Not This Day - An Inkling Updated 03-28-10

[Dínelleth]

Not This Day – Chapter 1

No one could match Legolas’ skill with a bow. However, will all of that change during and after the battle before the Black Gates and will it ultimately have an affect on the future of Men? This story is my alternative ending to the events shown in the ROTK movie.

At first, the snarling Mordor Orcs had been eager to bring about Legolas’ death as he valiantly charged in amongst them while he and the Army of the West followed Aragorn’s urging for them all to do so for Frodo. However, as the fighting wore on they began to give him an ever-growing wide berth due to the deadly accuracy of the blows he was delivering with just his bow since the close fighting did not permit him to use his arrows with it. Therefore, when a huge mace-wielding troll had effortlessly sent Aragorn flying backwards with one swing of its black weapon, the now horrified elf was the only one who could come to his defense, which he started to do by trying to reach his friend and future King of Gondor at an all out run.

Then like a bolt out of the heavens a black arrow sped down from somewhere on, the rocky slope above the Black Gates and it hit Legolas just below his right shoulder blade. Now the surprising nature of this along with the intense burning pain the arrow caused as it buried itself deep into his lower rib cage made him stumble badly before going down face first into the soft sandy ground. Nevertheless, he quickly pushed himself back up onto his knees with both of his hands despite a jolt of agonizing pain when the arrow’s metal tip began to grind against his flesh and bone. Moreover, once he was on two feet again his right hand was still a blur despite another jolt of the same pain as he readied one of his greenish-gold arrows from his quiver while he rapidly scanned the rocks above him with his sharp elvish eyesight for the Orc sniper. Then when he spied the standing creature preoccupied with raining more black arrows down on the fighting men, he swiftly sent his off even though doing so produced yet another jolt of pain since he had to raise his right elbow up level with his shoulder while he aimed and pulled back on his bow’s string.

Now the Orc never knew what hit him since Legolas’ powerful bow had his arrow passing completely through the center of its forehead and out the back of its head as the Orc again took aim at him when it noticed that its first arrow had failed to kill. So while the sniper’s lifeless body began to tumble like a rag doll down the rocky slope the Prince of Mirkwood quickly returned his attention back to Aragorn when he had noticed out of the corner of one eye the growling troll pinning the supine man to the ground under a shield sized foot. Then the gray colored creature eagerly raised its mace as it prepared to smash his friend’s dark haired head into the ground.

Once again, Legolas’ right hand was a blur as he removed another arrow from his quiver and notched it to his bow’s string. However, when he tried to raise his right arm up so he could aim at the troll’s left eye he stopped due to an even greater jolt of pain, which forced him to drop quickly his arm back down while his breathing turned into ragged gasps from it. However, Aragorn’s desperate situation soon had him trying to raise his right arm up again and this time he succeeded in pushing past the pain although he could not keep himself from swearing defiantly out in elvish as if the pain and ultimately the black arrow were a sentient and evil creature bent on his destruction.

After that, Legolas let his arrow fly just as another type of pain in the form of a spasm rippled through his damaged muscles surrounding the Orc’s arrow. Now this threw off his aim, which sent his deadly missile whistling harmlessly past the troll’s left ear, and himself down onto his hands and knees while he gasped like a fish out of water since it kept him from drawing in a proper breath.

Now Aragorn and the troll had both noticed the arrow’s close passing the latter letting out a loud angry roar in response to it as the huge creature now turned its attention to the wounded elf whose gaze and attention remained totally fixed on the sandy ground before him as he still struggled to breathe. Therefore, while the troll lumbered over to Legolas it used both hands to raise its black mace up over its head as it now prepared to smash into the ground the golden haired elf’s head.

In the meantime, the future King of Gondor had quickly scrambled to his feet and was desperately hacking at the back of the troll’s knees with Andúril as he attempted to sever the creature’s hamstrings and thus bring it down. However, he soon realized that this was like him using a butter knife on a tough steak since the troll’s hide there was similar to it. So in the end he only succeeded in diverted the troll’s attention back to him while it now towered over Legolas who was startled to see its shield sized feet almost under his nose because he had felt sure upon the release of his arrow that his skill with his bow had overcome the painful affect the spasm had him.

Meanwhile Aragorn had taken note for the first time the black arrow buried in the right side of the elf’s back and the sticky wet blood, which had saturated a good amount of his friend’s jerkin all around the arrow’s shaft. Now this alarmed the man even more since his healer instincts knew that such a wound was a grievous one and needed to be tended to soon if his friend was to survive it. But the troll needed to be dealt with first so Aragorn instantly placed himself between the troll and the elf with Andúril held at the ready while he hoped that his presence would throw the creature’s small brain into confusion now that it had to choose which of their heads to smash in first.

