Disclaimer in Chapter 1 - They may yet be alive.
Nin-dethro hîn, Mellon-nin.
Chapter 18 – Ai, my little leaf
"Elladan, Elrohir, why don't you show Legolas around?" Elrond asked with a gentle smile at his two boys.
Elladan nodded and Elrohir followed the gesture, both looked towards the young Prince that hid behind the great King of Mirkwood and smiled. The eldest held out a hand towards the woodland Elf hoping the Prince would take it but he never did. Instead they all watched as the Prince cowered more behind his father and soon they could all hear the muffled sobs come from the golden Elf.
Thranduil smiled sadly at his friend and then turned and picked up his beloved crying son. "Greenleaf, man prestidh den?" *What troubles you?* The King asked and waited for a reply from his son and Prince.
Legolas continued his crying and said no word. No noise seemed to have left the Prince's mouth except from the gasped he made from his silent cries. Silent tears were something very rare and usually showed many that the being was suffering greatly.
Elrond looked on at his dear friend and his beloved child with sympathy. The hundreds of years the King and Prince had been separated was indeed something unimaginable for both had suffered greatly at the hands of the dark Lord. Elrond always wondered whether it was truly the King who had suffered more than the beloved son he held in his arms. The Lord of Imladris looked down at his very own sons and softy said "Ions-nin, can you show the King and Prince to their rooms? I am sure your mother and Arwen are their preparing everything."
The twins nodded in unison and then looked towards the King and Prince "My King." Both said and watched as the woodland King nodded and walked towards them. The twin sons of Elrond walked with Thranduil quietly through the halls and the silent sobs from the Prince stopped as he looked around at the new environment he was in.
Legolas began to feel his heart slowly ease from the pain he had endured for many years and a small sigh left his tiny mouth. His deep sea blue eyes, those that were so much like his mothers, calmed as he looked at the pure white and soft cream furnishings around the home of his fathers most trusted friend.
Thranduil turned his eyes towards his son and smiled softly as he looked at the pain ridden face. He also sighed with relief and he mentally congratulated himself for thinking of the brilliant idea of bringing the Prince to Imladris for much needed healing. He also took of note for thanking the Lord for having such a peaceful realm.
The two Ñoldorin Elves led the two Woodland Elves closer to their rooms. When they arrived, the twins moved towards the side of the door and said "In here, my King."
Thranduil nodded and thanked the two Elflings and reached out a hand to open the door but never had the chance as it flung open suddenly and an Elleth, who had the same colour hair as the two twins beside him, bumped into him with a thud.
Elladan and Elrohir both reached out and grabbed the Elleths arms as they saw her falling to the ground after bumping into the King of Mirkwood.
"Arwen!" Another voice from inside made all looked around at the Lady of Imladris, a soft blush on her cheeks as she had just saw what had happened. "What have I told you before?" The Lady shook her head, a hand reaching towards her sliver locks, brushing them away from her embarrassed face.
"Not to get excited when guests arrive?" Celebrían nodded at her daughters answer.
The Lady looked towards the King and saw a smile apon his face. She smiled also as she bowed and greeted the King "Mae Govannen, Thranduil." *Wet met.* Celebrían then straightened herself out and smiled at the small child in Thranduil's arms. "A, tinith pen." *Hello, little one.*
Legolas looked at the Lady and smiled gently towards her. Her kind smile and soft voice almost reminded him of his mother and he did not want to cry when meeting such a kind Elleth. The deep blue eyes of the Prince then wondered to the younger Elleth, which she had been named as Arwen and smiled at her also. The young Prince then looked at his father and then nodded.
Thranduil was taken aback by this gesture for the Prince wanted to be let down. The King of Mirkwood complied to his sons wishes and gently placed his son on the ground, watching and waiting to see what his beloved child was about to do.
But none would have expected what was about to happen, to have happened.
Thranduil awoke with a gasp. He sat panting for breaths as he had never experienced such a dream before. He did not wish to recall such a memory but then again, he did not wish to witness the precious lives he held so dear to replay in his mind every night for the past two thousand years.
The King raised a hand towards his head and sighed. "Ai, my little leaf." The Woodland Elf looked around his bedroom chambers. Nothing was out of place. He then shook his head and thought "Out of place? Why am I thinking something is out of place?"
But then it clicked. Something was out of place. For the past several months, something had been and now he could finally tell.
His son.
His precious Greenleaf.
