Shades Of Darkness (Legolas/LotR) Book 2 ✔️

IX

               

To ThePuginator5000 - for fangirling and: HE WANTED TO KISS HER! (I promise it will happen)

The silence was deafening for a couple of seconds after the rocks settled before rushing feet and yells were all Legolas heard.

In the commotion, Gandalf managed to light up the cave - and all but Legolas and Gandalf were pressed up against the stones, shouting Arya's name. They had all seen the same thing; all felt the despair as the rocks came cascading down over her. Had they really lost one of their companions so soon? Even though Arya had tried to stay secluded from the Fellowship, always speaking of them as though she wasn't a part of their journey, they all thought of her as part of their group.

*            *            *

It was as if Legolas was in a daze as he stumbled forwards, his fingers pressing into the rocks in front of him. All words had left him and it took all of his concentration just to breathe. Closing his eyes he leaned his forehead against the cold surface of the rock, trying to concentrate only on the link that connected them. Trying to find her with his mind.

He felt nothing.

Heard nothing.

            "We cannot linger here," Gandalf said softly, and only then did Legolas open his eyes again, becoming aware of how the Fellowship were staring at corpses that were littering the ground around them.

Suddenly they all turned towards him, their eyes sad and weary, as if he was about to do something irrational.

            "Arya," as he breathed her name all the air left his lungs and he spun around on his heels, fingers fisting and hands slamming into the rock as he practically gasped for air, a horrible pain clawing at his chest.

            Stop hurting yourself, Legolas

It was no more than a whisper, but he stopped instantly - the side of his face pressing up against the rock even if he had heard her voice inside his head, and not actually out loud.

            "Legolas..."

            "SHH!" He said harshly, waving his arm at Aragorn and Gandalf who had walked over towards him. With his ear pressed up against the damp rock he inhaled deeply, readying himself for possibly getting no answer at all:

            "Arya, can you hear me?"

The silence that followed were deafening, but luckily it did not last too long,

            "if you speak up I might."

The nine men exhaled in relief and cheered with joy as her voice reached them through the wall, Gimli even let out an incredulous laugh, and they all walked closer to Legolas and the wall to hear her better.

A whoosh of air left Legolas lungs as he heard her groan on the other side of the rock, and it had all the other men quieting up again, watching in silence as his fingers spanned out across the rock and his head once again leaned against the cool surface, his eyes closed.

            "Are you hurt?"

            "Some scrapes and bruises," her voice reached them through the wall. "I'm fine."

            "What about the beast?" Pippin piped up, and they all waited in a tense silence for her reply.

            "Oh! Uh... It is dead."

            "You turned?" Gandalf asked, and Legolas threw him a look with narrowed eyes, knowing fully well that had been a sensitive topic as of late.