At the same time Legolas was trying to stand up but an overwhelming weakness in both of his legs along with yet another jolt of agonizing pain that accompanied the use of his right arm as he was forced to use it in order to steady himself when he fell back down to his hands and knees. After that, he took note of the spreading edge of red that was now appearing on the right side of his green jerkin as it made its way towards the front and it was then that he knew why he was feeling weak.

He was bleeding and badly from the looks of it.

“Leave me Aragorn! You must save yourself!” he pleaded in elvish before he sagged forward all the way down to the sandy ground when the weakness grew and spread in an alarming way to the remainder of his body. For several seconds afterwards he struggled to raise himself up despite the ever increasing pain this caused him as he single mindedly thought about nothing else but covering his friend’s retreat with his bow. However, it was a struggle he could not sustain by sheer determination alone, and he collapsed again gasping for breath and heartsick over the fact that for the first time in his friendship with Aragorn, he could not help him when the man needed it most.

Not this day…

To Be Continued...

[agape4rivendell]

Very nicely done! 'Course, my heart bleeds for Legolas. And I'm wondering what effect Aragorn's sword will have on the beast... but I'm waiting and hoping..........

[Dínelleth]

Thank you agape for your review!

I wondering what the effect will be of it too since my muse has several ideas and she has yet to settle on which one it will be.

[Ringwraith-Wife]

To Be Continued.... !!!??? You choose to leave us here, with Legolas wounded... perhaps mortally? ... You aren't going to tell us what happens next ? ... "Not this day". Hmmm.

[Dínelleth]

RW ~ Yeah I know me bad!

[Dínelleth]

Not This Day – Chapter 2

As it turned out Aragorn’s defiant stand had indeed confused the troll and to the point where it stood and stared stupidly back at the man while it slowly lowered its black mace. Therefore, when the huge creature could not make up its mind as to which head it would now smash first it instead decided to cleave the future King in half as it quickly raised again its mace back over its head and then brought it forward with astonishing speed.

However, Aragorn had also anticipated such a move so he was able to just as quickly step off to one side, which meant the mace, only whooshed harmlessly through the air where he had been standing. Then he repeated the same side stepping motion each time the frustrated troll kept trying to cleave him in half. Now this was something the man had hoped would happen since he wanted to draw the creature away from Legolas who was making another attempt although feebly to rise. Nevertheless, when the now very pale elf collapsed again and lay still with his eyes closed Aragorn began to panic that his friend maybe slipping beyond his healing abilities.

“Enough of this cat and mouse game!” the man muttered determinedly to himself while the troll raised the mace yet again. Now this fully exposed its entire underside to him, which allowed Aragorn to dart forward, and stabbed with Andúril at the only place where the skin was the thinnest and that was the area below the belt so to speak. After that, he quickly withdrew his blade before he retreated to Legolas. Then he scooped up the famed Lorien bow from the sand next to his fallen friend while he removed a greenish-gold arrow from its quiver, which was still strapped to the elf’s back. Now this caused Legolas to stir slightly and to open his eyes.

“It’s just me my friend,” Aragorn said reassuringly in elvish while he felt a wave of relief over the fact that the Prince remained alive.

“Aim for an eye…if you must…otherwise run…” Legolas whispered back. Then he closed both of his since the effort to keep them open was too taxing on his waning strength. Only his strong bond of friendship with Aragorn kept him from surrendering to the siren song of pain free peace that death was offering.

Now this unexpected small bit of advice surprised the man since the elf was not lying in a position, which would have enabled him to watch what was transpiring between him and the troll. However, elves were so in tune with their surroundings that they at times did not need to see in order to know what was going on. Nevertheless, none of those elves had a wound like this at the time he had witnessed this amazing ability so Legolas using it now made it even more amazing. Moreover, this brought home the fact that his friend may not live to use it again if he could not rid himself of the troll.

Meanwhile the creature in question had been howling out its pain towards the sky while it stood hunched over with both hands covering the bleeding wound. Then it returned its dull gaze back down to earth and when it spied Aragorn, it let out a loud angry roar at its tormenting foe before it picked up its mace from the sandy ground at its feet. After that, it started to lumber over to the Future King of Gondor this time with the wide blade of his weapon held like a shield in front of its lower self.

By this time, Aragorn had notched the arrow to the bow’s string. Now his skill with a bow resulted from him spending many hours with the archers in Rivendell while he grew up there. Therefore, he instantly thought Legolas’ bow would behave in a similar fashion as to those he had used. However, he had forgotten that the elves had taken into account that he did not have the stronger arm strength they had because he was a mortal, which meant they had been furnishing him with bows that had draws he could manage, as he had grown older. The last one he had been using since he had reached adulthood until he had lost it before reaching Helms Deep.

“Ai! What is with this bow!” he exclaimed to himself in dismay while he struggled to draw back the string far enough and then to keep his straining arm muscles from quivering too much as he aimed up at the troll’s left eye. Fortunately the creature was too intent on its simple plan to cleave him in two to realize that it was about to be shot if it did not take evasive action. Now this allowed Aragorn the time to perfect his aim before he released the arrow all the while hoping that this one shot would be enough to bring the troll swiftly down for Legolas’ sake.