Every morning the young Prince of Mirkwood had come to great his father, giving strength to the King to ease his pain from the nightmares he suffered. Things suddenly changed when he received that letter from his dear friend, Lord Elrond of Imladris, about a quest that he wished his dear son to take place in. The King had refused at first, not wanting to let his son suffer anymore…Or was it because of his own selfish reasons?
Was it because he did not want to hear the news his dear son had died in battle?
Was it because he did not want his son to leave his side?
Was it because he was being overprotective?
No.
It was all for his own selfish reasons. He did not want his son to be hurt anymore nor did he want Legolas to protect the Kingdom he loved for so long. He wanted what was best for the Prince but alas, that would not stop the Prince from being stubborn, a trait he had inherited from himself and the King had cursed himself many times for giving his son such a thing.
"You do not control my life!"
The words of his son came back to him and Thranduil just stared at the door that led into his chamber, waiting for his dear leaf to enter at any time, hoping that this was all a dream.
"I am sorry, Ada, but I will go. No. I want to go. You cannot control my life forever."
The King sighed once more as many minutes past and still Legolas did not enter with the heart-warming smile he always wore. How many days had it been since he sat and thought of the same words that his son had said to him, playing over and over again in his mind? This was reality and Thranduil knew he had to face it sooner or later.
"Do not be afraid, Ada. I will return back to you before you know it."
With one last sigh, the King smiled, a small chuckle left his lips and a tiny crystal tear escaped his blue eyes.
"How on Arda did you and I raise a fool like him, meleth-nin?"
Sam watched with much confusion and worry as he saw his dear friend walk away from where Faramir had told them to stay. "What are you doing, Mister Frodo?" Sam asked wondering why the small Hobbit looked as if he was in some sort of trance.
Frodo walked blindly through the crowds of the fallen Gondorin soldiers. Many others seemed to either cower in fear from the beasts or try, using their black bows, hit the winged beasts down but to no avail, their bows were not strong enough.
"Where are you going?" Sam shouted to Frodo but he knew his poor friend couldn't hear him.
Frodo walked up some stairs, avoiding the men that ran down in fear or were told to move to a better position from their Captains. Soon the small Hobbit was apon a wall that over looked the other side of the city of Osgiliath.
"Choose a path you seek to see?"
The Ring's seductive voice grew louder, almost deafening him from the sounds of those around him. If the young Hobbits dear friend could understand, he knew this would have been the reason for why he couldn't hear him shout worried cries to him.
The young Hobbit looked out across the battle field and then his eyes widened in fear. A winged beast suddenly flew down towards him and gently hovered in front of his form. The thundering sound of the Nazgûl's winged steed hammered through his ears. The only sound that did seem to meet them was that of the beast or the Ringwraith apon its back.
"Where is the Ring?" The Wraith hissed at Frodo.
The young Hobbit reached into his tunic and pulled out the beloved Ring the Wraith had been looking for, for many years. He had remembered seeing this Hobbit as the young being had made his way to the little town of Bree with three other companions. He also remembered the time apon Amon sul, where he had thrusted his Morgul blade into the small beings shoulder. The black figure smiled within his hood "Give me the Ring, boy."
Faramir looked up apon the wall where the Nazgûl hovered. He furrowed his brow as he wondered what the winged beast and its steed were doing but then the small figure of the Hobbit he had taken hostage caught his eye and he widened both. Soon he looked towards another that caught his eye. The ranger looked on in fear as the blonde Halfling ran up the stairs towards his friend. Faramir quickly loaded his bow and aimed for the beast, waiting for his chance to help the two small Hobbits that were putting themselves in danger.
Frodo didn't know what hit him. The Ring's voice, alongside with the black figure and the thundering sounds of the winged beast before him, made him forget about his dear friend that had made it towards the stairs and thrown him back towards the ground of the stone wall, causing the beast to cry out in rage.
Faramir saw the opening as the Nazgûl's steeds claws went down towards the two Hobbits apon the ground. He fired his arrow and watched as it hit the beast in its rib cage, causing it to howl and retreat from the battle and tend to its wound.
Frodo and Sam tumbled down the stairs together, hitting the hard floor as they rolled of the side. Frodo quickly shoved Sam off of him and straddled the poor blonde Hobbit who had so much fear in his eyes as Frodo unsheathed Sting with a cry, holding it against his dear friend's neck.
