Aralas Oneshots

Sacrifice

Alternative plot: This One-shot is an adaptation of the original story, and doesn't follow the plot from a certain point on.

"Wait on my sign, then you can attack", Aragorn told Treebeard with a quiet voice. "You are free to do anything you want, I know your ents are keen to thoroughly destroy Saruman, but keep in mind that your true purpose is to destract him. While you attack Orthanc, me and Legolas will try to enter it and free Merry and Pippin."

They were hiding in the forest around Isengard and planned their attack on the former great wizard's stronghold. About three days ago, the two young Hobbits had been captured by the uruk-hai at the Rauros Falls, and the ranger, the elf and Gimli had tracked them until their destination in Isengard, which was also where they had stumbled upon the upcoming war of the ents against the fallen wizard. After a short time of consideration from the future King of Gondor, he had decided to join forces with the shepherds of the trees to make the wizard surrender. And with them having their backs, it was easier for Aragorn and Legolas to enter Orthanc and try to save Merry and Pippin. Gimli would stay with the ents, due to his extraordinary skills with his axe, as the elf told him, but the real reason  for him to stay behind was that he couldn't be as sneaky and quiet as the others. In other words, Saruman would notice them, if Gimli joined the two friends.

Treebeard, the huge ent, hummed agreeingly and then started to translate Aragorn's words to his fellows. Which took quite a long time, as their language was one with use of many words. Aragorn waited patiently, and used the time by staring at Legolas. It was one of his favorite ocupations and he could do it hours on end. The elf was simply breathtakingly beautiful. Every time the ranger looked at him, his hair shone bright like a wave of gold in the sun and at nighttime, it was as if the Moon itself had given it its colour. His eyes were of a deep blue, and they captured Aragorn every time they made eye contact. His elven armour accentuated his body features, that were perfect in themselves, and when he did that thing with his hand, where he pushed some lose strands of hair behind his ears, Aragorn could only hold his breath. But then he had to look away, because Legolas noticed him.

"Is everything alright, Estel?", he whispered, leaning in close while doing so. 

Quickly Aragorn lowered his gaze and looked away to the tower of Orthanc instead. 

"It is, do not worry. I'm simply lost in battle strategies and my mind was elsewhere. Forgive me", the man said.

"You don't have to apologize, I don't even know what you did wrong!", Legolas answered more loudly now. But then he lowered his voice again and said: "On the contrary, you make my day better with that smile of yours."

He smiled.

Since the very beginning, he had felt that special connection towards the elf, and in their conversations, he always sensed those small, almost unnoticable hints, that there was more behind Legolas' comment than he said openly. But he guessed, that his brain fooled him. He didn't really know how to deal with feelings. Anyway, it would be time for the attack now, he thought, so he lifted up his arm and cried:

"Forth my friends and companions! It is time to make this traitor learn his lesson!"

The last march of the ents was one of the biggest memories he ever made. 

---

The elf and the ranger made their way through the masses of water and stones that the ents had thrown to the ground. The outer wall was broken, and the field around Orthanc was destroyed. Saruman had come out of his tower and watched the scene from above, but he could do nothing against the mighty ents of Fangorn, other than cry out in anger. Now was the time for the rescue of Merry and Pippin. They were being held captured in the tower itself, and the only way in was the door. Therefore, they were currently sprinting towards it as fast as they could, their elven cloaks pulled deep over their faces, so that the wizard wouldn't see them. It was a risky manouver, but the last thing they could do for their imprisoned friends, was rescue them.