To be a Mortal in Love {Legolas X Aragon}

Thirteen

Aragorn was lying on the ground, eyes closed and listening for the sound of footsteps. He got up and frowned.

"Their pace had quickened." He said. "They must have caught our scent. We need to hurry." Aragorn began to run and Legolas took off after him, looking back and laughing at Gimli who was breathing heavily.
"Three days' and nights' pursuit. No food. No rest. And no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell." The dwarf was grumpy and tired, but he ran after them anyway. 

The three hunters ran across rocks and plains, with Aragorn always in front and Legolas and Gimli behind. From time to time, Legolas would look back to ensure that the dwarf was keeping up.

Aragorn suddenly stopped, bending over to pick something up. "Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." He said, showing Legolas the elven brooch. He instantly recognised it as Pippin's.

"They may be alive yet." Legolas smiled up at him and Aragorn grinned back. 
"Less than a day ahead of us." Aragorn told them, and Legolas couldn't help but feel relieved. They had been tracking the Uruk-Hai non stop for days and were exhausted. He waited for Gimli to catch up with him. "Come, Gimli." He cheered. "We're gaining on them!"

The dwarf was panting heavily. "I'm wasted on cross-country!" He said. "We dwarves are natural sprinters! Very dangerous over short distances!"

They paused at the top of a hill, gazing down at the plains of Rohan below.
"There is something strange at work here." Aragorn said. "Some evil gives speed to these creatures, sets it's will against us." Legolas ran ahead to look out at the horizon. "Legolas," Aragorn called. "What do your elf eyes see?"
"The Uruks turn northeast..." He said. "They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!"

***

Dawn was breaking and the sky was a deep red. Legolas recalled a phrase he had heard long ago. "A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night." He whispered to himself, already not trusting this day.

The sound of horses spooked them into hiding. A large company of horse-men appeared, galloping quickly with their banners flying high. Aragorn came out of hiding as they passes, Legolas and Gimli following soon after.

"Riders of Rohan," Aragorn greeted. "What news from the Mark?"

But the riders weren't so forth coming. They surrounded the three of them in ever-tightening circles. When they came to a stop, they pointed their long spears at them threateningly. 

"What business does an elf, a man and a dwarf have in the Riddermark?" The horse-lord said cooly. "Speak up."
"Give me your name, Horsemaster, and I shall give you mine." Gimli said. He did not take kindly to threats. The rider handed over his staff and got off of his horse. Aragorn put a hand on the dwarf's shoulder.
"I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground."
Legolas was lightening fast in pointing his bow and arrow at the horse-lord's head. "You would die before your stroke fell." He spoke firmly. The riders pointed their spears closer and after a tense moment Aragorn put a gentle hand on Legolas' arm and pushed it down. 

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn." Aragorn said. "This is Gimli, son of Gloin and Legolas or the Woodland realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Theoden, your king."

"Theoden no longer recognises friend from foe." The horse-lord said, removing his helm. "Not even his own kin." The rest of the riders lowered their spears as he spoke. "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished. The White Wizard is cunning." He said. "He walks here and there, they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets." 

"We are not spies." Aragorn assured him. "We track a party of Uruk-Hai westward across the plain. They've taken two of our friends captive."

"The Uruks are destroyed." The horse-lord said. "We slaughtered them during the night."
"But there were two hobbits." Gimli insisted. "Did you see two hobbits with them?"
"They would be small - only children to your eyes." Aragorn said but the horse-lord just looked down.

"We left none alive." He said. "We piled the carcasses and burned them." He pointed to a smoking pile in the distance.

"Dead?" Gimli said and Legolas put a hand on his shoulder, sharing their grief as the horse-lord apologised.
He called over two horses for them. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters." He said. "Farewell." He put on his helmet and climbed back onto his horse. "Look for your friends. But do not trust to hope, it has forsaken these lands."

Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli watched on as the riders took off before they rode towards the burning carcasses. Gimli shifted through through the smouldering pile and pulled out a charred belt and dagger sheath. 

"It's one of their wee belts!" He cried. Legolas bowed his head and said a farewell in his elvish tongue. He turned to Aragorn who had screamed, falling to his knees. "We failed them." Gimli said.

Aragorn looked to the side, suddenly noticing some tracks. "A hobbit lay here," He said. "And the other." He moved along the ground. "They crawled, their hands were bound," Aragorn held up a broken length of thick rope. "Their bonds were cut. They ran over here. They were followed. Their tracks lead away from the battle... into Fangorn Forest."

They looked up and into the dense and dark forest.

"Fangorn?" Gimli said. "What madness drove them in there?"

***

The forest was dank and dark and Aragorn didn't like it much. He stayed close to Legolas, who seemed unaffected by the eeriness. Legolas had grown up in the Woodland realm though, so things like this didn't scare him. He was listening to the trees though, and didn't notice Gimli fingering a dark stain upon a leaf and trying it. He spat it out immediately, claiming it was orc blood.

"This forest is old." Legolas said. "Very old. Full of memory and anger." Groans reverberated through the forest and Gimli raised his axe. "The trees are talking to each other."
Aragorn leaned into Legolas, not wanting to be far from his companions. "Gimli!" He whispered. "Lower your axe." He said, and Gimli lowered it slowly.

"Aragorn," Legolas spoke in elvish. "Something is out there!"
Aragorn replied in the same language. "What do you see?"

Legolas stiffened beside him. "The White Wizard approaches." He spoke in the common tongue that time so that Gimli would understand too.
"Do not let him speak." Aragorn warned. "He will put a spell on us." Aragorn wrapped his hand around the hilt of his sword, Gimli tightened his hold on his axe and Legolas notched an arrow to his bow. "We must be quick."

With a yell the three swung round to attack, but Legolas' bow and Gimli's axe were deflected and Aragorn dropped his sword as it became red hot in his grasp. They shielded their eyes with their hands from the bright light emanating from the White Wizard. 

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits." The White Wizard said.
"Where are they?" Aragorn demanded..
"They passed this was they day before yesterday." He said. "They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" He asked.

"Who are you? Show yourself." The bright light dimmed and revealed Gandalf, all dressed in white. Legolas and Gimli bowed but Aragorn was suspicious. "It cannot be." He said. "You fell."
"Through fire and water, from the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth." Gandalf said. "Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me and I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead and everyday was as long as a life-age of the earth but it was not the end. I felt life in me again." He raised him arms wide as if he was welcoming them. "I've been sent back until my task is done." He said. 

"Gandalf!" Aragorn said, at last believing it was truly him.
"Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name." He smiled.
"Gandalf!" Gimli cried, glad to see their old friend.
The wizard's eyes twinkled. "I am Gandalf the White." He said and Aragorn smiled. "And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide."

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Filler chapter :/ sorry if it's boring

-YaoiMeansGayShip