As it turned out the greenish-gold missile did hit the troll in its left eye although it still did not hit the mark as precisely as Legolas would have done even with the extra time Aragorn had to aim. However, its less than beautiful appearance did not mean the arrow was not just as effective in killing the troll and sending the huge creature belly flopping down onto the sandy ground while it embedded itself deep into the troll’s brain.

Suddenly the ground under foot began to tremble. Then an ominous rumbling noise rose rapidly from Mount Doom just before it violently spewed flaming rocks and billowing dense clouds of ash high into the sky over it.

Aragorn turned his attention away from the dead troll to it. Now he instinctively knew this meant Frodo had been successful in destroying the One Ring in its internal fires, but he did not take the time to rejoice in the same joyful manner his army was doing with a loud chanting of Frodo’s name repeatedly. Instead, he quickly dropped Legolas’ bow as he hopped over the wounded elf so he could kneel down next to him from the front where he could tend to him better. Then he begin to unbuckle the leather harness which kept the elf’s quiver strapped firmly to his back as he started his attempt to deal with the black arrow. This time his friend didn’t stir or open his eyes which caused Aragorn to panic anew and it made him wonder if he was too late to be of any help.

Then Legolas softly gasped and moaned when a jolt of pain brought him out of the stupor he had slipped into while Aragorn accidentally brushed up against the arrow because he had to tug a little harder on the quiver than he thought he would have to in order to pull the straps out from under the downed elf.

“I’m sorry my friend! I didn’t mean to cause you any more pain!” Aragorn softly apologized in elvish while he mentally kicked himself for doing so.

“The troll…” Legolas whispered without opening his eyes as he heard and felt the man begin to cut slits carefully in his jerkin and tunic from the arrow’s shaft to the edge of the material.

“It’s dead thanks to your advice,” Aragorn replied before he slowly peeled back the two blood soaked layers of clothing so he could see exactly where the black missile had entered his friend. Then when he saw how ragged and torn the skin was around the shaft, he silently swore under his breath because this was the hallmark of a wickedly barbed arrowhead meant to do as much damage as possible going in.

“The ground…trembles…”

“That’s Frodo’s doing. He has successfully destroyed the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. So all that Sauron has built in Mordor is now crashing down into ruin,” Aragorn explained while he began to look about for the extra hands he would need in order to move Legolas away from the destruction and to a place where he could work on removing the arrow.

Up until now, Legolas’ strong bond of friendship with Aragorn had been keeping him from surrendering to the siren song of painless peace that death was offering him. However, as his body grew weaker the bond was no longer enough to keep the siren song at bay.

“Tell Frodo…I’m proud…of him…”

“You can tell him yourself when you are on the mend.”

“Aragorn…it’s too late…for me”

Now this created such a strong wave of panic within the former Ranger when he realized what the elf was hinting at that he grasped one of Legolas’ hands firmly within both of his. Then he said with great determination, “No it isn’t too late! So don’t you dare give up on me! Not now! Not this day!”

To Be Continued...

[Dínelleth]

Not This Day – Chapter 3

When it became apparent that the remaining Orcs were more interested in fleeing in terror than in fighting, Éomer approached Gandalf.

“We have won the battle thanks to Frodo. But I fear for the hobbit’s safety up there on that volcano,” the man said to the wizard just as Gimli, Merry, and Pippin joined them.

“As do I. Doubly so if Sam is with him. I will now see if I can enlist the aid of the eagles once more this time in a search,” Gandalf replied before he took notice of Aragorn kneeling next to Legolas and holding the wounded elf’s hand in both of his. “Aragorn will be needing help,” he added to them all while he nodded in the direction of the man and elf. Then he turned around and left in his usual hasty way when his mind is solely on one subject.

“Laddie!” Gimli suddenly exclaimed anxiously when he looked in the direction the wizard had indicated. Then he was sprinting across the battlefield towards the pair with Éomer at his side.

“I didn’t think elves ever got hurt,” Pippin said to Merry as the two hobbits ran after the dwarf and man.

“Of course they can get hurt Pip! It’s just that Legolas has been very good at avoiding it until now is all,” Merry replied.

Meanwhile Aragorn continued to hold onto Legolas’ hand with both of his and this contact allowed the elf to feel in his friend the intense emotional turmoil he was going through now. And in turn this spurred his bond of friendship to extract from within himself a hidden source of strength he didn’t know he had which kept death at bay for now. Therefore, when the man pleaded with him again to stay alive he whispered back “I won’t…”

Now this brought out a smile of relief to Aragorn’s face. However, it sobered him too. Elves were a strong race and for Legolas to be speaking of dying earlier meant he had already lost much of it. Moreover, with him now saying that he would not give up meant he had to be tapping into some last reserve of strength and once that was gone, nothing could stop the inevitable.

