran as fast as she could to where the fighting was. She heard Aragorn yell, "Legolas!" She turned in the direction his voice had sounded. She saw Legolas jump onto a mumakil's tusk. "I was afraid this would happen," she said to herself. This was exactly what she had feared. Legolas would get overconfident and put himself in grave danger. She saw that one of the Oliphant's masters had escaped Legolas. She quickly pulled out one of her elven daggers. She took a careful aim and threw it as hard as she could with the wrong hand. It got the man in the leg. But his yell alerted Legolas to his presence and saved his life. Legolas recognized Tigerlily's dagger and turned to look for her. He saw her standing amongst the dead. But there was one live orc behind her. "Tigerlily!" he yelled. She turned and was knocked to the ground. She landed on her back. The orc swung at her. Tigerlily rolled out of the way. The orc followed her. It had raised it's blade above its head when it went rigid and fell backwards. A horse galloped up and its rider got down and pulled her up. Tigerlily noticed the rider only had three fingers on his right hand. "Milo!" she said.
"Hello, little sister," said Milo, removing the Rohirrim helmet. Tigerlily hugged her brother. She saw an orc running up to them. "Milo, duck!" she cried. She pulled him away. Milo drew his sword and launched himself at the orc. Tigerlily followed ready to defend her brother. She knew this wasn't safe. They were hidden from the others by a dead oliphant. Milo swung at the orc and missed. The orc had a far more accurate aim and its blade hit Milo in the stomach. Milo fell to the floor and didn't move. The orc now turned on Tigerlily. It swung at her but she ducked. The orc swung its hand and hit her in the face, knocking her unconscious as she hit the ground next to her brother. A group of ghosts swarmed past instantly killing the orc before moving on to the city.
Tigerlily opened her eyes. It was dark. She sat up. Her shirt and tunic were wet from where she had been caught on a blade somewhere. She looked around. She couldn't see anything except a flame here and there from torches. 'Legolas, where are you?' she thought, 'I need you!'
Legolas ran as fast as he could. Where was she? He couldn't find Tigerlily anywhere. He jumped onto a dead oliphant and yelled, "Tigerlily!" He had found her brothers and they had reported that Milo was missing too. Legolas, where are you? I need you! Tigerlily's voice sounded in his head. Legolas froze. Could it be possible? He had heard of elves forming bonds with the one they love. Bonds that allowed them to communicate through their thoughts. 'Tigerlily?' he thought, 'Can you hear me?'
Legolas? Is that you?
'Yes, my love,' he thought, 'It is me.'
How is this possible?
'It only happens when two really love each other.'
So we can talk through our thoughts?
'Yes. Now where are you?'
I don't know. I'm near an oliphant if that helps.
'It does. There's only one I haven't looked round yet. I shan't be long.'
Legolas, I love you.
'I love you too.' Legolas quickly ran towards the last oliphant. His elven vision allowed him to see in the dark. He saw Tigerlily lying on the ground. "Tigerlily," he said as he took her in his arms. "Legolas?" she said. Her hands reached up to his face, as she was blind in the dark. He felt her fingertips trace his face and his pointed ears. "Legolas," she said weakly, "I don't feel well." Legolas stood up and lifted her into his arms.
"Do not worry, my love," he whispered to her. He turned and saw the torches of the men searching for survivors. "Over here!" he yelled. The torches moved quickly to the sound of his voice. Three men and Olo came over. "Tigerlily!" said Olo, "Is she alright?"
"She's been wounded," said Legolas, "I'll take her to the Houses of Healing. Can you see to Milo?"
"Milo?" said Olo. He raised his torch and saw his brother, lying cold and dead on the ground. He had bled to death. Olo was about to say something but saw the warning look on Legolas' face. He seemed to say not in front of Tigerlily. Legolas began to walk quickly back to Minas Tirith.
Legolas rushed into the Houses of Healing. Tigerlily had passed out on his way up and was on the verge of joining her brother. "Aragorn!" he called. A woman ran up to him.
"Please be quiet, people are trying to recover here," she said.
"This woman is dying!" hissed Legolas, "Now fetch Aragorn." The woman nodded and showed Legolas to a room where Aragorn was, healing Eowyn. Legolas didn't have time to ask questions; he had to save Tigerlily. The woman went over to Aragorn who was talking with Eomer. She whispered something to them and they both looked over at Legolas. They saw Tigerlily in his arms and rushed over. "Where did you find her?" asked Aragorn. "She was behind an oliphant. Milo was with her," said Legolas, "I was too late for him. He was long dead before I found them."
"Does she know?" asked Aragorn. Legolas shook his head. Eomer cleared his throat.
"Milo was fighting for my country," said Eomer, "It's my duty to inform his family." Aragorn nodded and said, "Meryn is up at the White Tower. His sons will be there too. Rose will have to be informed as soon as she gets to the city." Eomer turned to leave but then stopped and turned back round. "Did…did Milo leave anyone behind?" he asked. Aragorn sighed and replied, "A wife and two sons." Eomer nodded and left. Aragorn slid Tigerlily's tunic and shirt up and started to clean and dress the wound. He didn't speak except to ask Legolas to do something. He bandaged Tigerlily's hand, setting it back in place. When he had finished, he walked away and stood by the window and looked out over the field of death that lay before the great city. Legolas followed him. "Aragorn?" he said gently.
"I helped Rose deliver all her children including Milo and Tigerlily and all of her grandchildren," said Aragorn, "Losing Milo is like losing a brother. Tell me, did he seem peaceful?"
"From what I could tell, he was unconscious when he died," said Legolas, "He would have felt nothing." Aragorn nodded.
"Thank you Legolas," he said, "That means much to me. Tigerlily can't stay here. We have to free up this room, as there are far more injured whom we can't fit in. I'll organize for her to be taken up to a room at the White Tower. Someone will need to stay with her and tell her about Milo when she wakes."
"I will," said Legolas, "It's better if she hears it from someone she knows rather than a stranger." Aragorn nodded. Two guards entered.
"You called us, my lord?" one said.
"Mablung, I want you to take Lady Eowyn and put her in one of the smaller rooms," said Aragorn, still looking out the window, "Ioreth will go with you. Beregond, you will take Prince Legolas to the White Tower and find rooms for him and Tigerlily." Mablung and Ioreth had already left with Eowyn. "Beregond," said Aragorn just as he and Legolas were leaving with Tigerlily, "Make sure they are adjoining rooms. Legolas will need to go in and out quickly and without disturbing everyone else." Beregond nodded and left. Legolas followed him, carrying Tigerlily.
Legolas looked around the room. It was quite nice. The windows faced north towards his homeland. There was only one bed but that seemed to have been intentional on Beregond's part. Legolas had seen him speaking to Pimpernel earlier that day and his name had been mentioned. There were a few comfortable chairs dotted around. A table and two chairs by the window. Legolas smiled. It would almost be like they had a home of their own. He looked down on the sleeping Tigerlily. She was smiling on her sleep. Legolas gently placed one of his hands in hers. She held him tightly. He bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead. It was going to break her heart to hear of Milo's death. This had been a close call. He had to tell her. He had to tell her his secret, the secret behind the scar before one of them was lost forever.