Return Of The Shadow

Chapter 22: Back From the Dead

Aragorn stood in shock, unable to process what he was seeing.

How is this possible?

It couldn't be. It just couldn't. Legolas was dead, Aragorn had watched him die. He'd watched as Legolas stopped breathing, as he laid motionless on the blood stained ground.

But here he was lying in front of them, albeit more dead than alive.

"Move him to the Healing Wing," Aragorn said turning to Eomer, "Now."

Eomer nodded. "Forgive me Aragorn. If I had recognized him I wouldn't have brought him here."

"It's fine. Just get him there."

"What about them?"

Eomer gestured to where Boromir and Faramir lay.

"Take Faramir."

Aragorn paused and looked at Boromir. Anger consuming him. Why should he care about Boromir? He was a traitor! He didn't deserve to live!

But he couldn't bring himself to refuse giving the man help.

"Him too."

"You can't be serious Aragorn." Gimli protested. "I say we let him rot."

"I will not let any man suffer. We have what we need to heal him and he may have information about the enemy."

Turning back to Eomer he ordered, "Make sure they are properly cared for."

"Of course Aragorn."

"And get me as soon as he wakes."

No one had to ask who he meant.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Legolas felt strange. He felt weightless. He couldn't feel anything. He felt like he was floating.

Was he finally dead? Had he finally been freed from his world of never ending pain and suffering?

He felt a small pain in his arm. He couldn't be dead, not if he could feel pain.

He was still alive.

Slowly he opened his eyes. The first thing he realized was that he was in a cave.

How had he gotten in a cave? Legolas closed his eyes and tried to remember what had happened before he had lost consciousness. 

He had sensed the Haradrim nearby, had lost all of his strength, he'd given up. Legolas opened his eyes again. Surely he wasn't in a Haradrim city or camp.

He carefully sat up and winced as he put wait on his right arm. He lifted his hand and gently brushed the side of his face with the scar. It was still there.

He looked around the cave. He had been laying on an old, worn mat. He had been given new clothes. They were dull grey and a quite large for him, but they fitted him fine enough. His feet were bare and his hair had been cleansed of the blood and dirt. His other wounds had been tended to as well.

The cave he was in was lit by a single torch which hung on the cave wall, filling the small area with light. Legolas could see the way out. As far as he knew it was unguarded.

Legolas suddenly remembered the evenstar pendant. Where was it? He frantically reached for his neck and sighed in relief. It was still there. They hadn't taken it, whoever "they" were.

He was about to stand when he heard someone coming. For a brief moment he thought it was orcs, but soon realized that the footsteps were much lighter.