If he was going to save his friend, he was going to have to do it soon.

By then Gimli and Éomer had reached them.

“He isn’t…dead…is he Aragorn?” the still anxious dwarf asked.

“No Gimli he isn’t thank Eru! Éomer I will need some of the stoutest men to physically carry Legolas back to the grove of trees where we left the army’s supply wagons,” the former Ranger instructed while the hobbits arrived on the scene.

“Maybe we should make a stretcher out of tree limbs first,” Éomer suggested.

“There’s no time for that! Now hurry!” Aragorn pleaded before he arranged the elf’s bloodied clothing back into place. Fortunately, the arrow had not gone through his friend’s gray Lorien cloak nor had his friend’s blood marred his second gift from the gracious Lady Galadriel although that could still happen, if he did not get it off him soon.

Meanwhile the King of Rohan had nodded in compliance to his pleading before racing off.

“Aragorn what can we do to help?” Merry asked.

“You and Pippin can go on ahead to the wagons and make ready a fire. On it, I want you to heat up water in one of the large black kettles. Gimli you go with them in case they need your axe if there is not enough wood lying on the ground for the fire. Now be careful! I noticed the Orcs are retreating but there may be some who have changed their minds.”

Therefore, while the eager trio sprinted off towards their waiting task the time came to try to move Legolas to the grove of trees when Éomer returned with a group made up of Rohirrim and Gondorian men. In the background the remainder of the Army of the West was beginning to make its way slowly back to the grove of trees too. Astonishingly no men had been lost although there were many wounded. Fortunately, none was as serious as what was now threatening Legolas’ life.

“My friend I can do nothing for your pain while we do this,” Aragorn said softly in elvish as he gave the elf’s hand a squeeze. Then he had to let go of it so he could unclasp the Lorien leaf pin at the elf’s neck and remove the cloak because it now was in the way of the men readying themselves to be the elf’s bearers by lining up on both sides of him.

“I…know…just do it…” Legolas whispered back. Soon he was gritting his teeth and grimacing while his face went completely ashen as he tried to keep himself from crying out in response to the continuous jolts of agonizing pain while the two lines of men picked him up between themselves while he continued to lie on his left side.

Now Aragorn saw this and he took the elf’s hand once more in both of his in order to bring him some measure of comfort. Then he was sighing in relief when his friend suddenly could not keep from loudly moaning any longer before he closed his eyes and went limp, which startled the bearers.

“Has he died?” a worried Éomer asked while he watched as Aragorn let go of Legolas’ hand and laid it gently down at the elf’s side.

“No he hasn’t. He has only passed out from the pain. A blessing I hope is still in existence when it comes time for me to remove that black arrow since that won’t be a pleasant experience at all.”

Then Aragorn picked up Legolas’ bow and quiver and wrapped them in his friend’s cloak before he signaled the men to start their carrying of the elf as quickly as possible to the grove. Once they were there, he had Merry and Pippin spread out a gray blanket on the ground under the sheltering branches of a mature tree before he had the men gently place the unconscious elf on it. Then they backed a short distance away where they could watch without being in the way. Meanwhile the future King of Gondor had dropped down to his knees before the black arrow while he set down next to him the bag containing his athelas and healer supplies which he had gathered from one of the wagons after he had safely stowed Legolas’ cloaked weapons there.

“Ideally I would remove his jerkin and tunic before I get started, but Legolas has lost so much blood already I dare not take the time to do it. Fortunately the blessing continues,” Aragorn said to the near standing Gimli, hobbits, and Éomer as he removed the brown belt from around the elf’s waist so he could further lift up out of the way the back of the jerkin and tunic.

“What blessing?” Pippin asked.

“Legolas being unconscious and not feeling any pain now is the blessing that I’m referring to. But no matter how careful I am when I remove the arrow it will still be painful and I fear I will revive him if this blessing isn’t a deep one.”

“So how are you going to remove it?” the curious hobbit then asked while the man motioned with one hand for Éomer to bring over the kettle of heated water since he was closer to it.

“I hope I can simply pull it back out the way it went in,” Aragorn replied while he took out the cloth bundle, which contained the fresh athelas he had found while the Army was making its way towards the Black Gates. Then he quickly opened it and proceeded to crush some of the leaves by rolling them between his hands in order to release their pain killing oils before dropping them into the water once Éomer had set the kettle down next to him.

“And if you can’t?” Gimli asked his voice and bearded face clearly showing his continuing anxiety.

“Then I will have to cut it out. I hope to Eru I won’t have to do that since I fear that it will be too much for Legolas to bear.”

Now that made the somber mood even more so. Then Aragorn carefully took a firm hold of the arrow’s black shaft down close to the elf’s torn flesh. After that, he and everyone else held their breath as he slowly began to pull out the wicked missile. Fortunately, it came out with only a soft wet and wet sucking sound to mark its passage.

