Hello there! My dear readers, I love you all, and the fact you've been with me for many chapters of this book makes me feel like I'm over the moon. :) This is the last, quite sad, chapter of this story. You must know, writing some scenes here wasn't the happiest time of my life :( but despite to that fact, I still hope you'll be satisfied with this chapter. ;)
Disclaimer: I own nothing *sniff*
~~~Chapter 16~~~
Aragorn left Frodo behind, allowing him to go alone. He still had got tears in his grey eyes, but the feelings inside him couldn't take control of him. Not now. The fate of Frodo isn't in his hands now. And happened this what he expected to, he knew the hobbit will wish to go alone. He was lonely in the forest, killing orcs. He slashed four, but there were still too many. When one of them jumped on him, making him fall on his back, an arrow pierced the beast's head. He knew this arrow.
"Legolas..." he whispered with relief.
He was also worried of him and of the rest. He threw the orc off of his body and jumped on his feet when another orcs appeared. But this time, from the hill, ran up Legolas and Gimli. Arrows of the blonde archer were everywhere, in every orc.
"It's good to see you two." he smiled slashing one orc.
"Did you miss us?" asked the elf avoiding a blow.
"A little." he killed two.
Legolas drew out his daggers and slashed three orcs. One of them wanted to hit him in the stomach, but he pivoted and pushed the knife into beast's neck. They again got rid of everyone, but it wasn't the end. A sound of horn was heard. The prince turned away to the source.
"The horn of Gondor!" he shouted.
"Boromir!" Aragorn ran forward, and they behind him.
They passed the hills of Amon Hen and ran as fast as they could to help the man. At the same time, they managed to kill at least six orcs. When they came, Boromir was fighting with a group of enemies. They couldn't help him, orcs were attacking them.
"Run! Run!" he cried out to Merry and Pippin.
He disappeared with the hobbits from their sight, and again, they needed to chase them. Another sound of the horn filled the air. Legolas kicked one orc on the tree and pushed the knife into its stomach, twisting the blade. As he looked up, he saw Aragorn running away, he tried to shout, but was too tired, orcs were still jumping at him from nowhere. But he left them with Gimli and followed steps of his friend.
He found him fighting with the biggest orc here, he looked like the boss of them all. He was huge and strong. Aragorn struggled when the beast was furiously attacking.
"Estel!" the elf cried out.
The ranger looked at him, seeing his worried face.
"Legolas, go after Boromir!" he hit the blade of the orc. "I'll be fine, go!" he shouted kicking his enemy.
Legolas, although very concerned and scared, nodded silently and ran after the man. None orc approached him through his 'marathon'. He found Boromir fighting, but he couldn't see the hobbits. When he killed one orc behind his back, he turned around, when he saw an arrow in Boromir's shoulder. The Gondorian gasped and fell to his knees.
"Boromir, no!" shouted Legolas and ran up, killing two orcs.
Boromir hit the orc, and another arrow landed in his body. And when the battle ended, he fell on his knees and then on the ground.
"Boromir!" he kneeled next to him.
"Le... Legolas..." he coughed, there was blood sipping out from his mouth, and tears in his eyes.
"No, please, no. Don't leave us, Boromir." he whispered painfully.
"I am so... sorry, Legolas. For everything. I shouldn't have shouted at you in Moria, I shouldn't... have done it..."
"This is nothing, I-I forgave you."
"I... I tried to take the ring from Frodo..." his tears spilled over.
"It wasn't you who tried this." he whispered.
"Legolas." he squeezed his hand.
Legolas, to his surprise, didn't feel fear, didn't even flinch, instead he squeezed it back.
"They took the Halflings. You must help them. Help... Merry and Pippin."
"We will, we won't abandon them. I promise you."
"It is.. our last talk, Legolas."
"No. Don't die son of Gondor. You must hold on, elves will be able to heal you."
"No. It is too late... too late to repair all these things... please, if you ever meet my brother Fa.. Faramir... tell him I love him and I will always do..." he coughed again.
Legolas nodded, trying to hold on. He felt closer to this human, he was good, he was his friend. He should have helped him, why hasn't he done it?
"I will. I will..."
"My friend..." he smiled widely. "How beautiful it sounds... my friend... I... I know you're afraid of me. I know you're afraid of Men." his breath was shallower now and every word was a battle for him. "But... But please, remember me as... a friend. Not a cruel man who made you suffer."
"Boromir... it isn't a good time..."
"Who has hurt you, tell me... you must... get it out... you will feel... much better."
Legolas' tears finally left his eyes. Why does it hurt so much?
"I... I have been raped... Men have used me and taken me captive. I lived in hell for five days, fighting with death... And I was afraid of you, that you will hurt me like them... but now I see I was stupid. You are great man with a big heart. Whenever you go, I will remember you as the bravest warrior I have ever known. And an amazing friend."