Sam gulped "It's me." He whispered, fear gripping every corner of his body. "It's Sam." He said louder this time, raising his eyebrows while staring in the bright sapphire eyes of Frodo on top of him. "It's your Sam."
Frodo breathing became quick as tears sprung into his eyes. He looked down at the Hobbit he sat on top and at the sword he held against his neck. "No." Frodo whispered "No." He repeated as he dropped the sword in disgust, watching as it rolled out of his fingers and then coming into contact with the stone ground. "I'm sorry, Sam." Frodo slowly got off of his dear friend and sat heavily apon a stone wall beside him. "I can't do this anymore."
The tears now begun to fall from both beings eyes and the clouds suddenly turned lighter. The sounds of the Nazgûl's disappeared and the sounds of the injured and dying reached their ears as many that were still alive looked on at the two beings before them.
"It's all wrong." Sam stood suddenly and looked around at the many men watching them, looking at the Captain that had captured them and took them to this broken and defeated city. "By rights, we shouldn't even be here." Faramir lowered his eyes as he knew the Hobbit blamed him for what had just happened "But we are." The ranger looked up once more, furrowing his brows.
All around the men watched as the blonde Hobbit walked towards a small gap in the wall and looked out at the land before him, looking at the retreating figure of the servant of the dark Lord. "It's like in the great stories, Mister Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were." Sam then turned back and looked at his dear friend "Remember the one Bilbo had told us about Mirkwood and Legolas. Where the King had grieved for years and years but still he managed to stay alive from that sickness just in case he saw his beloved son and the woodlands Prince return to him once more."
"You are forgetting Sam." Frodo looked up into the eyes of his dear friend, tears still falling down his cheeks "That their story had not yet finished. I do not want to know the end because how can the end be happy?"
"Yes, but how can the world be happy?" Sam added "How can the world go back to the way it was when so much bad has happened?"
"But in the end…" Frodo continued, wiping away his tears "…It's only a passing thing, this shadow."
"Even shadow must pass." Sam smiled and looked at Frodo's now wide eyes. The blonde Hobbit walked over and knelt down in front of his friend "A new day will come and when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you…" Sam lifted his small hand and gently placed it apon Frodo's shoulder, squeezing it the slightest "…Those that meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why."
Frodo smiled at Sam and nodded his agreement. Why was his friend so wise? Why had he doubted him all this time?
Both Hobbits soon looked towards the ranger that was walking towards them, a sympathetic smile apon his face "Folk in those stories have lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going and that is what you are to do." The ranger then knelt in front of them, placing a hand on either one of the shoulders before him.
Frodo and Sam both furrowed their brows as they looked at the ranger, soon a voice from behind caught the three's attention.
"Faramir, you saw what this Hobbit carries, if you let them go, your life will be forfeit." Aldrych spoke with much worry for his dear friend.
The ranger then stood and faced his dear friend, still smiling gently "Then it is forfeit. My father does not care about me as much as he used to. He suffers too much grief from the death of Boromir that he does not care for what I do anymore."
Frodo and Sam's eyes grew large. "You are…Boromir's brother?" Sam stuttered in disbelief. How could he have not known? Now that he thought of it, they did look similar in appearance.
"That I am." Faramir answered "I was hoping to find out his death from his friends but it seems that you do not know the cause of his death either. Maybe one day I will meet one of your other companions and hope that they tell me what exactly happened." Faramir then began to walk away and motioned for both Hobbits to follow, Gollum trailing behind them.
The tortured being had been very silent and Sam wondered why the creature was acting this way. He ignored it and thought it only because of the Nazgûl attack, thinking that Gollum must have been too scared to see the ones that had tortured him for many years.
Faramir led both through the broken city and soon they came towards a hole that led below Osgiliath, almost like a sewer. "This is the old sewer." Faramir confirmed both the Hobbits thoughts. "Runs right under the river towards the edge of the city. You will be safe if you keep moving forward and remember, do not look back. Once you reach the end, find cover in the winds. I have heard tales that if Hobbits do not wish to been seen then there is a highly possible chance that you will not be." Faramir explained, looking around and seeing his beloved followers and friends standing behind him, a few feet away.
"Captain Faramir..." Sam began, drawing the captain's attention to him. "…You've shown your quality, sir." Sam watched almost embarrassed at the reaction this caused the ranger in front of him. The man stood, mouth wide open with narrowed eyes "The very highest."
