Meeting Hope

By: Eressie

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Chapter six

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Silence. It was the first thing Legolas noticed, and darkness. He was laying on something soft. He frowned and tried to raise his hand to touch it but his hand was restrained. The movement made him wince. He felt pain in his head, neck and arms. He paused with a frown. What happened? He stilled. He could see nothing but he tried to listen; and as he did so he both heard and felt, whatever he was leaning on, breathe, and breathing fast. A person? He raised his hands again, already forgetting that they were bound. He moved his fingers and felt that they were numb, and wet. Was it blood? He moved his head and took a deep breath but it made him cough; the air was thick with dust. His ribs ached by his coughing, but he recognized that scent beside him.

"Estel?" he asked. But the other did not answer. The elf sat silent and squeezed his eyes shut as his memories came back to him and it made his head hurt even more. He opened his eyes again after a while, even though it was pitch black. "Estel? Are you awake? Can you hear me?" No answer. Legolas was just about to come to the conclusion that his friend was unconscious when he heard a sharp intake of breath.

"Yes." Estel voice was heard at last. It sounded silent but sharp.

"Are you hurt, Estel?"

Legolas heard a faint rustle and he assumed that Estel shook his head. Legolas tried to sit himself up so that he didn't lean on Estel anymore, but he could not. He frowned, how had he not felt that someone was leaning on him as well? "Elrohir?" No answer. Legolas could tell right away that he was unconscious. His breathing was different from Estel's, much calmer. He wished he could see something so he could look at his friends. Receiving no response from the older elf; he turned to his other friend again.

"Estel? Will you not speak to me?" he asked and coughed again.

A silence filled with quick breathing was heard for a while before Estel found his voice. "It's dark."

Legolas swallowed and nodded. Now that the confusion had settled down, he also could tell how suffocating the darkness was. But he tried to keep calm and hide his anxiety from the young human, who clearly was panicking beside him. "Are you sure you're all right, Estel?"

His friend began to laugh and it took Legolas by surprise. "I am not all right!" Estel said through his panicked laugh. "I am not hurt, more than I was the last time you asked, but I am definitely not all right!"

Legolas sighed. "I'm sorry, bad use of words."

"I thought we were going to die when it caved in!" Estel exclaimed. "At least that would probably be a swift death; getting a mountain dropped on one's head, compared by being munched on by trolls!" he laughed. "But now where dying slowly again, it will be agonizing deaths by suffocation and starvation!

"Estel, please calm down." Legolas pleaded.

Estel shook his head again. "Or maybe it's going to be another cave in? Sure, why not? There is still air pockets in here after all, better fill the whole thing with stones!" Estel's breathing began to come out in short, struggling breaths. "Oh, Valar, this is my death right now! I can't breathe!"

Legolas felt tears in his eyes, he felt so helpless! What could he say to his young friend to calm him down, when all he felt was hopelessness as well. He usually always managed to stay calm and find his way out of most trouble. But right now? He really could not find any solution in getting out of here safe and sound together with his friends. They were tied up and trapped in a pitch black cave and if they really could get out; trolls were probably waiting on the other side and they would kill them instantly in their weakened state.

He tried to swallow down the burning lump he felt in his throat and he blinked his eyes a few times; feeling tears slide down his cheeks. He took a quick breath and started to hum. Very low at first and then he began to sing. He tried to ignore everything around him and he filled his head with memories of his childhood and his home. He sang a song that he thought that he had forgotten, but the soft words on his tongue tasted so familiar and he smiled a little as he remembered who first sang it. His mother. She sang this to him when he was a little elfling. She died when he was very young and he barely remembered her. But now he recalled her voice and he smiled through his tears.
He continued singing and his voice grew steadier and stronger. It was a song about a lost owl who flew too high and too far. A children's song, sad at first but it grows happier towards the end when the owl find courage and befriends the wind and the sun. The sun helps him find courage and hope and the wind carries him home. Another voice, Elrohir, joined his singing in the middle and sang the rest together with him. Legolas kept smiling after they stopped and he was glad that the other elf was awake now.

"It's been a long time since I heard that song." Elrohir mumbled and coughed a little as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, no longer leaning on Legolas. "I remember your mother singing that song to you when you were a baby. I didn't know I still knew the words to it."

Legolas smiled. "Neither did I." he said softly. "I probably should not remember it, as I was so young since I last heard it. But somehow just now, it was like I always known it and the words were so clear in my memory."

Elrohir smiled. "It was nice to hear it again."

Legolas paused; a little lost in thoughts. Then he said, "I remember her voice, Roh."

"Really?" the dark haired elf said surprised and tried to look at the younger one but of course he saw nothing but darkness.

"In all my life I never could remember her." Legolas said and shook his head a little. "I know how she looked like from the paintings and drawings and I know who she were from all the stories I've heard… but I never once, had my own memory of her. Until now." He said, still smiling. "It's strange and new but... wonderful."

Elrohir chuckled. "Such an odd time and place to feel happy."

Legolas laughed a little of the ridiculousness of it all and then he turned his attention to Estel again; who seemed to have calmed down. His breathing was normal again, much calmer.

"Are you with us, brother?" Elrohir asked.

Estel nodded, but soon realized that they couldn't see him. "Yes." he answered with a trembling voice. "I can't believe you, 'Las… I was sure I was dying, drowning in the darkness!" he said and ran his fingers through his dusty hair. "But then when you began to sing… my lungs seemed to start to work again." he chuckled a little through his tears. "I felt like the owl in the song. I was so lost and afraid but then when I heard your voice I found courage, just like the owl did." he paused and he was for once glad that it was dark; the elf could not see that he blushed. "You're my courage, 'Las."

Legolas smiled and nudged his shoulder against Estel's. "You're my hope."

Estel rolled his eyes at the pun again but it felt nice, it made him happy to hear the elf say that. He had not known Legolas for long but he could already feel the strong friendship that had grown between them. He had made friends with others before but this time it felt different. From the moment he met the elf, he felt like he had found the other part of himself that he did not know was missing.

They heard Elrohir scoff. "So what am I?" he said jokingly. "The owl found courage and hope, and if that's you two, then what am I?"

"Um, the wind?" Estel started.

Legolas nodded. "Yes, the one that always whirl things up, making storms and creating chaos!" he said jokingly but he knew what Estel would say next.

Estel smiled and continued. "The owl found the wind as well, and it brought him home."

Elrohir was ready with a comeback to Estel's answer but it wasn't really a joke like he predicted, so he grew solemnly. "I will get you home again, little brother. Both of you. I promise." he said softly but certainly.

Their heartfelt moment was interrupted by a growling and gargling noise. The troll, Dave, was still alive and now also awake. They all froze and quit talking. They were now not only trapped; they were trapped together with a troll!

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Like it? Hate it? Want some more? Review please! ^^
/Eressie