"I'm... I'm sorry f-for you. I hope you will find peace an-and strength..." and he finally drew the last breathe.
He was so sad, he couldn't stop his tears. He didn't even notice when Aragorn showed up. He approached and placed a hand on his shoulder. But he couldn't stop his sadness myself, and kneeled next to him.
"He... he's become my friend..." the elf's voice was broken again.
Aragorn sighed deeply but quietly, and closed Boromir's eyes.
"It is my fault... I should have done something... helped him... I am the cause of death of my every friend. I don't... I'm not worth it. I am not a good friend. It should be me lying here now, not him. Why do I have to fail everyone, I'm hopeless, hopeless. Hopeless!" he hit the ground with his fists like a frustrated child.
"No! Mellon nîn, please, please don't think like that. You do not fail anyone. You are amazing friend, don't blame yourself."
"Who should be blamed if not me then?" he looked straight into his grey eyes. "I'm nothing but loss and death! My father was right. I am a mistake. I am not worth of anything, I am not worth of love. I am a fool. I'm not surprised why he treated me like that. I understand now. Everyone dies because of me!" he shouted with pain in his voice.
He felt Aragorn's grip got stronger and gentler.
"Better stay away from me. I don't want you to be dead." he whispered sadly, still looking into his eyes.
"Legolas, no. You are not the cause of death. Nobody dies because of you. Please, you are not responsible for this. The one's to be blamed it's me. I let us split up. It was my idea. Please, you shouldn't be blaming yourself. And if you have to blame someone, blame me, please."
"But... first was Gandalf... n-now Boromir. Who will be next?! Who, tell me! What if you die because of me? What would I do?" he shouted, his eyes were filled with pain, tears and anger.
"Mellon nîn, I won't die, and if so, it won't be because of you." he tried to smile.
"If? No, no... I don't want you to be dead. I do-"
"Hey, look at me." he lifted his chin gently. "I promise you, I swear to you I will not die. I won't leave you, don't be scared." he gave him a supportive smile trying to fight with his own tears.
Legolas didn't respond, he was looking with pain into his eyes. He didn't know what to say anymore. He glanced at Boromir one last time, and made a quiet sob. Aragorn, despite the circumstances, wanted to embrace him and stay like that for eternity. Sometimes, they both were tired by Legolas' weaknesses, but he knows that the elf survived a nightmare and only he was able to help him.
The ranger got up, throwing away leaves from his cloak and armour. Then, he stretched his hand to give help to his elven companion. The prince squeezed it and got up.
"We must bury him. He cannot stay here. With no memory and grave. He died with honour." said Aragorn looking at the still body of Boromir.
He started liking this man. Gimli suddenly, from nowhere, ran up. He hasn't spoken seeing the situation and sadness on faces of his companions.
"Estel, they took the hobbits. Merry and Pippin are taken." whispered panicked Legolas.
The ranger looked at him with surprise. It pained him, Boromir died because of protecting the halflings from those monsters, but it became wasted, useless.
"We will rescue them. But first..." he stopped to look at Boromir. "Let's bury him."
"Aye, let's do this." said Gimli.
"He was a noble, honourable man. Good people always meet the worst fate..." whispered Legolas very quietly.
"Where is Frodo and Sam?" asked Gimli.
Aragorn closed his eyes, sighing very quietly.
"I let Frodo go." he responded and felt eyes on him. "I let him go. He must do this alone." he whispered and looked at each of his friends.
"So... you mean not to follow him..."
"No. Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands."
"Then it has all been in a vain. The Fellowship has failed." whispered Gimli with sadness and disappointment in his voice.
They came up to each other, and Aragorn put hands on their shoulders.
"Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left." he looked at Legolas, he saw a small sparkle in his eye. "Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let's hunt some Orc." he smiled and his gaze turned to Gimli, who shouted happily.
"Yes! Haha!" he clasped his hands enthusiastically.
Now, it was up to them to save those hobbits. But they must be quick if they want to see them still alive. Legolas was worried, Boromir's death, Gandalf's loss, now, also the halflings are in danger of losing lives. What else is awaiting them, in this big world, full of anger and hate? Will they meet new dangers? What if they want to hurt him again? Could he trust himself? He didn't know, but one what he is sure of, it's Aragorn. Yes, he will be still with him, ready to help. Their long friendship has taught them what the true love is, how does it feel to have someone who cares about you. For Legolas, it was important even more, he didn't know what is love until he left Mirkwood.
"So, where are we going, lad?" asked Gimli suddenly and Aragorn smirked. But when he looked at Legolas, he started feeling bad and sad. He knows where they will go. And this isn't going to make the elf happy.
