Bound By Blood {Legolas x Reader}

Chapter Twelve - The Battle of Helm's Deep

This chapter is my personal favorite!
- Tayls

The armoury was bustling with men, old and young. Adriel had found a dark leather chestplate that would fit her, her eyes scanned over the intricate braided pattern that adored the leather. She slid it over her head, pulling the soft straps on the side tight before slinging her quiver and sword over her head. Adriel grinned in satisfaction with how the chestplate fit as she shifted her dagger's wide belt like sheath to fit under the armour. She pulled on the long sleeves of her tunic, making sure it was comfortable under the chestplate, the green fabric soft as her fingers gently tugged at it.

"You must go down the caves," a young man ordered as he stopped in front of the Witch. She looked into his dark green eyes and shook her head before looking down to continue adjusting her daggers sheaths.

"Believe me, you'd rather have me fighting alongside you," Adriel responded in a blunt tone as she swiftly tucked in a few dangling leather straps. He grabbed Adriel roughly by her jaw and slammed her into the wooden pillar that was behind her, forcing Adriel to look into his eyes.

"The women must go down to the caves," he hissed, sending spit flying from his mouth. Adriel gave him a lopsided grin as she grabbed his wrist and pulled it from her face, reaching around his back, placing her hand in between his shoulder blades, forcefully shoving him face first into the pillar she had been pressed against. Adriel pulled his wrist behind his back and raised it slightly, making him whimper. The men that surrounded them turned and stared to where Adriel had the young man pinned.

"Trust me," she whispered venomously in his ear, "I'm better off out here."

"She would have your head before you could even reach for your sword lad," Gimli chuckled from where he stood beside Legolas. Adriel dropped the boy's arm and pulled him away from the pillar before shoving him away from her. Legolas was at Adriel's side in an instant, his hands landing on her waist. She looked into his usually calm blue eyes only to see them hard and steely. Adriel offered the now angry elf a small smile as she gently rubbed where the boy had grabbed her face, a small growl escaped from between Legolas's lips as he looked up to where the boy scurried into the sea of men.

"I think I handled that well," Adriel muttered to Legolas who now walked beside her as she turned to move towards Aragorn.

"I'm surprised you let him get away with that," Legolas snorted as he shifted the thin leather pauldrons he now wore, his eyes shifted down to Adriel who still rubbed her jaw.

"We need all the men we can get," she grumbled as she stopped to lean against another wooden pillar, silently watching Aragorn inspect some swords.

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers," Aragorn sighed as he tossed a flimsy sword to the side and approached Legolas and Adriel. Adriel nodded, stealing a glance at the young man who had threatened her. He couldn't have been more than seventeen.

"Most have seen too many winters," Gimli said in a gruff tone from beside Adriel.

"Or too few," she added softly as she crossed her arms over her chest, turning her attention back towards Aragorn. He pursed his lips and looked around the room.

"Look at them. They're frightened. You can see it in their eyes," Legolas demurred as he stepped towards Aragorn, leaving Adriel beside Gimli. The Witch rested her elbow on the Dwarf's shoulder and leaned onto him gently, watching Legolas closely. The room suddenly grew quiet and the men turned to look at both Legolas and Aragorn. "Boe a hyn, neled herain dan cear mening, And they should be, three hundred against ten thousand," Legolas continued. His voice held an anger that Adriel had rarely heard from him.