Suddenly Legolas groaned loudly when the pain this created revived him just as Aragorn feared it would. Then his basic instinct to move away from the pain-causing source took over. However, he was too weak so all he could manage to do was an awkward backwards crawl that only separated him from Aragorn by a few inches. After that, he collapsed onto his left side again with his dull eyes now wide open and his breathing ragged while he seethed inside at the arrow as if it were a living creature. Moreover, he had been able to at that moment he would have “killed” it by breaking it up into many tiny pieces.

Instantly this had Aragorn dropping the arrow down onto the blanket next to him so he could grab a cloth out of his bag and soak it in the athelas water. “Lay still my friend! Give me a chance to use this athelas on you so I can lessen you pain!” he pleaded as he squeezed the cloth out over the wound. Quickly he soaked and squeezed it out over the same place again. Meanwhile the water had been mixing easily with the elf’s fresher blood as it slowly seeped out of the wound and the man had to wipe it quickly away before the liquid flowed down his friend’s back and onto the blanket.

“You…removed…arrow?” Legolas asked weakly in elvish while he met Aragorn’s concerned filled gaze. Already he could feel the athelas beginning to work its numbing magic on his assaulted flesh so he was not about to do anything more to hinder its further application.

“Yes I did,” Aragorn replied while he began to cleanse the wound thoroughly in a gentle manner. Nor did it look as if the torn flesh around its entrance would require any stitches to help it stay in place while it healed.

“Feels good…” the elf murmured as his eyes drooped closed his spent body now drifting towards the peace of sleep that was taking over after the athelas had reduced his pain to wonderful nothingness.

Instantly this brought out a smile of relief on the man’s face at this swing toward the good side of fortune for his friend. “Sleep now. I can bandage you better later,” he said softly while he removed from his bag a square piece of thick and absorbent padding, which he gently pressed down over the wound so it would stay clean while Legolas slept.

“Tree…I feel…” Legolas struggled to whisper before he fell asleep his whole body and ashen face assuming the relaxed air of a sleeper who did not have a care in the world.

“Aragorn what was Legolas trying to say?” Merry softly asked while the hobbit watched the former Ranger use the half of the blanket the elf was not lying on to cover him up with in a caring manner. Now his partially clothed friend did not need it for him to stay warm since elves tolerated cold better than mortals did. Rather it full filled his own continuing need to keep doing something more for the wounded archer. The he slowly stood up on his long legs made stiff by kneeling.

“Whenever their need is dire wood elves can draw in the strength from a living tree much like us when we warm ourselves out in the sun light. Therefore, Legolas was letting me know as best as he could that he could feel this tree’s strength. Something I had hoped he would still be able to do despite him being so weak. That is why I had him placed here in the first place. But whether it will be enough and in time to save him we won’t know for a while yet.”

“Isn’t there anything more you can do for him?” Gimli questioned his bearded face reflecting the uncertainty he was now feeling over letting a tree of all things help heal his newfound friend.

Aragorn placed a comforting hand down on one of the dwarf’s stout shoulders and gave him an understanding smile since he knew Gimli was not too fond of trees. “I wish there was more that I could do for him too. However, there is not. Legolas has always been at my side whenever I have needed him the most. And now when he needs me I feel as if I’m letting him down.”

Suddenly he had to walk off a short distance lest those gathered around him see the tears of frustration forming in his gray eyes.

“Merry and Pippin why don’t you and Gimli too go and rustle up something to eat,” Éomer quietly suggested before he dismissed the elf’s bearers. Fortunately, the trio was swift to catch on that he wished to speak with Aragorn alone so while they move away he followed the future King of Gondor.

“You are being too hard on yourself judging from what I’ve seen so far. And I’m sure Legolas would tell you the same thing,” he said in a matter of fact tone of voice once he was at the man’s side.

Aragorn quickly wiped his tears away with the back of his hand. “Only when I hear him speak again on anything will it prove to me that I’ve been too hard on myself now!” he replied back his frustration still evident by the way he nearly spat out his words before he headed back over to the sleeping elf where he took up a seat on the ground next to him.

This time Éomer left him alone since there was nothing more, he could say that would change the future King’s mind. Only Legolas had the power to do that now and hopefully that would happen as soon as possible since the King of Rohan sensed that Aragorn was in danger of blaming himself needlessly if the elf died.

Moreover, if Aragorn fell into that terrible mental trap would he still lead all men into the new future that waited for them all in the Fourth Age? If he could not what would happen then? Who could take his place?

Éomer took a deep breath in order to calm his heart and mind when he realized he was putting the cart before the horse because Legolas was still living. Something he fervently hoped the elf would continue to do while he headed off to check on how the men in the Army of the West were now fairing since leadership of it now fell totally on him while Aragorn watched over the wounded archer.

To Be Continued...

