~Heart of Gold~
Legolas caught the elleth as she began to fall, quickly easing her down onto her back. Her skin was paler than usual and cold. "Aerlaer wake up!" He tried shaking her awake by the shoulders, but there was no response, she remained still. "Aerlaer!" He fought to keep panic at bay, but his voice already shook. Leaning down Legolas placed an ear over her heart. He could barely hear its beat and was taken back to a moment, months earlier... Her heart seemed weaker than that fateful day. Was the blade which cut her poisoned?
A coldness seeped into his heart at the possibility, drawing his attention fully to her blood-soaked middle. Grasping the already tattered material, he tore it away revealing the long, deep would. Aerlaer had healed this wound at his side, how could it have re-opened? How could there be so much blood? With shaking hands, Legolas wiped at the fresh blood at the wound site, revealing the skin beneath. There was no greyish tinge around the wound suggesting there was poison in her system, but he was no experienced healer, he didn't know and there was so much blood. He looked wildly about him searching, but they were both very alone amongst a red sea of the dead.
"Aerlaer, please! You must wake up!" He choked out as he tried shaking her again. Bewildered he picked her up, holding her securely against his chest. Turning towards the city gates, Legolas began running through the lifeless remains of the battle, casting his eyes about for anyone who could help her.
Ahead to his left he saw Aragorn and Gimli and recognised the eerie shadows of the army of the dead. He bolted towards them.
...
"Don't do it Aragorn, we could use them against any more attacks, they're handy in a tight spot." Gimli encouraged as Aragorn looked thoughtfully to the Ghost King before him.
"I've no doubt more overwhelming numbers of the enemy will march out from Mordor in the coming days or weeks." He mused. This army had truly turned the tide of the battle.
"We've won the battle but not the war." He looked helplessly at the ghost army. He'd sworn to this King of old, but how many more would die? How could they outlast the ever-incessant throngs of Sauron's armies? Would it truly be so bad if I held off releasing them a little longer?
"Aragorn! Aragorn! Help!" He spun at the desperate cries and his heart filled with dread. Legolas raced towards him, Aerlaer lying limp and bloodstained in his arms. Beside him Gimli gasped, voicing his horror.
"The young Elf Prince has arrived, are you sure you wish to not fulfil this oath you swore to?" The ghost asked Aragorn coldly as Legolas came to stand before him. Before Aragorn could begin to assess the elleth's condition ,two of the Ghost King's soldiers strode up to Legolas, forcing him roughly to his knees; the Elf managing to maintain his hold on Aerlaer. With decisive movement, the Ghost King drew his sword, resting the point between Legolas's shoulders.
"What are you doing?" Gimli raged beside him. "This wasn't a part of the oath!"
"This is a little deal the young Prince and I struck up. He was most put out I asked for the life of his mate and offered his own life up. Too bad, it seems she dies anyway." The Ghost king chuckled. Aragorn stared at Legolas, who dropped his gaze bitterly to the ground at the King's words.
"What is he talking about, Legolas? What are you talking about?" Aragorn growled out at the Ghost King. He chuckled.
"The Prince swore on his life you would fulfil your oath, but I see you are having doubts. I see how you wish to use our forces against those beyond the gates to Mordor." The ghost alluded. "I am willing to strike up a new deal, the life of one Elf is mine and we will storm Mordor and lay to waste its armies. What would you see, heir of Isildur? The death of hundreds, of thousands or the death of a single Elf?" The king offered and while Aragorn and Gimli were silent, Legolas raised his head which had been bowed over the elleth in his arms.
"Command them to march on towards Mordor, Aragorn." Legolas said quietly. Aragorn searched his friend's eyes, seeing a world of pain in their depths, glistening with unshed tears.
"You would leave her?" Legolas shook his head.
"No, I would do this to keep her safe, so she can live on. So you can all live on." He murmured. Aragorn came to kneel before him and regarded him sadly. Such courage he had, and such a true and selfless heart.
"She won't live on, Legolas. She will fade." He explained quietly. Defeated the Elf nodded, understanding. Aragorn stood again to face the Ghost King who had stood in silence, blade against Legolas's back.
"You have fulfilled your part in our oath and now I will fulfil mine. I release you. Go now and be at peace." He commanded, and the Ghost King nodded at him and tilted his head to the skies, smiling. There was a chilly wind and then with a collective sigh which mingled with the sudden breeze, the army of the dead departed Middle Earth forever.
