Of Futures Past (Legolas)

14

The Fellowship sprinted down the rest of the staircase, the booming footsteps of the Balrog sounding behind them, and reaches the bridge.

One by one, they pass the narrow stone bridge above the gaping chasm and make their way across. 

Gandalf stopped and turned to face the Balrog. Alana felt an overwhelming urge to cry, but knew, in her heart, if he did not, they would all be dead. The Balrog growled and Alana instinctively took a step backwards from fear.

"You cannot pass!" Gandalf yelled, brandishing his staff.

"Gandalf!" Frodo yelled.

A blazing light was emitted from Gandalf's staff, illuminating the entire bridge. "I am the servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udun!"

The Balrog attempted to strike down on Gandalf with his sword, but Gandalf parried it with his own, shattering the Balrog's weapon.

"Go back to the shadow!"

The Balrog brandished a flaming whip, lashing it about menacingly.

"YOU... SHALL NOT... PASS!" Gandalf yelled, striking his staff onto the bridge.

The Balrog stepped forward, but the bridge underneath his feet collapsed and the demon fell backwards into the chasm of Moria. Gandalf, exhausted, leaned on his staff and turned around to face the rest of the Fellowship.

Alana's face was pale with anxiety. "Hurry, Gandalf!"

Just as he took the last step, the flaming whip of the Balrog latched around Gandalf's foot, dragging him to the edge of the bridge, where he hung by the tips of his fingers. Alana tried to run to him, tears streaming freely down her face, but Legolas held her back. Boromir was restraining Frodo.

"Fly, you fools." Gandalf whispered, before letting go.

"Noooooo!!!" Frodo yelled, while Alana screamed in grief.

The Fellowship was all frozen in shock and sadness. With the Balrog gone, the orcs began shooting at them once more, shrieking manically.

Holding her tight despite her fighting against him, Legolas pulled Alana away and up the staircase leading to the exit, following the others.

Still in view of the hordes of orcs, Alana was taken by a vision suddenly. An orc loaded his bow and she watched as arrows pierced Legolas's back. He continued pulling her up the stairs, but upon reaching the fresh air, he collapsed, and she fell to the ground in sobs next to him, begging him to wake up, feeling as if her entire soul had been ripped to shreds.

Coming to, Alana's vision cleared and she looked frantically over to the orc who was loading his bow. Without a second thought, she switched positions with Legolas, pushing him against the wall of the mine as an arrow punctured her shoulder and another entered her thigh. Others just barely missed her.

Legolas looked down at her in horror, before picking her up and sprinting out of the cave, emerging finally into the daylight.

"What happened to her?" Boromir demanded.

"She... pushed me out of the way." Legolas said, in shock.

Alana's lips were trembling, but somehow were smiling relievedly despite her sobs. "I watched you die. I could not... I already lost Gandalf, the man I consider my father, I could not lose anyone else." Alana's hand clenched Legolas's tunic, shaking. "I watched you die. I can not bear it."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Boromir said gently, "Hold her still, Legolas, I will break off the arrowheads."

Legolas tightened his grip around her, one arm on her upper arm and the other on her shoulder above the arrow as Boromir carefully broke the shaft of the arrow off. He shifted his grip to have one hand holding her knees together and the other on her hip as Boromir repeated the action with the second arrow.

Legolas's face was a mixture of frozen shock and disbelief and worry for the elleth crying in his arms. The hobbits and Gimli were all shedding tears and Boromir had to restrain Gimli's attempts to let out his rage and sorrow.

"Legolas, get them up." Aragorn ordered.

"Give them a moment for pity's sake." Boromir pleaded.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs! We must reach the Woods of Lothlorien. Come Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, get them up." Aragorn retorted. "Alana, get up, we must leave now."

Shakily, Alana lifted her head and removed herself from Legolas's arms, standing on her right leg to alleviate the strain on the other. Aragorn and Boromir then got the hobbits to rise as Legolas concernedly grabbed Alana's arm.

"You cannot expect to run on that leg. I will carry you."

Alana shook her head, smiling weakly, her tears still flowing. "I will only slow you down that way. I am strong, I can handle running until we are far enough from danger."

Legolas saw in her eyes that she would not change her mind and nodded, resolving to stay behind her and keep an eye on her until they reached Lothlorien.

Once again, the Fellowship started running, though no longer at a full sprint, and Alana struggled to hold in cries of pain from both her thigh and shoulder. The movement of the arrow in her thigh so near to the femoral artery had caused nearly a pint's worth of blood to stain her brown trousers and her face was so pasty she looked like a ghost, her golden-blonde hair matted down with sweat and dirt to be a dull brown colour.

They slowed down to a walk and Alana forced a vision upon herself, seeing no dangers until they reached Lothlorien as long as they kept moving.

Legolas noticed her swaying on her feet and put a steadying arm around her waist, regarding the blood staining her trousers with terror. Without allowing her to complain, he picked her up bridal style, taking care not to touch the arrow.

"Legolas... I am fine." Alana mumbled, though she leaned against his chest and wrapped her arm around his neck without complaint.

"You are always so sacrificial. You take no heed of your own injuries. It terrifies me." Legolas admitted. Though she was too exhausted to show it, Alana was shocked at the confession of the elf who was usually so in control of his emotions.

"I am sorry. I do not mean to worry you." Alana instinctually nuzzled her face further into his chest, eyes half-closed. "I did not know you cared so much."

"How could I not care? You have been on my mind incessantly since the Feast of Starlight." Legolas confessed quietly, though he did not know whether she was still listening in her state of lack of blood.

"I guess I care about you too." Alana muttered. "I did not think I did, but I can not bear the thought of your death... You terrify me too."

Only with his elf hearing was Legolas able to hear Alana's words, but they both warmed his heart and increased his fear for her life.