Thorodriel

Chapter 21 - The Road to Lothlorien

Legolas POV:

Legolas watched in awe as the goblins fled, before turning back to Aeweneth. She was glorious. Ethereal light burst from every crevice of her being, and her voice reverberated with a thousand echoes. Around her, the Fellowship admired her power and beauty – some with wonder and others fear.

Suddenly her brilliance dimmed, and like a dying flame, he watched as she slowly let the darkness overtake her. Legolas held his breath as she swayed on her feet and fell. Too far away to help, he sighed in relief as Aragorn caught her in his battle-scarred arms. Legolas watched as his companion scanned Aeweneth for signs of injury.

"You did it, melon nin," he whispered to her in concern, so softly only Legolas could hear, "we're safe."

The Ranger brushed a stray hair from the elf's face and kissed her forehead fondly, before glancing upward and catching Legolas's gaze across the cavern. To Aragorn, Aeweneth was more than a friend, more than a teacher- she was family. Knowing what had to be done, Legolas nodded in assurance to his old friend, before reaching out and taking Aeweneth into his own arms. They were safe for now, but the danger was quickly re-approaching, and they didn't have much time. Holding her close to his chest as Aragorn gathered their group, Legolas pushed his worry for Aeweneth to the back of his mind. Whilst her cold skin shocked him, for now they had to focus on escape. The light at the end of the tunnel beckoned and together the Fellowship ran.

***

As they broke through into daylight, reality hit and the group collapsed, heartbroken and drained. Legolas and Aragorn watched as the hobbits fell to the rocky ground in tears, mourning their fallen friend. Gandalf was their leader, their beacon, their guide. Without him, it seemed as all hope was lost. Even Gimli's cries of anguish echoed through across the barren landscape as Boromir held him back from returning to fight.

Legolas took the moment to lay Aeweneth down on the stone, checking her over again for injuries but finding none externally. She almost looked peaceful, asleep on the rocks in the midday sun – but her ice-cold skin and sluggish heartbeat told Legolas otherwise. She was alive, but it was as though her spirit had been utterly drained: her skin was losing colour, and her body was shutting down as though it didn't have the energy to keep going. In his concern, he didn't hear Boromir approach.

"Is she alive?" he questioned, hesitantly.

Startled, Legolas looked up to see the entire Fellowship watching in apprehension, tear tracks running lines down their blackened cheeks.

"Yes." He informed them, before turning to Aragorn expectantly. "But she needs aid."

The Ranger nodded thoughtfully, wiping his sword and thinking back to Aeweneth's words.

"Boromir, get them up." He instructed.

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" The Gondorian cried in shock,

"By nightfall, these hills will be swarming with orcs!" Aragorn looked around the broken Fellowship with compassion, his eyes hovering on Aeweneth's still form for a moment, before turning back to Boromir. "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien."

As the Fellowship gathered for the next stage of their journey, Legolas once again lifted Aeweneth into his arms. Holding her gently, he followed Aragorn to the one place he knew the young elf would never go willingly - unless they had no other choice.

***

"What happened?" Gimli asked, nervously.

Legolas looked down at the red-haired dwarf in surprise. Until now, the Fellowship had trekked across the barren land in silence. The hobbits, tired and heartbroken, struggled onwards in desperation to reach the woodland ahead. Boromir and Aragorn had ploughed onwards, totally focused on the task at hand. Legolas could see that the group was shaken, and no one was ready to speak about their trauma just yet. No one, it seemed, except Gimli.