Gwaedh [Legolas Love Story] - COMPLETED

XXII.

In general, Thranduil is more than happy with Ithilien, and deems it perfectly fit for his elves to live as long as they desire. He congratulates Faramir, Éowyn and Legolas for the excellent work that had been done, and the couple considers it one of the most important days of their lives, being approved by the cold Elven King. Everybody they share this with fully agrees. 

They sleep one more night in Ithilien and then decide to return to Minas Tirith. Éowyn and Faramir say to call for their aid whenever necessary, and bid them farewell. 

Nothing happens between Legolas and Elarinya, and neither of them dares to confess their feelings. Thranduil notices something is different. The woman being attracted to Legolas is no surprise, elves are naturally beautiful to humans, and his son is most definitely handsome, it is not the first nor the last time Legolas makes any female sigh enamorated. He knows this because the same happened to Thranduil too, and only his scary aura was able to put women at bay. But something had changed in his son. He guessed he would be retracted after being at the beach, but he had returned with her lightly, free, happy. Unfortunately, they had been far away, and the king's ears were not as keen as his son's in order to hear the conversation. But he had noticed it ever since the ball, how easily his son would laugh freely with the woman, slightly more than with Aragorn or Gimli.

They are halfway towards Minas Tirith when Legolas stops his horse. They all spot him and stop too just as he yells "Orcs!" 

In seconds they are surrounded. There are too many orcs for them, seem to count about a hundred, but they have great warriors, including two experienced elves in their group. Legolas and Thranduil are ruthless, but the orcs seem smarter than usual, as most of them gather around both. They know they are the strongest and hardest to kill. Aragorn protects Arwen, Elarinya protects the hobbits. Gimli slices everyone away. 

Elarinya's group is the first taken down as the hobbits are the most courageous warriors and help her killing the orcs. She orders them "Go help Gimli and Aragorn!"

She picks her bow and starts to fire at the orcs surrounding the two elves. More seem to accumulate on Legolas so she runs towards him. He is too good, takes two in a second, and she spots Thranduil decapitating four at the same time with just a swing of his long sword. She shoots and then prepares her sword for the attack. Legolas is surrounded by eight orcs, all closing on him. He defends himself on the left, killing two, then blocks a blow and counterattacks on the right, three other are gone. Just as he turns left again, a sword pierces his abdomen. 

"No!" Elarinya screams as Legolas slices his offender and falls. She lunges herself forward and furiously attacks the remaining two orcs. "Legolas!" He is laying on the ground and doesn't answer. 

She drops on her knees, Legolas brown coat is ripped and stained with dark red. "No, no, Legolas..." she presses her hands hardly on his abdomen, trying to stop the bleeding. He moves his eyes around, confused, but he does not answer her. Her yell is a desperate cry "Help! Please!"

She keeps pressing the wound with both her hands as she cries desperately and calls his name, he becomes uncounscious. Thranduil is the first to arrive. It's like years ago, her face filled with tears, her desperate stare to him. Thranduil speaks in Sindarin but Elarinya is too worried to understand. He places his hands over hers, pressing the stab wound harder, saying some prayer. 

Their friends arrive and Arwen kneels immediately, joining Thranduil in Sindarin. Aragorn places his hand over Legolas' neck "His heart still beats." 

Arwen looks at Thranduil "It will be fatal if he loses much more blood."

"We must heal him."

"Arwen, there must be something..." Aragorn says with despair.

She thinks for a while. Gimli walks from one side to the other, tears on his eyes, and whispers repeatingly "C'mon, laddie."

Arwen speaks "I've seen the wounds heal better in bonded elves."

Aragorn says "He does not have a sacred bond."

"I can do it," Elarinya speaks. 

"Elarinya, it is-" Aragorn starts.

"I know what the sacred bond of elves is," she interrupts quickly and looks at Arwen "Could it give him a chance, even if it is one sided?" 

"Maybe," Arwen answers.

Elarinya looks at Thranduil. She speaks "I love him and I cannot lose him like this. Please." 

The elven king still has his hands over hers, pressing the wound on his son's body. She loves him, he sees it clearly. He tightens her hands "Close your eyes, focus on him. Say after me."

Elarinya shakes and cries nervously and then stops. She exhales, looks at Legolas and closes her eyes. 

Thranduil starts and she repeats every word flawlessly and like a whisper, like she only intended Legolas to hear it "By root and seed, by bud and stem. By leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love. In the name of the Valar, Gods of the Elven people, I, Elarinya, take Legolas to my hand, heart, and my spirit, at the setting of the sun and the rising of the stars. Nor shall death part us, for in the fullness of time, we shall be born again, at the same time, and in the same place as each other, and we shall meet and know and remember and love again."

Once she finishes, there are tears running down her face and she plants a small kiss on his forehead. She cries silently, her forehead resting against his, as Thranduil and Arwen return to their elven healing. Elarinya feels Gimli's hand on her back, comforting her. After a while she feels no more new blood staining her hands and her head moves to his chest. There it is, strong and steady, his beating heart. 

"Elarinya," Thranduil speaks gently, it's the first time he says her name. He no longer has his hands over hers "You can take your hands now." 

She raises her head and shakes it, afraid he will bleed out "I- I can't..."

"Trust me," he says "I won't let him go away." 

She hesitates, first takes one hand, then the other. It has stopped. In his wrist, the pulse is still there, steady and strong. There's silence while Arwen whispers some more prayers and then nods to his friends. In a few seconds, Legolas speaks Sindarin in a strained voice "Father..."

"I'm here, my son, I'm here." Thranduil speaks gently, caressing his hair "Rest now, let yourself heal."

Legolas nods and is immediately asleep. 

Everyone looks at Elarinya, who sobs and has her fist closed over her chest, as if her heart was in pain. 

Thranduil speaks "We must move, take him to the Houses of Healing. I'll take him with me." 

They help lifting Legolas to his father's horse, he lays in his arms. Thranduil rides right away. 

Gimli helps Elarinya rise, who has finally stopped crying but is scared and weak "Ei, lassie, c'mon," he holds her by the waist "We must ride to make sure he is fine."

"Ela," Pippin says, holding her hands in his "That was the bravest thing I've ever seen." 

Elarinya tries to answer but she feels lost. Aragorn holds her "I will take you with me. Come."

Arwen helps Elarinya into Aragorn's horse. They ride to Minas Tirith as fast as they can. 

_______

I hope you're enjoying this ride! Don't forget to vote and comment your favorite parts!