Chapter Fourteen

Legolas held HarfinÂ’s warm muzzle in his pale hands, he felt the moon drifting past the hills and saw the November sun slowly ascending through thick haze of clouds.

‘Another day, another failure.’ he thought as he helped the black horse step away from the crumbling cliff sides and cracking ledges.

He looked down as the mournful light splayed through the clouds and glittered on the river below.

The prince saw no man, nor living being, in that river. Yet that did not necessarily mean good news. That still made it possible that his friend had drowned.

“N-no.” Legolas hissed as he hugged Harfin’s dark head close to his own. ‘I will not accept that! Aragorn is alive! He is, and I am going to find him!!!!’

Though these were strong words, the prince was not as convinced. What if he did not find the man? What if Aragorn was alive and he never found him? What if-

‘What if, what if, what if-’ Legolas clicked his tongue. ‘I’ll never find him if I keep loosing hope like this!’

As the princeÂ’s eyes glanced back and forth over the river, that was now about level with him. (He was still a little higher up the bank, of course.) He noticed that he had been by this river before!

He and the twins had been hunting once near this area, they did not hunt together often. But Legolas had stayed in Rivendell a few hundered years back and they had planned a small trip together.

This river was an off branch of The Hoarwell, another well known water-way.

He smiled at the fond memories, they made him forget of his present worry.

Legolas heard a shrill cry and few grunted howls, he looked down the path to see a plateau that onto the bank.

The sight before him made his heart beat faster and worry creep to his face.

Amon was kicking the circling wolves and neighing impatiently for his daydreaming master.

Instantly, the prince whipped out his bow and knocked the arrow to the bowstring; aiming only took a moment after that.

He released the shaft and saw the creeping wolf, that had been ready to pounce on Amon, down.

The beast let out a guttural sound as he fell, the arrow in his throat moving reflexively as crimson, blood gushed forth.

The white horse reared and dropped his front hooves down upon another unsuspecting wolf. The creature fell dead and Amon kicked his hooves up for another but missed.

One howled and tried to clasp itÂ’s snarling jaws around the white horseÂ’s leg.

Harfin slowly back away, knowing he would be of no use, and let Legolas run forward alone.

The blonde elf shot arrow away from the wolves, hoping it would distract them for a moment and get them away from whatever was attracting the beasts attention.

Legolas knew that he could call Amon and run for there were quite a few wolves, he ran down the incline and the moment he saw the body lying on the bank his opinions changed.

Putting his bow back, he unsheathed his ivory handled knife and held it out, a snarling sparkle in his deep blue eyes.

He backed away from the wolves and towards the man that lay shivering in a ball on the bank.

He could hardly see the wounds that Aragorn held, but he could tell they were grievous. The human could not hear him and he seemed to be shivering with cold as the wind blew at his thin frame.

“H-hold on m-mmellon nin.” he whispered as the beasts stepped forward, their sharp teeth glinting in the soft light.

One of the bolder wolves took a step closer to Legolas, the prince twirled swiftly and buried the knife point in the wolfÂ’s chest.

As it dropped to the ground four more angry beasts leapt forward, dirt clouding as their heavy feet hit the floor.

“Noro!” he cried, the malice in his elven voice out roared the sound of the rushing water and two of the wolves took a step away, whimpering and letting their proud tails hang between shaking legs.

He could hear Amon neighing and kicking a little ways away, but he dared not take a glance. The attacking beasts were now watching him and his eyes, one mistake and both him and Aragorn would be as well as dead.

‘No!’ he yelled inwardly. ‘They will not have him while I still breath!’

Snorting violently and holding up his knife, Legolas barred the way to the prone human and glared daggers at the wolves.

As he spoke, his words without defect or pain he growled and the spite was easily through each action. Even his speech.

“Nalanta tu, lacarë! Noro! Eru rata nalanta tu ranyar!!!”

A few of the beasts snarled and howled at the prince, but most of them whimpered and looked up at the sky, as if asking mercy.

Five of the wolves ran with a couple of frightened yips, but the more demanding and hungry of them ran at Legolas.

The two leaders found that this was not a good idea a little too late, for Legolas was angry enough to kill the entire pack and he took that out on the remaining monsters.

The black wolf ran forward, but took a hard knock to the head. He felt himself swaying and looked with anger at his fallen companions.

Standing firm once more, the wolf leapt at the prince and caught his arm between the gleaming fangs. Slaver covered LegolasÂ’s arm as well as blood and he pulled violently at the appendage to release it.

But the wolf would not give in, he pulled back and shook his large black head back and forth. This brought on new pain and the elf prince bit his lip in fury and hurt as his arm was ripped and cut between the beastÂ’s dirty teeth.

Quick thinking and wisdom were on LegolasÂ’s side, however, and that was something that the wolf did not expect.

The prince flipped his knife to his other hand and brought his knee up on the wolfÂ’s chest. This caused the snarling beast to cry out and release his grip a little on LegolasÂ’s right arm.

Tearing the injured limb away from the last biting wolf, he thrust his blade forward and caught it in the head.

With a frightened cry the beast collapsed and Legolas wiped his blade of on itÂ’s thick hide, then he sheathed it with a last fervent prayer for the wicked monster he turned to look after his best friend.

Kneeling down, the prince pulled the shivering form of Estel into his lap and brushed his hand through the boys wet hair.

