Innocence
Chapter 2
By Amber
Disclaimer: not mine, don't sue etc.
Notes: I'm not sticking exactly to the plot in "The Two Towers," so 4give me in advance + don't flame me 4 it :)
Innocence
Chapter 2
By Amber
Aragorn was wakened as the red sun rose over the tops of the mountains by someone shaking him awake. With a groan, he rolled over to see who it was, but by their touch he already knew. Lifting up his head, he found himself looking up into Legolas' smiling face.
"Sleep well?," Legolas asked softly. Aragorn smiled in reply
"Never slept better!" Pulling himself up, Aragorn went with Legolas to join Gimli to prepare for the day ahead.
After they had eaten a quick meal, and had sorted out their weapons, the three of them started to swiftly make their way through the mountains. Trying to keep alert for any signs of Orcs, Aragorn found himself being distracted by the long-haired, lithe elf walking next to him. Aragorn shook his head in annoyance, trying to clear his thoughts. He was meant to be in love with Arwen, not lusting after someone he barely knew. Legolas noticed the look of frustration on Aragons' face.
"Is everything ok?"
"I'm fine," Aragorn replied, a little impatiently. Legolas noticed the impatience in his voice, and decided to leave Aragorn alone. Aragorn sighed. He didn't want to get too close to Legolas, for the fear of where it might lead to, but he didn't want to push him away either.
They continued to make their way through the mountains in silence, the tranquillity sometimes disturbed by Legolas and Gimli exchanging friendly insults. After many hours, when the sun was starting to set in the sky, Aragorn suddenly stopped. Giving him a puzzled look, Legolas and Gimli stopped behind him.
"Why are we stopping?" asked a confused Gimli.
"I thought I heard something," replied Aragorn, looking warily around his surroundings, "Legolas! Your eyesight is better than any of ours. Climb to the top of that ridge and tell us if you see anything suspicious." Legolas quickly ran off to obey his orders. Soon he was back, looking paler than usual and trembling slightly.
"What is it?" Aragorn asked, feeling slightly worried
"Orcs!," whispered Legolas in reply. "There are not many of them, but they are not far away. They will be upon us before nightfall." Aragorn nodded grimly.
"They were probably sent to delay us from finding the Orcs that captured Merry and Pippin, but we have no choice but to fight them." Looking around, Aragorn spotted a thick grove of trees that offered more cover than their current surroundings.
"Let us go and wait for them there. We will be able to conceal ourselves from the Orcs more easily if we are hidden by those trees." With Aragorn leading the way, they rapidly made their way to the copse. Once there, they each chose a different tree to hide behind, and then they waited.
They didn't have to wait long. As the colours of sunset darkened from fiery red to deep purple, the Orcs came crashing through the forest and arrived near to where they were hiding. Aragorn noted that as Legolas had said, there weren't many of them, only around fifteen. Suddenly, two arrows flying out from behind the tree where Legolas was, startled him out of his observations. The arrows flew true, striking one of the Orcs in the chest, killing him instantly. This was enough of a distraction for Aragorn and Gimli. They ran out from where they were and hiding and into the pack of Orcs. Using his sword with precision and skill, Aragorn managed to slay those closest to him before the Orcs realised they were being attacked. Gimli had managed to do the same with his axe, and Legolas, who stood from afar, had managed to take down a further two Orcs with his bow.
Aragorn was in trouble. He had followed an Orc who was trying to escape, and had successfully managed to kill it, but he had not seen the Orc who was following *him*, and who had managed to knock the sword out of his hand, and shove him to the ground before he could retrieve it. Now he was lying on the ground, his back against a tree, with one of the Orcs' iron boot clad foot standing heavily on his left leg, to ensure he couldn't escape. He looked down nervously at the sharp sword that was pricking his chest, then back up at the Orcs' evil grinning face. He *couldn't* die now, there was still so much he had to fight for. And he couldn't abandon Gimli and Legolas. Especially Legolas... Choking back the feeling of panic that was rising him, he gazed in horror as the Orc raised his sword and resigning himself to death, he closed his eyed and waited for the blade to fall.
That moment never came. Aragorn opened his eyes to discover that the Orc was lying flat on the ground, dead, an arrow sticking out of his neck. Slowly turning around, he looked up at Legolas. Legolas was shaking with anger, a fierce light burning in his eyes.
"He nearly killed you," he muttered under his breath. Aragorn smiled at him, the expression on his face was a mixture of respect and love.
"You saved my life." He tried to stand up, but his leg was causing him pain. Legolas rushed over to help him. By holding onto Legolas' arms, Aragorn managed to get up. He looked into Legolas' concern filled eyes.
"Thanks."
"Its ok." Aragorn suddenly became aware that him and Legolas were standing with their arms around each other. He felt a sudden heat rush through his body. It seemed that Legolas also became aware of it, as he started to look uncomfortable and tried to release himself from Aragorn. Aragorn stopped him, pulled him back into their embrace, and then moved his hands to clasp them behind Legolas' neck. Letting one of his hands trail through Legolas' long, soft, blond hair, he smiled reassuringly up at him, trying to dispel the uncertainty in Legolas' eyes.
"I owe you my life, Legolas," he whispered, and then drew Legolas in to gently kiss his lips. The young elf tasted just as sweet as Aragorn thought he would, and he was soon lost in the sensations of feeling Legolas' silky smooth skin on his. Drawing back after a while, Aragorn noted with pleasure that Legolas' face was slightly flushed. Giving him a gentle, loving smile, he released him from their embrace, and bent down to retrieve his sword.
"Come, let us go back to Gimli." Holding hands, the two of them made their way, together, to where Gimli was waiting for them.