"We're going where their tracks will lead us." he said. He couldn't break Legolas' heart now telling him they should go to Rohan.
Not now, after Boromir's death. He will guess it anyway. But it wouldn't be a smart idea at the moment.
'Legolas, wherever we go, I swear I will be for you' he swore in his mind, knowing that it could be a great motivation to stay alive and not get himself killed. Legolas is his motivation. To better tomorrow. To be a better person. To have a better life.
Legolas, however, wasn't sure of the next journey. He did not know where they will go, but he will have to collaborate with Gimli, what won't be very easy. He could sense the contempt of the dwarf, and it wasn't making him feel better, not at all. And the dead body of his human-friend was still there, laying in leaves and grass.
~~~o*o~~~
They laid him down in the boat, making his hands clenching the sword. Aragorn was very quiet as well as Gimli. And Legolas was praying in his head, hoping the man will be welcome in the Hall Of Mandos. His elvish prayers were deep, and he lamented him silently, without any word. They weren't needed. The pain of loss of their another friend was huge and unimaginable. He won't speak to him any longer, he won't see him smiling, and he won't be friends with him anymore. His dead, emotionless face and his closed eyes will be haunting him, and it will be the last memory of him. And his last words...
'I hope you will find peace and strength.'
It pained him, he realised he had told him his story. At least, a small part of it. And it came suddenly, it wasn't planned. But he took his secret to his grave.
Aragorn, together with him, pushed the boat on the river and it fell of the waterfall. Even Gimli said the prayer in his language with sadness. Every loss is painful, he noticed.
"We must go, we must find Merry and Pippin as soon as possible." broke the silence Aragorn.
"Now? Can't we wait with that for a few moments?" asked the dwarf.
"I'm really sorry, but no. We cannot waste our time. Neither we, nor the hobbits have it much."
"There weren't orcs from Mordor. They were stronger." said Legolas and the ranger looked at him.
"You think they are from Isengard?"
The elf didn't respond, only nodded, but none of them was sure of anything.
"I'm afraid so."
Aragorn sighed and the silence took control again.
"Legolas, can we talk?" he asked, looking at Gimli at the same time.
"Why, of course."
Gimli nodded understanding they need some privacy. Although he hates this elf, he couldn't let himselft say something offending now. He feels only anger inside him, but today is not a good day for arguments. He walked away and sat on the rock, in front of the trees leading straight into forest.
"What do you want to talk about?" asked the blonde archer.
The ranger looked around and came even closer.
"Legolas, mellon nîn... I didn't want to tell you, nor I want it now, but I have to. You see..." he was whispering fearing of his every word. He needed to think of saying something more than twice, to not hurt his friend. "We... we will probably be heading to Rohan."
The prince's eyes went wide, full of fear and sadness, but there was also a hidden anger in them.
"T-To Rohan? You mean..." he sighed closing his eyes.
"I mean the kingdom of Men." his eyes hid sadness deep inside. When he saw how the elf looked at him, with tears and a big fear, he couldn't help it and sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. If there wasn't Gimli nearby, he would embrace him strongly to comfort him.
He knew it isn't easy for him. Tears formed in his eyes.
"Are you... are you serious? Please, no..." he sobbed.
"I'm sorry, my friend. But we have no choice."
"But... men are... they can..."
"I know. I know you're afraid. But you don't have to, you can go back, return to Rivendell."
Legolas, saying nothing, shook his head slowly, he could guess. He could guess they will go there. Why did he have to be that stupid? What if he doesn't handle it?
"No. I will go. I cannot leave you, I cannot..." he panicked.
"Easy, my friend. I will be with you. Nobody will hurt you, I swear. You are not alone, remember."
His fear grew up quickly, and even the presence of his best friend wasn't comforting him. Will he be alright? This, my friends, is the story for the next time...
THE END
Yay! I ended my first book, hooray! It was really, really nice to have you all as my readers, reading your reviews made me very happy! And as I've said before, the next part of this book is called "Shadows Of The Past" and I'm publishing first chapter right after this one, so if you're interested to stay with me for a bit longer I'm inviting you to my profile. :)
Thank you all for your support and reviews! ;D When I started writing, I was very very afraid that this story will be boring as hell, but I'm so pleased you didn't think so.
And a big hannon le to Katzenlotte (very sorry if I had written it wrong :( forgive me) for your detailed reviews and your kind words. You helped me write it because as you said in your last review, as an author I have only readers' opinions so it is good when they are detailed.
But of course the rest of you should get a hannon le as well :) Some of you (I'm sorry, don't remember nicknames) wrote a review too, and I'm thankful for that :)
Now, I think it's all I wanted to tell you :)
Remember, if you want to stay with me click on my profile, soon the next part should appear. :))