The Lonely Mountain [1]

Deep Wounds

Legolas turned away from the carnage he had caused and sprinted over to Amara. She was barely conscious and all of her strength was being used pressing her hands around the knife to stop the bleeding.

"Ninya melmë." Legolas dropped to his knees beside her with tears in his eyes.

"It's okay." She muttered, lifting one of her hands to his face and gently running her knuckles across his cheek.

"I should never have left you." Legolas shook his head and quickly removed his quiver from his back. He unravelled the leather straps that kept his quiver and knife sheaths together and discarded the rest. With nimble fingers he quickly looped the length of leather around her waist and tied it tight to restrict blood loss. Amara cried out in pain as he did so, but did not let up on the pressure she was applying to the wound. He did not touch the knife, knowing that if he removed it here, he had no way to stop the blood flow.

They both looked to the sky as they heard the screech of the eagles. Their shadows fell across the land as the sun began to break through the clouds again. They had overcome Bolg's army: the army in front of the mountain had scattered and the remaining orcs fled; and the people of Dale were once again safe from the enemy.

Thranduil left Dale and scaled Ravenhill in search of his son and the daughter of his greatest ally. However, his search led him to Tauriel, who was sat next to Kili's body holding the stone his mother had given him. She gripped his hand to her chest as she cried.

"They want to bury him." Tauriel's gaze did not leave Kili.

"Yes." Thranduil said.

"If this is love, I do not want it." Tauriel finally met Thranduil's eyes. "Take it from me. Please." Thranduil moved forward slightly. "Why does it hurt so much?" Tauriel's voice cracked as she looked away from the King.

"Because it was real." Thranduil said softly.

Tauriel lent down and pressed a chaste kiss to Kili's lips before kissing his hand. She did not look at Thranduil as she spoke. "Amara fell, over the edge." She inclined her head to the edge of the cliff and Thranduil walked over to it. He saw Legolas drop to his knees at Amara's side as she lay on the cliff.

Legolas tensed at the sound of his father's voice. "She needs a healer."

"I know." Legolas said as Thranduil took a knee at Amara's other side. They shared a look before they each gripped one of her arms and pulled her to her feet.

Amara struggled to catch her breath as the pain increased. "My bag." She muttered pointing too it with blood stained fingers. The straps had broken during the fall and it lay a few feet away from them on the rock.

Legolas left her leaning on his father as he grabbed it, tied a quick knot in the strap and slung it over his shoulder. He wrapped her other arm over his shoulder and the three of them started to slowly make their way back down to Dale.

"Amara." Thranduil noticed her head start to fall onto Legolas' shoulder. "Amara, you have to stay awake."

"My eyes are so heavy." She muttered as she shook her head.

Legolas noticed they were pretty much carrying her at this point. "Our healers are not going to be enough." Legolas voiced his concerns to his father.

"Lord Elrond returned Lady Galadriel back to Lothlorien and sent word to Gandalf that he is already on his way." Thranduil assured him. "Our healers only have to sustain her until then."

Legolas merely nodded.

They were halfway down when one of the elven guards rode up on his horse. "Hîr níns, hîr ríen. (My lords, my lady.)" His voice grew worried as he looked over Amara.

"We require your horse." Thranduil said and the elf quickly dismounted. Thranduil helped Legolas lift Amara onto the horse before Legolas climbed on behind her. "The healers are in the centre square." Thranduil informed Legolas before Legolas cantered off.

They reached the square and Legolas caught sight of Gandalf and called out to him.

"Oh my." Gandalf said as he and Bard quickly made their way over. They helped lift Amara down before Legolas dismounted. Together he and Gandalf practically carried her to one of the healers' tents. They placed her down onto one of the beds and the last thing Amara saw before the darkness consumed her was the healers pushing Legolas out of the tent.