Aragorn dropped to Aerlaer immediately, noticing the steadily bleeding wound to her stomach. "What happened?" He placed a hand to her throat, barely finding her pulse.
"I don't know, she just collapsed." Legolas replied shakily. "I am unsure if the blade which cut her was poisoned, the cut seems clean. Where is Elladan or Elrohir? Her heart barely beats!" He asked, shaking her shoulder, trying to rouse her. "Aerlaer, please wake up. He pleaded to her still form. An icy dread swept through Aragorn. This was an exact reversal of what he and Gimli had witnessed the afternoon before upon the beach.
"It doesn't make sense. She does not look poisoned, but perhaps she has been? You've done the right thing by not stemming the flow of blood in-case there is poison. When was she stabbed?" He asked the Elf as Gimli placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder.
"An hour ago? She briefly healed Elrohir to stop bleeding from a wound he took, but she was fine. I've been close by her the entire time." Legolas looked up at him, utterly shattered. "I told her Aragorn, I told her I could not live without her, and you were right. She kissed me. I can't endure this world without her. I can't lose her." He choked out in quiet, broken anguish, tears beginning to slip down his pale cheeks.
"And you won't. The twins are in the city in the healing houses." Aragorn told him as he quickly and gently removed Aerlaer's quiver and weapons. "Take her there, her cousins won't let anything happen to her." With a nod, Legolas leapt up, holding the other Elf so carefully she barely moved against his chest from the action. With a look of grim determination, he raced away towards the city.
"Gimli, go with him." Aragorn said to the desolate dwarf beside him. "He's not dealt with the men of Gondor and Elves are very new to them, and well you know how he is about her." Aragorn urged and with a quick nod, Gimli's short legs propelled him towards the city which Legolas had already reached.
...
As he stepped past the walls and entered the city, the voices of men and also women reached his ears.
"Look there is another Elf!"
"He carries a woman."
"Nay a she Elf too!"
"She is beautiful.
"Is she dead?"
"He is taller than the others."
"Nay, she still bleeds."
"So much blood."
Their words gave him no peace in this strange world of stone and men. This was not Edoras with its kind and welcoming Rohirrim, nor the quiet men of Laketown. No, this city of men had a less peaceful feel to it as he stood looking around in a large square, bewildered, not knowing where to go while these men and woman stared and whispered.
A young boy stepped forward from the mayhem of people and approached him, gazing at Aerlaer in his arms.
"Follow me, I'll show you where the Houses of Healing are located." He beckoned quietly, and Legolas was surprised by one so young having more wisdom and compassion than every adult within the square.
"Thank you." He murmured, and the boy broke into a run leading him deeper and higher into the city. The buildings and people he passed were a blur to him as he followed the small figure ahead until they reached a long, pillared building with a wide, open entrance.
"Go in there, I hope she will be well again soon." The boy said with an encouraging smile. He quickly looked down at Aerlaer, her face had become impossibly paler.
"Thank you for your help." Legolas's voice shook. Nodding, the boy ran back down the road. Legolas took in a breath, trying and failing to steady his pounding heart and ran cautiously into the building.
He was met with the painful sounds of the wounded and the dying echoing off the cold stone. The whole place smelt stale, and death lurked in the confined air. He wanted to turn around and take Aerlaer far from this place. Instead he walked through another door and into a large chamber of pallets where many wounded and dead lay as a mixture of both men and woman rushed about tending them. Presently an older, greying man came up to him.
"Put her over on that spare pallet." He gestured warily before continuing past him to a man barely containing screams of pain as healers fussed around him. The man had a spear through his thigh. Aerlaer was dying and a man with a non-life-threatening spear in his leg was more important. He felt anger rise in him and strode over to the man who had spoken to him, grabbed him by his shoulder, hauling him around.
"What!" The man said with annoyance, glaring at him.
"Where are the other Elves?" He growled out. The man continued glaring back.
"They are healing those men who need it urgently." He replied and made to turn back, but Legolas held his shoulder in an unrelenting grip.
"You will show me to them." He commanded, and the man's eyes looked pointedly at him.
"I've not the time to chaperone you." He snapped back.
"And she has no time left!" He thundered. "Now where are Elladan and Elrohir!" The man flinched back but looked furious at Legolas's outburst. Half of the large chamber had silenced as the healers looked at Legolas with caution.