He tried to speak the manÂ’s name, but his lips felt swollen and a lump came to his throat as he glanced at his friend from each perspective.

AragornÂ’s leg was torn to shreds and in some places he could see the glint of white as the slowly rising sun pierced through the rain-laden clouds. Blood seeped in large amounts from the awful leg wound causing the water that lapped near to turn a tawny-red as both water and the crimson body liquid mixed.

Brushing his hand through EstelÂ’s soaked curls he heard the man mumble unintelligible words and shake violently against the freezing November winds that were beginning to blow upon the bank.

Swallowing the painful lump, Legolas put a hand to AragornÂ’s cheek, much like he had seen the elf lord do to take the humanÂ’s temperature when the man had taken ill.

True, though he had not really had any courses on medicine or proper medical procedures, he had learned a little from the half-elven lord and his own treatments on Aragorn.

“Shhhh…” he whispered to the semi-conscious man. “It’s alrigh-t, I’ve g-got you, Es-ssstel.”

Another torrent of hard rain and hale hit the friends and Legolas felt Aragorn cringe and gasp against the rain that pelted his leg and other injuries.

Shivering uncontrollably, Estel cried out softly grasping for something to hold onto, his blank eyes opening to mere slits and his face becoming as pale as the snow that had begun to fall with the sheets of hale and rain.

“Ada?” the man asked as Legolas felt his friends life slide away.

‘NO!’ his mind shouted angrily, this would not happen! Aragorn WOULD NOT die!

“It’sss m-me Essste-l.” he said as he tried to pull the human backwards into a small cavern where the water could not seep through. “It isss-Lego-l..las.”

He could not tell, for a few moments, whether the man had fallen asleep again or not.

Silently he prayed that he had, but the soft quivering voice confirmed his fears.

“How do I-I know?” the human’s voice wavered and weaved through the crashing thunder and bright lightening. “I can not s-see you, and if you are who you say, how do I know that is y-your v-voice. I have n-n-never heard it b-before.”

The prince let the man up as a coughing spasm took over his wounded body.

He patted EstelÂ’s bruised back and watched as the water escaped his lungs and fell in small droplets from his mouth to the soggy ground.

What he did not notice was the crimson liquid that was mixed into the water. He was to consumed with worry to see anything. He could only hear AragornÂ’s weak voice.

“Ne-ver havvve yo-u asked thossse questions beffffore? I thoughtt friendsss trussssted friends?”

“The blind have never seen-” another shiver came along with a chest rattling cough and a gurgle, Legolas quickly shed his cloak and wrapped it around his sick and injured friend.

As soon as the shivering and coughing subsided the man continued. “The blind have never seen what the-the mut-te have never said if the m-mute have never spoken b-before.”

Scooting backwards the elven prince pulled the man with him to the very rear of the small cave and hugged Estel to himself to create more body heat for his friend.

“Bb-ut you ha-ve “seennn” me, you hav-ve se-en my words! You kn-now mmme, as a brrrother! Do you nnnot trust, your brrother?”

A few moments of silence followed and Legolas watched as the rain continued and the lightning flashed.

The roar of thunder sent Aragorn flinched and he shied away from the mouth of the cave.

Cautiously, the prince reached forward and covered his friendÂ’s ears, protecting them from the echoing rumble.

The elf was startled a bit when he heard the man speak, he spoke so softly that even Legolas had to bend down and uncover AragornÂ’s ears.

I remember-

As the prince moved his hands, he felt small droplets of tears cling to his pale fingers.

How I learned how to hold you when you cried,
Learned how to let you be strong,
Leanred how to calm you in the dark,

Gently, Legolas wiped the manÂ’s cheeks and scruffy beard, freeing them of the crystal droplets that seemed to run profusely from his eyes.

Learned how to listen with my heart,

“Forgive m-me, mellon nin. I am sorry that I did you not treat you better.”

“What-tever do you me-an?” the prince asked quietly, watching as Amon ran towards Aragorn’s horse and led the beast back to the cave ledge so that they could hide from the downpour.

“I left yo-u alone so I could ride with A-Arwen.”

Learned how to watch you grow-

“We will tal-lk of ttttthat n-no more. Rest now.”

Nodding softly and coughing a little, Aragorn let himself relax in LegolasÂ’s lap.

Within moments, his worn body was swirling into unconsciousness and the elf prince was looking over the manÂ’s injuries.

Wincing, the blonde elf touched the side wound with a gentle hand, he could feel the unnatural lump there that came from a broken rib.

Sliding out from under AragornÂ’s head, he laid the boy down upon the ground and went to wrapping his wounds as best he possibly could with what little supplies he had brought.

As the prince watched the blood slip from the cave and out into the pouring rain, he noticed truly how much of the crimson liquid the young man was losing.

He tried his hardest to staunch the body liquid, he tried everything her knew. But none of the techniques Elrond had taught him seemed to help and by night, Legolas could see the difference in his best friend condition and he knew that Aragorn was not getting better.

How will I learn to let go-

TBC~

So, is it ok, so far? I went back over and checked it so that maybe it wouldnÂ’t be so misspelled and stuff. Anyway, tell me what you think and I will try my best to put the last chapter up as soon as I can!!!! Thanks!!! Review nicely!!!! God bless!!!!!!

P.S.- The song was by Mark Shultz and it is actually a song between a child and parent. But I used it as a friendship song in this. Hope it worked.