Green Cloaks || Legolas

Forty one

"We shall have peace", Theoden snarled. "We shall have peace! When you answer for the burning of the west fold and the children that lie dead there! We shall peace with the lives of the soldiers, who bodies lay hewn even as they lied at the gates of the hornberg are avenged! When you hang from a gibbit for the sport of your own crows, we shall have peace".

"Gibbits nd crows!" Saruman growled. "What do you want Gandalf greyhaven? Let me guess. The key of Orthanc or perhaps the keys of Barad-dur itself? Along with the crowns of the seven kings and the rods of the five wizards?" Then the evil man turned his eyes to Luin. "And what of you Luin the blue? I see that my attempt at your capture left a mark", he gestured to Luin's cut hair with a grin. "Have you come for revenge? Or is your lover going to deliver it for you? Two men are unnatural. You do not belong her cultivator. You should have died during that storm. I rue the day Gandalf brought you to me. I should have killed you then, than have you grow up to disgrace the name of wizards and the creatures of middle earth".

Luin turned pale and he gripped Legolas' hand tighter. He felt the elf wrap his other hand over his waist as if to ground him. The words the wizard was spitting hurt, but he had heard them before. Luin closed his eyes, refusing to listen to such things. After a second he opened them. "Good", he looked up to the man above. "Good. Let my presence fill you full of regret and anger. I am happy, I am alive and I am loved and accepted. Nothing you can do to me now will ever change that fact. Face it Saruman, I was never going to bend to you". Up high, Saruman's lips curled back in rage and distaste. Luin didn't do anything but lean back into Legolas' chest and watch him with his dark eyes. His gaze a challenge.

"Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are at risk but you can save them Saruman! You were deep in the enemy's counsel", Gandalf tried.

"So you have come here for information", Saruman hissed. "I have some for you". He held something out in his hand. A round ball of dark glass, about the size of a human head. Saruman stared into it's depths. "Something festers in the heart of middle earth. Something that you have failed to see. The great eye has seen it. Even now, he presses his advantage. His time will come soon. You're all going to die. But you know this, don't you Gandalf. You cannot think that this ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept form the shadows will never be crowned king".

Aragorn did not react to the insult. He merely tilted his head as if watching a strange performance. Luin was still leaning back on Legolas' chest. Both his hands clasped in his. The elf's expression was steel with steady anger as he glared up at the man. His lover had been insulted, his relationship had been insulted, his friends had been insulted. It was only Luin's hands and his weight stopping him from drawing a arrow and shooting the man down from where he stood.

"Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closest to him, those he professes to love. Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the halfling, before you sent him to his doom? The path you have set him on can only lead to death".

"I've heard enough", Gimli snapped. "Shoot him, stick an arrow in his gob". Legolas turned to the dwarf and raised an eyebrow, his hands still held firm by Luin. Gimli took in the sight of Luin physically restraining the elf, and huffed in disappointment.

"No", Gandalf stated. His horse trotted a few meters closer to the tower. "Come down Saruman and your life shall be spared!"

"Save your pity and your mercy! I have no use for it". Saruman raised his staff and shot down a ball of fire. It hit Gandalf, engulfing him and his horse in a blaze. Theoden and his men skittered back nervously but Luin just sighed. After a few seconds the flames died and Gandalf emerged unharmed. Shadowfax' mane not even singed.

Gandalf narrowed his eyes up at the old wizard. "Your staff is broken". There was a booming crack, like thunder, as the wood splintered and exploded in Saruman's hands. At his side, a greasy man in black appeared.

"Grima. You need mot follow him", Theoden called. "You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan. Come down". The last words were gentle.

"A man of Rohan", Saruman repeated mockingly. "What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and a grats roll on the floor with the dogs. Victory at helms deep does not belong to you Theoden, horse master. You are a lesser son of greater science".

"Grima. Come down, be free if him".

"Free? He will never be free". Saruman turned to Grima. "Cur!" Then Grima fell out of sight. Saruman knocking him against the roof with a slap.

"Saruman, you were deep in the enemies counsel", Gandalf tried again. "Tell us what you know".

"You withdraw your guard", Saruman ordered. "And I will tell you where your doom will be decided. I will not be held prisoner here". Then Grima appeared behind him and the man gasped as a knife entered his back. Luin let go of Legolas' arms and the elf drew his bow. His arrow sailed up and hit Grima in the chest. Grima fell back on to the roof with a cry while Saruman staggered forward. He twisted then he fell. His white robed billowing outwards as he dropped, like the limp fabric of a flag.

Luin watched as he landed with a thud in the standing remains of a wooden wheel. One of the spikes protruding from his chest. The body a limp doll. Merry gasped at the sound, covering his mouth as he looked way. The hobbit had probably never seen such a gory death before. Luin stared at it impassively, not really feeling sad or happy. This was a man he had known most of his life, but also a man who had always treated him coldly and had never formed a friendship with. It was also a man who had killed hundreds and insulted him, had caused him trauma and grief. Yet Luin couldn't scourge up any sort of feeling other than slight annoyance.  He sighed and leaned back as Legolas put down his bow. The elf kissed the top of his head.

A splash caught their attention. Pippin had jumped down from Shadowfax and was wading through the water. It came up to his knees and he shuffled through it towards something. He bent down and picked it up. The glass ball was in his hands. The glass dark but something seemed to be burning inside it. "Give that here", Gandalf called. Pippin tore his gaze away and held it up. Gandalf wrapped it in his cloak as Merry pulled Pippin back up into the saddle. "They should not see", the new white wizard muttered. He caught Luin's gaze. They both knew what that thing was. It wasn't good.

Unedited

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