"Legolas!" He spun towards the voice to see Elladan running into the room. "I thought it was you yelling the place-" He stopped when he saw Aerlaer. "No!" He cried, face falling as he rushed up to his cousin. "Quickly place her here." Elladan instructed towards the pallet the man had previously indicated and Legolas gently lay her upon it, ignoring the blood which stained the ground beside the pallet.
"What happened?" Elladan asked as he quickly checked her wound.
"She just collapsed. Her wounds bleeding again. Is it poisoned?" He rushed out the words fearfully and Elladan shook his head.
"No, it's not poisoned." He murmured, working on healing the wound as Legolas fretted.
"Then why doesn't she wake? Why is her heart weak?" Elladan's face filled with worry making Legolas even more scared. As he placed his hand over Aerlaer's heart, Gimli ran panting into the room.
"I don't understand it." Elladan said, bewildered as he tried to shake Aerlaer awake himself. "She barely has any lifeforce left." Legolas leaned over Aerlaer, searching her seemingly sleeping but pale face.
"Where has it all gone? She is weaker than the day I brought her to Rivendell." He whispered, stricken.
"I don't know, has she done any healing since you left us?" Elladan asked and he nodded.
"She stopped Elrohir's bleeding earlier and I think lessened his pain a little." He said and Elladan shook his head.
"No that would have used only a drop of life force." The Elf explained.
"She healed me yesterday before sunset. I fell into the sea and she revived me using the breath of life and then used her lifeforce to remove the water from my lungs." Legolas added and Elladan chewed his lip worriedly.
"No, no that would have only depleted an eighth of her lifeforce and yet it is less than half of an eighth she has left. No healing could do this." Elladan said quietly and Legolas felt as if his heart had been pierced with twisting blades of ice.
"Are you sure she hasn't done any other healing?" Elladan asked and Legolas shook his head. "Bringing water from your lungs and healing Elrohir just do not add up." He said, listening again to Aerlaer's heart with a frown.
"You didn't include the breath of life technique she used to bring him back." Gimli said to Elladan.
"It doesn't require the use of lifeforce, so it wouldn't count." The dark-haired Elf replied. Gimli shook his head.
"No, I definitely saw the lass use her lifeforce. It's what finally got him back." Gimli said adamantly to Elladan, who was looking even more confused by the situation.
"Gimli explain exactly what you saw her do." The Elf demanded, and the icy daggers in Legolas's heart twisted deeper.
"Well he wouldn't respond to the breath of life and the lass was, oh it was horrible watching her break." Gimli's words shook Legolas to the core. "I was sure you were gone from us. But then she got this strange look in her eyes like she had realised something and placed a hand over your heart and she said something in Elvish when she did it." Legolas looked at him, desperate for an answer.
"What did she say?" Elladan asked.
"Well I don't exactly know Elvish, but I am sure she told him she loves him and then her hand went bright against his chest and the light seemed to enter him. I remember feeling the warmth from it flowing into your arm. You were deathly cold, and then you started breathing again." Gimli explained and suddenly Legolas Elladan was spinning him around. The dark-haired Elf placed a hand over his heart and closed his eyes. Legolas watched Elladan as a range of emotions crossed his face and then he opened his eyes in shock, fixated on Legolas's own.
"You died." He gasped, and it was Legolas's turn to look back in shock.
"What?"
"You should be dead." Elladan whispered as he shook his head trying to make sense of it.
"I, I don't understand." Legolas said warily. What had Aerlaer done?
"Legolas what colour is your lifeforce? Bring it to your hand." Elladan instructed and Legolas somehow convinced his mind to calm enough to focus on pooling the silver lifeforce to his open palm. Except it wasn't silver, it was a light gold.
"But this is Aerlaer's!" He gasped, watching the gold light fade. "Elladan what has she done?" His voice tremored as he gazed back down at Aerlaer.
"The impossible." Elladan shook his head. "What she's done, it's not possible."
"Yet she's just proved it is." Gimli murmured.
"Can we help her?" Legolas whispered, fearing the answer, fearing it would be the worst.
"I, I'm not sure. This, what she's done, bringing you back from death itself, this is strong power, it's not healing. It's not written anywhere in Rivendell or Lórien." Elladan admitted softly and the knives, those cruel knives in Legolas's heart twisted impossibly deeper. "I must find Elrohir and speak with him." Elladan said, and leaving Legolas standing terrified beside the still and silent form of the elleth who had become his whole world, raced from the chamber.
