A Shattered Life (LOTR/Legolas Fanfic)

Chapter 8- Egde of Death

Amara's eyes fluttered open, stars hanging overhead. She let out a groan as pain coursed through her body. Silenced filled the air except for the crackling of a fire.

Amara lifted her head to see a large burning pile of Uruks. She was alone in the field other than that.

With a cry of pain, Amara rolled over and began to crawl towards Fangorn Forest, the last place she saw the hobbits.

The elf dwarf pulled herself up and leaned heavily on a tree.

"Merry! Pippin!" She shouted. Her voice echoed into the night then faded. There was no answer. Amara moved, stumbling from tree to tree, a firm hand over her still bleeding stomach.

She shook at the effort it took,  but she kept moving.

"Merry! Pippin!" She called again in desperation. The bushes rustled around her. Amara jerked her head to follow the movement.

"Merry? Pippin?" She said with unease. A voice spoke behind her.

"They're gone. I've sent them off to Isengard." Amara froze. Slowly she turned, her hand quickly going up to block out the white light that blinded her.

"Who's there?" She yelled.

"Amara, my dear...what have you done to yourself?" The light faded and Amara stared at the white wizard,  her mouth gaped open. Just as her mouth began to form his name, she stumbled forward.

He caught her, holding her up.

"Don't worry, dear one. Merry and Pippin are safe. You can rest now."

Aragorn led Legolas and Gimli through Fangorn Forest in silence as they followed Merry and Pippin's trail. Gimli stopped at a tree where blood stained the leaves. With two fingers, he dipped into the blood and tasted it, immediately spitting it out.

"Orc blood." He said in disgust.

 Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli run through the forest.  Aragorn pauses to examine the ground.

"These are strange tracks." He murmured.

"The air is so close in here." Gimli shuddered.

"This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory......and anger."

Deep groaning echoed through the forest. Gimli raises his axe.

"The trees are speaking to each other." Legolas whispered.

"Gimli! Lower your axe." Aragorn motions to the Dwarf.

"They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it. Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak." Legolas explained.

"Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings." Gimli muttered as Legolas turned to the Ranger.

"Aragorn, nad no ennas" {Something's out there}

Man cenich? {What do you see?} Legolas looks deep into the forest.

"The white wizard approaches." Legolas whispered, his eyes shifting to the side to alert Aragorn.

"We must be quick. Or he will put a spell on us."  Aragorn whispered back, putting a hand on his sword. Gimli gripped his axe tightly as Legolas drew his bow.

They quickly turn around and are greeted by a brilliant white light. Gimli throws his axe, which is deflected.  Legolas fires an arrow, again it was deflected.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits." A voice spoke, and it sounded familiar to the three.

"Where are they?" Aragorn shouted.

"They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" The man said cryptically.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Aragorn demanded. The light and Gandalf stepped out, dressed in white robes.

"It cannot be..." Aragorn said in disbelief. Legolas and Gimli bowed.

"Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman."

"I am Saruman. Or rather, Saruman as he should have been." Gandalf declared.

"You fell." Aragron said, his eyes full of tears.

"Through fire.....and water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak...... I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last I threw down my enemy......and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me......and I strayed out of thought and time. Stars and galaxies reel above him leading to a blinding bright white light. Stars wheeled overhead......and every day was as long as a life age of the Earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again.

"I've been sent back...... until my task is done."

"Gandalf..." Aragorn murmured, stepping forward.

"Gandalf?" He looked puzzled then remembers. "Yes. That was what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name." He smiles.

"Gandalf." Gimli cried.

"I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now......at the turn of the tide."

"One stage of your journey is over. Another begins. We must travel to Edoras with all speed."

"Edoras? That is no short distance!" Gimli exclaimed.

"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king." Aragorn said.

"Yes, and it will not be easily cured."

"Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor Hobbits here......in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested--?" Groans are again heard in the forest. "I mean, charming......quite charming forest." Gimli stutters out.

"It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones......that starts an avalanche in the mountains." Gandalf riddled. Then a sorrowful look passes across his face.

"And it is not just Theoden who brings us to Edoras. Come. I'm sure you are curious of the fate our dear Amara."

"We were told she had died in the Uruk-hai massacre." Aragorn said quietly. Gandalf shook his head.

"She is not dead, no. But her wounds are great. If she is to survive we must get her to Edoras."

"Where is she?" Gimli asked. Gandalf motioned for them to follow him. They walked through the dense trees before coming to an open clearing. They stopped short when they caught sight of their elf-dwarf bathing under a waterfall.

Amara's bare back face them, revealing the deep gashes put there by the Uruks. Blood still leaked from the wounds as water poured over her shoulders. Bruises dotted her shoulders and arms. And her hair was chopped shorter than any man's.

Legolas saw her elven ears perk up at their arrival but she didn't turn. He did notice, however that one of the points had been chopped off.

"Amara, it's time to leave." Gandalf said quietly. Amara's head nodded ever so slightly and she disappeared behind the waterfall. Moments later, she came stumbling out along the bank of the stream, leaning heavily against the rock face of the waterfall. Aragorn and Legolas hurried forward and grabbed hold of Amara on either side.

They helped her walk forward. Amara looked up at Gandalf as they came closer. He caught sight of her dull eyes that seemed to have sunken into her head.

"We must hurry." He ordered.