Unlikely Rescue

Chapter 14 - Discoveries

Thank you everyone for reading this and thanks especially to New-Identity for your wonderful comments and our strange conversations!

As soon as he was sure that the elves wouldn't be returning, Aragorn set off with Legolas in his arms. He ran all day, past the twisted roots of the forest and dodging long, low-hanging branches as he unwittingly headed South, not West.

It was about midday when he stopped. He thought it was midday, anyway; he had completely lost track of time and could no longer see the sun in order to tell the time. He was lost.

If I can't see the sun, then how can I know that I'm headed West? He asked himself. He had been pushing the thought away again and again, but now that he had stopped, it came back. And this time, he couldn't push it away, so he tried to reason with it.

Because I've not turned. I'm headed due West, along the elf path!

Then where is it?

That hadn't occurred to him before. But after all, what was it Tinu had said? He racked his brain, trying desperately to remember. There!

'I'll go first my boy. Better to have an elf in front or you'll lose the path.'

That's what Tinu had said! But the only elf Aragorn had in his company right now was a young, desperately injured and deeply unconscious elfling. Not helpful. Even if he could get the elfling to go first, he doubted he would be able to stand on his feet for long, let alone walk.

No. Aragorn would have to do this on his own. Sighing deeply in an attempt at not panicking, he set down the elfling and stretched, feeling oddly peaceful.

The moment was short-lived, however, when Legolas sat up suddenly, fear shining plainly in his large blue eyes. Aragorn glanced around immediately, trusting the elf's superior hearing, and, grabbing the elfling, darted into the cover of a well hidden ditch.

He took care to cover his tracks, knowing that the elf's hearing would give him enough time to do so before the threat reached him.

As he jumped into the ditch beside Legolas, his human ears picked up what Legolas' highly refined elvish ones had picked up before: footsteps.

He could tell they were elvish footsteps, having lived with the creatures all his life, and his suspicions were confirmed when two elves, wearing the garb of woodland guards, marched past, eyes scanning the surrounding area.

Aragorn breathed a sigh of relief once they had passed before turning to the elf beside him, smiling.

"Hannon le. You saved us once again!"

Legolas turned, his expression somber and pained.

"They're c-coming for me. He'll n-never let me e-escape." His voice was barely a whisper and his eyes darted around as though searching for an escape route.

Aragorn felt a swell of pity for the elf before him, but he remembered what he had seen on that first night. Legolas was a murderer, and he would have to be locked up again, though it broke Aragorn's heart. Unless...

"I need to know something."

Legolas looked frightened at what he probably imagined was coming. Aragorn guessed he was fearing an abusive questioning.

He was right. Legolas was terrified of the human he'd thought was different, the human he'd thought wouldn't hurt him. He curled up and backed away into the earthen wall of the ditch they were still crouched in, closing his eyes against a wave of nausea at the thought of another 'punishment'.