Unspoken ( A Legolas Love Story )

2.15: The Light

"Legolas, what are you doing?!"

Rodorin had turned to yell at the elf-prince who was now behind him, standing stationary at the edge of the gaping pit beside which they had just run. With orcs on their heels they could ill-afford to linger even a moment; the rangers needed to either find the other half of their party or a more advantageous space in which to fight. All of them had passed by the chasm and were making their way along the passage to the right, except for Legolas. He had paused in the darkness, his piercing blue eyes staring deep into the pit, as though fixed on something only he could see.

"Legolas!"

The orcs that had been hanging back after the last volley of arrows, had either regained their courage or been thrust forward by their comrades from the rear. For at that moment, the next offensive of orcs came swarming out from the gloom of the tunnel behind Legolas, brandishing their crude knives and axes with an air of desperation. By all appearances, the fiends knew that they were on their last legs in this place, but were prepared to fight to the death now that they had been attacked in their own lair.

It was only at that moment, as the ruckus of the approaching orc rabble neared him, that Legolas seemed to remember himself and where he was. As if waking from a dream, he reached for his bow with numbed fingers, his usual dexterity absent and an unnatural slowness present that seemed to hinder time. The orcs were in no such way slowed though, and they bore down on the lone elf at speed with their weapons raised.

Beringil was faster though. With speed that disproved his older age, the captain met iron with steel. Barreling back down the passageway and past the stricken elf, he had practically tackled the nearest orc. Even with blood streaming down his back from the arrow wound in his shoulder, Rodorin was not far behind, and Kaelin and the rest of the rangers joined in the fight less than a few paces after the ranger captain with a loud collective yell.

"Elendil!"

The ringing of blades and the cries of both humans and orcs alike brought Legolas out of his trance and back to himself. Truly, he had not actually expected to find any sign of his mother inside this mountain stronghold. It was as though the light illuminating the far passageway had called him to this spot, as surely as it had called the elf queen. However. this was not the time for him to uncover the remainder of that secret, he was needed here and now, by his friends. As his ears re-accustomed to the clamor, through the din he heard the faintest hum of an arrow traveling fast through the air towards him. In a split-second Legolas turned his head to the left and felt the fletching lightly graze his cheek, just before the head of the shaft embedded itself into a stray orc's skull. The creature stood for a moment at Legolas's side, its weapon frozen briefly above its monstrous head, before the dead orc then tumbled into the pit.

"Elbereth Gilthoniel*!"

A shout in elvish came ringing down the passageway from where the pale streak of sunlight shone through. That fair cry was mirrored a moment later, or perhaps it just echoed among the very stones. Legolas turned to stare in near disbelief, as shadows fell across the light in the tunnel and a second later the twin sons of Elrond leapt out across the corner of the pit, their naked swords gleaming, as they passed by Legolas and charged down the tunnel into the melee of orcs. At their backs came Wren, Faolan and the remainder of the other party of rangers. Legolas drew both of his twin knives from their sheaths with a hissing ring.

The elf prince turned as he saw Wren fought through the orcs towards him, her eyes were wild with panic. She stretched out with her knife and slashed at an orc who was near her, as she called to him. "What's wrong with you?"

"I am fine!" Legolas yelled in return, as he buried his knife up to the hilt in the chest of an orc, whilst slicing across the neck of another.

"Really?! Because that was not what it looked like..." As she drew another two arrows and fired them from her bow. She caught his gaze, her eyes pleading. "I need you..."