…
"Gi melin." Legolas whispered, and Gimli looked up to him. "It's Sindarin for I love you." Tears slid down his cheeks as he gazed down at Aerlaer. Seeing his dear woodland friend usually so strong and fearless now hurting so deeply, it tore his heart. Gimli placed a comforting hand upon his forearm where it rested against the pallet, holding onto the other Elf's. Lass, you must wake up. He silently pleaded to the still elleth.
Gimli kept his eyes on the doorway, waiting for the return of Elladan and Elrohir, but instead it was Éomer who raced through the door carrying Éowyn, her body hanging limply in his arms. A healer woman directed Éomer to a pallet across the chamber and Gimli watched, feeling sick in his heart as another of his dear friends now rested silent and still in this morbid place. Beside him Legolas remained silent, his sole focus on Aerlaer. Gimli felt movement beside him and turned. It was Aragorn with a distraught looking Taurorn.
"How is she?" He asked, rushing to Aerlaer's side looking fearfully down at the elleth, making to brush a hand through her hair before gazing up worriedly into Legolas's teary eyes.
"We're not sure. Elladan is speaking with his brother now." Gimli replied, hoping the brothers would return soon. As if they had heard his silent wish, they came striding swiftly into the chamber towards them. Elrohir placed a hand over Aerlaer's heart and then silently turned to Legolas, placing his other hand over Legolas's. His sharp features were thoughtful as he chewed his bottom lip. He took his hands away and looked at Legolas who was watching Elrohir desperately, needing an answer from the eldest of the four Elves.
"I think if we add lifeforce to what little she has left we should be able to bring her away from the brink." Elrohir theorised quietly. Gimli turned to Legolas, seeing a determination within his eyes not unlike the look he had seen in Aerlaer's eyes the afternoon before.
"What must I do?"
...
"Place your hand over her heart." Elrohir instructed and Legolas gently rested his hand over Aerlaer's barely beating heart. Elrohir placed his hand over his as Elladan quickly and quietly explained to a shocked Aragorn and Taurorn what had happened and then Aragorn relayed the events which occurred on the beach to the younger Ranger.
"She wasn't kidding back in Edoras when she said she'd do anything for him then." Taurorn murmured sadly and Legolas wondered if the Ranger blamed him. He blamed himself. If he had not gone out onto those rocks… No, he would fix this he would bring her back.
"Now call up some of your lifeforce and let it flow into her. I'll tell you when you have given enough." Elrohir murmured and Legolas let everything around him fade away, hoping beyond all hope that he could save her, that he could at least do half of what she had done for him. He brought the pale gold light to his hand and let it pass into the other Elf. He could feel her heart beginning to beat a little stronger and the hope he had been holding preciously onto in his own heart rushed through him. He made to let more of the lifeforce pass to her but Elrohir gently took his hand away.
"That will be enough now. I am hoping she will restore the rest on her own." He said with a weary smile.
"So, she still might not be okay?" Legolas asked with dread. Aragorn placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I don't know Legolas." Elrohir answered softly. "All we can do now is watch over her and hope she restores the rest of her lifeforce herself. We need to watch over you too. I am unsure if you will be able to restore the half you have given back to Aerlaer, if you will be able to restore your original life force or if all that keeps you here is what Aerlaer gave you." He explained and mutely Legolas nodded.
"I must go to Éowyn." Aragorn said quietly. "She is injured." He looked Legolas steadily in the eyes. "Aerlaer will be alright." He said confidently before heading across the length of the chamber.
"We too must attend to others, I'll check Aerlaer's lifeforce in a few hours. Find us if anything changes." Elrohir said and again Legolas nodded as both Elves left him, Gimli and Taurorn alone with the deathly still she elleth.
Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews guys!
Screaming Kittycat - hehe well partially knowing! Legolas is still oblivious!
PrettyRecklessLaura - Its all suspense at the moment!
thrndlwood - Yes, fight scenes are the best! Love, love, love writing them!
Aralinn - I'm on a roll at the moment! Hoping I can keep updates steady again for a while! :)
littleMissMarie10 - Hehe, I totally agree there!
pineapple-pancake - True, then again Aerlaer isn't exactly all about politics but brash decisions. Her brother was the political one. Also glad you enjoyed chapter 12. :)
Tobi256 - No worries, I'm on a roll atm! Haha, love the sneaky reading!:D