[Dínelleth]

Not This Day – Chapter 4

If Éomer could now read Aragorn’s thoughts while the future King of Gondor sat in watchful silence next to Legolas, he would have been worrying anew since they were in the process of setting up the terrible mental trap of needless blame. Fortunately, the triumphant return of Gandalf and the Eagles with Frodo and Sam mid-afternoon stopped them and for a short time afterwards, the battered and bruised hobbits were the only thing on his mind as he gently tended to their many wounds with more of the athelas water while Merry, Pippin, Gimli, and Éomer eagerly lent a hand when needed. Only when he was finished, the two small heroes comfortably wrapped, and sleeping in blankets under Legolas’ tree did the man’s thoughts return to blaming himself.

“How can I be King when I so easily forget that there were more lives at stake than just Legolas’?” he said softly to Gandalf while he and the wizard stood close together and watched the sleeping trio after everyone else returned to the fire they had started for themselves nearby. “I should’ve been the one sending you to go look for Frodo and Sam instead of you acting on your own.”

Now this caused Gandalf to narrow his eyes in concern at Aragorn. This did not sound like the same man who had confidently accepted his destiny before the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Instead, it sounded more like a man who was close to giving up. “No one but you has found fault with what you did or didn’t do this day,” the wizard said carefully.

Aragorn sighed. “Not yet. However, if Legolas dies I will have to inform King Thranduil that it was because of me his only son did not survive his wound. And since he dislikes me so his fury will be a tempest that will make Mount Doom’s eruption seem like a hiccup.”

“First of all you have just as much skill when it comes to treating battle wounds as does Lord Elrond so I highly doubt Legolas will die,” Gandalf gently reminded when he realized the elf’s well being was the true reason behind his friend’s sudden lack of confidence and blaming. “With that said I’m quite sure there will be no fury for you to endure either.”

“But it doesn’t feel as if I’ve done enough for him!”

The wizard gave Aragorn’s back a reassuring slap, which caused the man to look at him. “Legolas’ peaceful sleeping proves otherwise as does Frodo and Sam’s. Now I strongly suggest soon to be King of Gondor that you quit blaming yourself and get some rest too.”

“None of that will be simple for me to do,” Aragorn softly replied while he returned his attention back down to the elf. “Ai! Is something wrong my friend! You shouldn’t be awake yet!” he fearfully exclaimed in elvish as he fell to his knees beside Legolas when he saw that the elf was watching him.

“I’m…thirsty now...is all.”

Quickly Gandalf ran over to the fire and snatched the water skin from Pippin’s hands just as he was about to drink from it. Now this caused the hobbit to start to cry out in protest and the others sitting there since they wanted a drink from it as well until they saw who it was for. Then they all converged around the wounded elf.

“I…never knew…so many like to watch me…drink water,” Legolas said in the common tongue while smiling weakly in amusement after Aragorn had helped him to sit up so he could do just that once Gandalf had handed him the skin.

“Watching you do anything now Laddie after what happened this morning is a blessing,” Gimli replied his voice rough with feelings of relief and happiness while everyone else nodded and smiled big in agreement. “And I will kill you myself if you let this happen again!” the dwarf now huffed in a mock angry tone of voice before he grinned from ear to ear and laughed.

“Believe me…my stout friend when I say…that I have…no intentions of giving you…any extra work for your axe!” Legolas replied as wholeheartedly as his weakened state would let him.

“I’m glad to hear that! I would hate to see all of my hard work in healing you turn out to be for nothing! In the meantime, I will use this unforeseen opportunity to bandage you better so your wound will stay clean longer. Then you should rest,” he added while he lifted the thick padding. Then he let out a sigh of relief when he saw that the seeping blood. “Thank Eru you have stopped bleeding.”

“Then…you can stop…blaming yourself…like you were doing…now.”

Aragorn’s eyebrows shot straight up when he was surprised to hear that. “How did you know about that?” he asked while he motioned with one hand for Merry to bring him is healer’s bag which he had left over by the still sleeping hobbits.

It was then that Legolas took notice of them and a smile of relief ghosted his pale lips. Then he slowly shook his head in mock disappointment at the ranger’s words while he let Gandalf take the water skin from him now that he was through with it. The cool water had felt good going down and together with the strength he was soaking in from the tree he was able to stay upright by himself while the man placed clean padding on his wound.

“After…all these…years I…must remind you…how good elves…can hear?” he now sighed in mock exasperation but with a hint of a merry smile. Then he softly gasped and winced at the sharp and short stabs of pain created when the man began to snuggly wrap the long and wide width of bandage over the pad and around the elf’s midsection so it would hold the pad in place.

“I’m sorry my friend about that, but I can’t bandage you any more gently than I am!” Aragorn said as he continued to wind the wide strip around. Then he securely tucked in the loose end of the bandage.

“It’s alright…,” Legolas managed to say his merriment at Aragorn’s expense gone and replaced by a more subdued demeanor as his body started to sag now that its small reserve of newly garnered strength was spent.

