In the Ruins//Legolas

Chapter 28; Safe at Last

It was a miracle that Durion did not trip on his way down the stairs from the very top of Isengard. The mithril cuffs that still bound his wrists didn't help with his balance, even if they were long enough to allow him enough movement to forge and polish the ring that now rested safely in one of his pockets. The excitement of seeing Legolas again made him forget one crucial detail. The two Uruks that stood guard over him while he forged were still in the tower, none the wiser to what happened to their master. He was reminded of that fact when he burst into the room that led to another set of stairs that led to his freedom, and unfortunately found himself face to face with one of the previously mentioned Uruks. Surprise crossed its foul face and Durion tried his best to slip by. And if it wasn't for the second Uruk-Hai, he would have managed it. His head snapped back when the Uruk grabbed a fistful of his black hair. Whoever thought long hair was practical was a fool. He was pulled back by his hair and brought down to his knees. A dagger was swung at his neck and he lifted his hands fast enough that his chains caught the weapon before it could do any harm. He quickly wrapped the chain around the blade and ripped it out of the Uruk's hand. His head was then pulled further back, making him gasp in pain as he felt the pull on his cut ear that still bled. Then he heard a deep hum in the air that stopped with a loud 'twap'. His hair was released and the Uruk fell back, an arrow buried deep in his chest. It took Durion's brain a moment to catch up, but when it did, he looked towards the staircase so fast it was a miracle that he didn't get a whiplash. The murderous stare that Legolas had sent shivers down his spine, good thing he wasn't the one it was directed at. The other Uruk barely managed to look surprised before he was falling himself, clutching at the arrow piercing his chest in the exact same place as his companion before.

"Legolas-" Durion cried out and before he even managed to get up from the ground, he was engulfed in a tight embrace. Durion couldn't help it, he began to shake as tears slid from his eyes. "Legolas." His voice wavered on the last vowel.

"I'm here, I'm here." Legolas whispered to him. "You're safe now." Durion shook in his arms a moment more before forcing himself to get his act together. He took in a shaky breath and tugged at the chains still binding his wrists. He looked at the corpses on the ground and searched for the stack of keys he saw one of them wearing. Legolas was faster than him. "I have you." In moments, the keys were in his hands and the chains were falling to the ground. The warm sensation of the access to his runes freeing almost made him cry again.

"Thank you." His voice wavered and he tried to hide the shaking of his hands by balling them up into fists.

"Hey, hey." Legolas grabbed and unraveled them, not caring for the dirt and soot that stained them, only caring that Durion stopped pressing crescent moons into his palms. "I have you, you hear me? I will never let anyone or anything hurt you again." His voice was very calming. Even calming enough that Durion managed to let out a pathetic laugh.

"I don't think that's possible."

"Don't underestimate me." Legolas smiled and gently led Durion to the staircase. And so down they went, clinging onto each other like their lives depended on it. Durion could not believe his eyes, it really was Gandalf, alive and well.

"Wha-what? H-how?" He mumbled out when they neared the others. Gandalf lifted a calming palm and placed it on Durion's shoulder, frowning slightly when the elf didn't succeed in hiding the flinch that the movement resulted in. Durion frowned too, not knowing why his body reacted like that to the touch of a friend.

"The story of my return is complicated, friend, I will not burden you with it. Not now." The wizard smiled and made way for the rest of the fellowship. First came a teary eyed Boromir, who pulled him into a tight hug and whispered to him in a shaky voice.

"Durion, I am so, so sorry. I should have done more, I should have-"

"Don't speak nonsense, Boromir. I didn't want you to move, so you didn't move. That's how my runes work. I only hope that you didn't stay bound for too long. In your condition, you wouldn't be able to do anything anyway, not against a Nazgûl."