Faramir then let his expression soften and he laughed "The Shire must truly be a great realm, Master Gamgee. I do hope, when this is all over, you both can show me around. I do wish to see how such small folks with such big hearts come to live on this world." Faramir ended in a loving smile as he watched Sam blush and Frodo nod with a smile.
"We would be happy to show you around, fair Captain of Gondor." Frodo answered with a smile but then it dropped when the ranger asked the question he did not wish to hear.
"Where will you be heading once you reach the other side?" Faramir asked, noticing the look that now appeared on both Hobbits faces.
"Gollum says there's a path..." Frodo answered as he looked at the creature beside Sam "…Near Minas Morgul that climbs up into the mountains."
"Cirith Ungol?" Faramir quickly grabbed the creature by its scrawny neck as he saw it stalk away from them, down the path that would lead them out of the broken city. "Is that its name?"
"No." Gollum spoke through his tightened airway "No!" He felt the ranger's hand tighten and he finally gasped "Yes!"
"Frodo…" The ranger released the creature and then turned, facing both the Halflings "They say darkness dwells in the passes above Minas Morgul. I would advise you not to go that way but I can see that your road has already been made clear."
Just as Sam was about to say something to the ranger, a large rock flew through the air and smashed into one of the high buildings just a few metres away from them.
"Faramir! They are attacking!" One of the Captains followers and friend shouted as he began to sling his bow of his shoulder, and notch an arrow to it, firing it at one of the Orcs on the other side of the river. Many of those that were behind the ranger had also readied their weapons, firing as many of the wooden shafts as possible, wanting to strike the evil that was invading their city.
"Go! Quickly!" Faramir pushed the young Hobbits down into the sewer and watched as the three ran and in Gollum's case crawled and towards the other side of the City. The ranger then took one final look down the sewer and then he too joined the battle that now raged on.
"May the Valar protect you both."
Yippee! So I was wondering if you can all tell that the ending of "Nin-dethro hîn, Mellon-nin." is soon apon us? ;) There will a couple of other chapters now that will just show the life after Helms Deep and the Journey back to Edoras as well as small snips of our favourite Hobbits :)
Sorry that this chapter wasn't out earlier :/ I planned to release this yesterday but I suddenly grew ill while I was at college and I ended up getting sent home because I looked the colour of my hair! :o (My hair is dip dyed blue and some parts are green, so just think of the colour green xD) Sorry about that, still recovering but I needed to update because then people would lose interest :P SORRY ABOUT THE WAIT! *bows with forgiveness*
There is nothing you need to know :D
Reviews;
Jasperslittlesister; Thank you! Have to let my twists in ;) I love it when I change the story around *Grins* I can promise you this, Elladan will not die :D
LightsCDark; Ahaha what can I say? I do leave people breathless ;) I think I will too to be honest xD Nothing will happen to Faramir, I promise! Except for when he nearly dies ;D
Calemireth; YAY! I am glad you love him now *grins evilly* Faramir is always mean to those he meets ;D aha! Awww thank you and I hope this was soon, sorry that it's a bit late :o! To be honest I am glad I made you like him :D Makes me happy :3
BrightWatcher; Heehee :3 Faramir loves you too ;) Yeah that poor little twin *sighs* I hope nothing bad happens to him :o! Thank you as always :')
ArwenElf16; I can tell that you are happy about the slap? ;) M'ahahaha! He deserves it ;D Thanks you and thought I would add a little twist :p You can indeed give Faramir a hug ;) Ahaha He sure is an Evil dark Lord :') And I love him because of it :3 Hope you liked this chapter! :D
Sherlockholms; He loves it really ;)
Nardhwentheelf; I don't have one but my sister and my friend usually do it for me and sometimes I do it on my own :3 (Only if my sister can't be bothered ;)) I know! :( I feel so bad for him. Evil Denethor! So glad I am killing him off *Evil laugh* That's alright :D Thank you xx
will zona; Thank you! :'D
NIghtrunner144; You may smack him indeed ;D Thank you :3
Faramir!
Faramir: Not another one? :(
*Grins evilly*
NIghtrunner144: *Smacks*
Faramir: OW! :'( That hurts.
Awww Sorry buddy…ArwenElf16 wants to give you a hug though, that will make you feel better:3
Faramir: *Hugs ArwenElf16* Sophie, Your reviewers hurt my feelings some times ;-;
Sorry Faramir, BrightWatcher sends you love :')
Faramir: *Receives love* LOVE YOU TOO! *Blows a kiss*
Oh Valar… *Face palms*
Namarië!