Instantly the man helped him to lie back down again on his left side. Now the elf’s still present weakness did nothing to Aragorn’s feeling of certainty within his heart that his friend would survive this wound. How he knew this he was not sure although he suspected Legolas’ attempt at mirth might be the reason behind it. Nevertheless, whatever the cause was it had also dispelled his blame and sent it away much like a refreshing wind would do to stale air. “Sleep now my friend and no more eavesdropping!” he now said softly while he smiled down at the still awake elf in amusement and relief.

“Give up eavesdropping…no fun in doing that,” Legolas mumbled before he lost the battle with his eyelids as he tried to keep his eyes open long enough so he could wink mischievously back. Then his whole body relaxed and he let out a soft sigh as he fell asleep again.

“You’re not going to have Gandalf turn Legolas into something unnatural for eavesdropping are you?” Pippin whispered to Aragorn while the man covered the elf with the blanket again.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about Pippin,” he replied his brow furrowed with puzzlement.

“I caught Sam eavesdropping on me and Frodo before we left BagEnd with the Ring. He was most worried then that I would turn him into something unnatural because of it. Apparently Sam told Pippin about it,” Gandalf explained with a sigh of exasperation. “Hobbits!” the wizard then muttered.

Meanwhile Aragorn, Éomer, and Gimli were grinning at the notion while Merry was shaking his head in disbelief at his friend who by now looked embarrassed while the cheeks on his face began to grow red by the second.

“Maybe you should be the one turned into something unnatural. That way you won’t be asking anymore stupid questions!” Merry whispered into Pippin’s ear.

“Now my friends let us not be to hard on Pippin! He only asked a simple question out of simple curiosity and so he deserves nothing more back than a simple answer. No Pippin I will not have Gandalf turning Legolas into something unnatural for his eavesdropping,” Aragorn said with a reassuring smile, which had the beleaguered hobbit smiling back in relief. “However the time has come for us to leave him alone so he can sleep. And I’m happy to say our friend will survive this wound for I know this to be true in my heart.”

Right away, there were big smiles of relief and joy breaking out on everyone else’s faces before they returned to the fire where a small celebration took place for that and for the safe return of Frodo and Sam.

To Be Continued...

[Strange Elf]

Just started reading this, and can't believe my Legolas has been wounded .

I can't read any more at the moment as I have a call coming in, but now I'm the edge of my seat and hope my inpatiencs to get the usual two hour call finished so that I can get back to the story doesn't show.

Poor Legolas. Have five minutes to daydream that I am the one to tend his wounds .

[Dínelleth]

Just started reading this, and can't believe my Legolas has been wounded

My Legolas? My dear SE shouldn't that be our Legolas?

Writting this hasn't been easy for me either. To think of our elf getting so much as a scratch on him drives me nutty. So why did I write it? Blame my muse because she wouldn't let me forget the idea she had given me until I wrote it down. Fortunately there will only be one more chapter and that one will be the happiest of all!

[Primula]

Only one more chapter? Inconceivable. You have passed the mark for a 'short story' however, so you'll now find it under 'serial tales' whether you manage to yank on your muse's reins then or not.

[Dínelleth]

Only one more chapter? Inconceivable. You have passed the mark for a 'short story' however, so you'll now find it under 'serial tales' whether you manage to yank on your muse's reins then or not.

Ah me! What can I say! Once I get started I just can't stop!

[Sylvania]

Just started reading this, and can't believe my Legolas has been wounded

My Legolas? My dear SE shouldn't that be our Legolas?

Eeek! Only one Legolas and so many of us!!!! (Hmm - thinks...........Legolas triplets - now that's an idea!!!)Wonderful story Dibelleth - just read the whole way through OOh - how I felt the gorgeous one's pain - but also thank you for showing us so well a really tender side of Aragorn. (Now, to have a doctor like that would surely turn me into a hypochondriac! )

[Dínelleth]

Sylvania ~ *pins a gold on you for the Legolas triplets idea * Thank you for your wonderful review! You have made my day!

*whispers mischievously* Careful Sylvania! You don't want to make your gorgeous one jealous!

[Dínelleth]

Not This Day – Chapter 5

“So what do we do now?” Éomer asked Aragorn after the small celebration ended while the sun began to dip below the horizon.

“Personally I would like to have the army start the journey back to Minas Tirith at first light tomorrow since there’s nothing left for us to do here. Now I am sure Frodo and Sam can handle it, but Legolas may not be strong enough to cope with what would no doubt be a bumpy ride in the wagon. So we may have to wait a day or two before we can leave,” the former Ranger said before he lit his pipe with the glowing end of a stick he had removed from the fire. Then he looked over to his three sleeping charges and when he saw they were, still resting comfortably he returned his attention back to those gathered around the fire.

