The Jewel of Mirkwood

Chapter 15

Legolas awoke to the sun shining painfully into his eyes. Groaning he attempted to sit up but a blinding pain down his side prevented his movement and brought tears to his eyes. The ache was unbearable as he slowly reached down his side with his hand. A horrified strangled moan left his mouth as his hand encounter the very familiar feel of a wooden staff of an arrow protruding from his side. Closing his eyes again Legolas took steady breath in trying to calm himself. He had remembered little healing techniques from his teachings but knew that blood in the saliva was a bad sign. Lifting his hand to his mouth Legolas licked his palm despite the mud and dirt caked onto it. Relieved at having seen no signs of his blood Legolas decided the arrow must have missed his vital organs although he suspected only by mere inches. It would not do to move any more than necessary less he dislodge the arrow further up under his ribcage. Slowly Legolas sat up his breathing laboured with the effort and the pain acute. Glancing around him he noticed he he was no longer in Mirkwood, the forest canopy and tree trunks had given way to an open field of grass and a clear blue sky above him. Thankfully to his right ‘Iest’ was busily grazing on he grass nearby. Calling the brown mare to him Legolas took a tight grip on her saddle and slowly pulled himself to his feet trying to avoid putting pressure on his injured side. Once Legolas was standing he got a better look at his wound. It was obvious he had lost a lot of blood, his tunic and leggings soaked with it, but it had seemed to have stopped bleeding at present. Sighing heavily Legolas looked around the open field searching for anything that looked even remotely familiar. But it was useless, all his life the only landscape he’d known was that of the forest and even that had been limited. To be honest he had no idea where he was. Standing desolate for a long time Legolas listened hard to the whisper of the wind rushing through the grass around him, trying to hear for anything or anyone that might be in the distance. There was not a sound apart from the occasional hoot of a bird or the rustle of an animal in the undergrowth of the grass.

“Where are we ‘Iest’, where have you brought me to?” Fighting fatigue and pain Legolas leaned heavily on his horse barely managing a smile as the horse nuzzled his face in comfort. “You must find help ‘Iest’, you must take me to help.” Legolas whispered weakly in elfish to his beloved horse as he used the last of his strength to pull himself into the saddle. He barely concealed the scream of agony the lift onto the horses back caused in his side. Exhausted by the effort Legolas collapsed against ‘Iest’s neck his eyes fighting to stay open as the healing slumber in built into all elves called to him in a seductive tone. All he wanted to do was to curl up in his bed at the palace a forget everything that had happened. He silently wished he’d never won the competition with Filgree and that they’d never taken the trip to the outpost. Filgree. His tutors name rang clearly in his mind making tears spring to his eyes. Oh how he wished that his tutor were here now helping him to make things better and to advise him on the right decisions to make. Legolas had longed for adventure but this was not quite what he had, had in mind when he’d pined to see the country outside his boarders.

Iest trotted along at a gentle pace weary of her rider’s condition and that any pace more than a trot might cause pain. Legolas barely saw the world pass by his faith in his horse’s sense of direction the only thing, which kept him from despairing of the situation completely. Iest obviously had something in mind and Legolas would be happy with anywhere the mare took him as long as there was help waiting for him when they got there.

The sun was just beginning to set when Iest came to a halt. Legolas had been fading in and out of consciousness all day barely managing to focus on the surroundings they were passing. Legolas didn’t have the strength to lift his body to see where they had stopped but the sound of voices brought cheer to his heart. Weakly Legolas stroked Iest’s mane in appreciation and thanks as the voices began getting closer at a much quicker pace. Before he knew what was happened several unfamiliar faces appeared at the side of Iest and Legolas weakly opened his eyes to look at them. They were men, three of them dressed in tunics and trousers. Legolas heard the whispered gasp of ‘elf’ amongst mumbles of concern and worry.

“Master elf do you require assistance from us?” Legolas couldn’t suppress the stupid smile that graced his lips as the younger of the three men address him, in a slow and drawn out version of westron.

“Yes.” It was the only word Legolas could utter before the pain in his side his his consciousness from him again, leaving him completely at the mercy of the humans. He knew he should have been wearier, more suspicious but the pain in his side had made him willing to accept anything from strangers even if it were just a small morsal of food or water. Fear had given way to survival and Legolas was willing to do anything just to survive.

TBC..............In short I can't sleep cause finger is hurting profusely so the next best thing it so write chapters to this story. So it's going to be a long night of undates. Hope you're still intrigued by the plot and know in confidence it's going to earn the NC17 rating later on.