Veiled Stars » LotR [1] ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Three: The King is Dead

Legolas stopped two steps behind Elle.

Around him, the world froze in place. The light caught on the necklace dipped in crimson blood and his heart stopped.

No...

His eyes widened in horror and he yanked his gaze away, searching the hills in panic. No!

"Estel?" His voice rose in the air and the eyes of the horsemen snapped to him, but Legolas didn't care, "ESTEL!"

To the side, Gimli snapped away from inspecting a dead warg. He looked at Legolas in confusion, "Laddie? What is it?"

Legolas ignored Gimli's question, his heart pounding against his chest. The world spun.

Aragorn, where was Aragorn?!

Gandalf shambled over, looking at him. "Prince Greenleaf?" Gandalf tilted his head, searching his face. "What's wrong? Where is Aragorn?"

"Gone," Elle's broken voice sounded behind him.

Legolas whirled around.

The Evenstar hung on its chain between her fingers and Aragorn's sword hung by her side. Her hands were covered in blood; Estel's blood. Tears poured down her cheeks, dripping from her chin.

"Gone?" Alarm lit up in Gandalf's eyes. "What you mean? What happened!"

"W- wargs," Elle's voice broke and she sobbed, slumping down. "The orc said-- the orc said they dragged him away."

Gimli made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and his axe fell to the dirt. "Oh, Durin."

Over the hillside came Boromir, escorting Pippin and Merry. To the side, Théodred led his men toward them.

He rode up, looking down at Gandalf in confusion. "Is something the matter, Gandalf? Is anyone hurt?"

Gandalf didn't answer, staring at Elle. Shock washed over his face, followed by sorrow and then fear. His eyes seemed to age a hundred years in a second.

Théodred's eyebrows furrowed. "Gandalf?"

"Nay," Legolas whispered, backing up. Théodred looked at him in confusion.

Legolas threw his bow around his shoulders and turned, taking off off up the hill. Boromir shouted his name in confusion but Legolas ignored him, racing up the hillside.

"Ai!" His voice carried in the air. To his call, Arod came galloping over the hill, white mane streaming. Legolas pushed himself up, swinging himself over the horse's back.

He didn't need the saddle, he didn't need the reins. He had ridden bareback since he was a child, taught how to ride by his father.

But he leaned forward in the saddle anyway, urging Arod on, his eyes searching the hills. The fact that he was leaving the others behind didn't enter his mind, his heart in his throat.

Please, Eru, please!

"Estel! Estel, please!"

Nothing.

No blood trail, no body, no pack of wargs that surrounded a corpse.

Blood roared in his ears and Legolas felt himself separating from his body, as if he was watching from afar. Grief turned his vision fuzzy and his heart twisted in his chest, feeling like it was being ripped apart.

He couldn't hold it in any longer; Legolas threw back his head and screamed loud at the sky, startling Arod into galloping even faster. Eru, no! Why? Why Aragorn!