“We may have no choice but to leave at first light. There are thousands of Orcs scattered and leaderless roaming the countryside now. If they should regroup and return to survey the ruin of their former master’s abode it probably would be best if we were far from here since they still out number us,” Gandalf gently reminded between puffs on his pipe.

Aragorn sighed. “Even from a distance the Orcs continue to have an adverse affect on Legolas,” he said while shaking his head in disbelief.

“So how can we move Laddie without it hurting him more?” Gimli asked.

“We can make a straw tick,” Merry said eagerly to Aragorn while Pippin nodded and smiled in agreement with his friend’s idea. “Well it would have to be a grass tick since there’s no straw in these parts.”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“We hobbits use them all the time when we have the need for more beds. Normally we have special ticking fabric sewed into what looks like a huge bag. In this case, we can take Legolas’ blanket and fold it in half. Then we can sew up the open bottom and side. After that all we need to do is fill it with grass until it will make a nice comfy mattress,” Merry explained in a helpful tone of voice.

“Your idea sounds like a fine one except what can we use to sew with? A knife will work in place of a needle to make holes with but we have no cord,” Aragorn carefully pointed out so he did not hurt the hobbit’s feelings.

“I didn’t think about that,” Merry said regretfully while Pippin looked crestfallen.

“How about using leather thongs instead of cord?” Éomer suggested. “We Rohirrim always carry these thin lengths of leather in case we need to make a repair to our horse’s tack or anything else that might break.”

“Sounds like that will work. But let us use another blanket to make this grass tick with so Legolas can continue to sleep undisturbed for as long as possible,” Aragorn suggest firmly. Then he added, “Come to think about it we should make one for Frodo and Sam while we’re at it in case our journey back to Minas Tirith does take longer than the hobbits can sit through.”

Now it did not take Éomer very long to gather enough leather thongs from his people and return with them in his hands, which had the two hobbits eagerly setting about to the sewing part since Gimli had already brought to them two more blankets from the wagon. After that the dwarf, the two men, and the wizard set aside their pipes and began to harvest with their knives the long tawny grass that was growing all through out the grove of trees.

Eventually they had a sizable pile of grass and by then Merry and Pippin had finished their sewing, which was far from the neat stitching a seamstress would have done. Nevertheless, it proved to be functional enough to keep most of the grass the hobbits were now quickly stuffing into them. Moreover, when they were finished Aragorn picked up the one meant for Legolas and placed it down in an empty space in the middle of the wagon where he hoped the ride would be the smoothest for his friend. Then he tried it out for himself by lying down on it.

“Legolas and no doubt Frodo and Sam will definitely ride back to Minas Tirith in comfort!” he said while giving Merry and Pippin each a smile of appreciation once he was on his feet again.

“If only we were back at the Green Dragon! Then we could celebrate Merry’s brilliant idea with pints!” the younger hobbit lamented while Aragorn positioned the second tick along side the first.

“I’m sure the future King of Gondor here has something down in his wine cellars that will slack your thirst in a similar fashion,” Gandalf said as if he had prior knowledge that such a drink did exist.

“I do?” Aragorn asked while he gave the wizard a big grin. “What else do I have that I’m not currently aware of?”

“There’s a fully stocked larder. Something I look forward to raiding. These rations we brought with us leave a lot to be desired.”

“I like them!” Pippin chimed in.

“You would! You eat like a goat!” Merry exclaimed while he rolled his eyes.

“I do not! I have a very healthy hobbit appetite just like everyone else!”

“So when did we start eating parchment?”

“I told you I didn’t know that someone had slipped that note to me under the bottom of my sandwich during last years Yule celebration!”

“Pippin you had to have known it was there when you bit into it!”

“Here now you wool footed rascals!” Gimli admonished in a semi-angry tone of voice when the two hobbits’ argument began to grow louder. “You don’t want to wake up Legolas, Frodo, and Sam do you?”

“Of course not!” the two hobbits whispered back meekly and in unison.

“We should all get some rest now ourselves while we can,” Aragorn deftly recommended as a way to change the subject back to the present.

“I’m all for that!” Gandalf muttered grumpily while he shook his head in disbelief at what he had just heard from Merry and Pippin.

Therefore, while everyone else returned to the fire, the former Ranger made his bed between Legolas and the two hobbits. Then he kindled a fire for them after he had noticed that Frodo and Sam were starting to tremble under their blankets from the chilliness that was beginning to set in. As for Legolas, the drop in temperature normally would not affect the elf. However, his wound had weakened him so much by now he too was starting to feel the cold. Fortunately, the warmth from the flames quickly put a stop to his and the hobbits trembling so they remained undisturbed and sleeping peacefully.

“I will be so relieved when this whole ordeal is over with,” Aragorn sighed softly to himself while he stretched out fully on his bedroll as he followed his own advice on the getting of some rest. However if he had known that this calm night was indeed hiding a gathering storm not unlike the one Gandalf had spoken about earlier he wouldn’t have been able to now fall asleep at all.

To Be Continued...