Title: I Can Feel It! 11

Author: Sivan Shemesh

Beta: Eryn - Hannon-le, mellon-nin. I don't know what I do without you...

Rate: PG-13

Warning: Behold the scene! Violence, guilty. Character death?

Disclaimer: I do not own J R R TOLKIEN's character.

Spoiler: Movie Verse. AU.

Teaser/Summary

Four arrows hit the Mirkwood elf before he fell.

“Legolas!”

Words had been said, but no one can turn back time.

“I should have listened to you before,” Aragorn said, as he tried to save his best friend’s life…

11.

The next day…

Aragorn knelt beside Legolas’s side, shook him slightly, and waited for him to open his eyes.

Legolas’s sight was blurry at first, as the sun seemed to blind him. He closed his eyes briefly then reopened them and saw his friend staring at him. He sighed in relief.

Aragorn opened his mouth to speak, but remembered that there would be no point as Legolas was deaf.

On the other hand, Gimli knelt beside the elf and began to talk to him, feeling that his friend needed this bit of normalcy.

“Legolas, you will be fine, my friend. I believe this hearing problem is only temporary. I cannot wait to hear you teasing me…I missed you, my friend. Honestly, I do not believe what Aragorn said, I believe nature will help you,” Gimli spoke from his heart, hoping Legolas at least could sense the emotion behind them.

“Gimli, what are you doing? You are supposed to watch!” Aragorn exclaimed, unconsciously raising his voice a bit.

“I felt the need to tell him something in private, after all he is my friend too.” Gimli snapped at the human as he walked back to his watch.

Legolas’ POV

I stare over Gimli and Aragorn, I can sense the tension among them as they move about each other. I am afraid that they will do something foolish and they will regret it.

But I had this feeling if I say something they will think that I can hear, but I cannot. But if I say something, they will think I can heart…but I cannot.

Why did Aragorn not listen to me before? If he had, I would not be in this situation; deaf and useless to them.

I know that I need to get away from them. When they start to follow the hobbits I will slip away to be alone with my sorrow. I do not want to be a burden to them any longer.

Why in the name of the Valar is Aragorn smiling? I still can feel the poison crawling inside of me, so why would he smile? Can he not see me suffering?

I do wish to speak with Gimli, he looks lost and I really hope I am not the cause of it.

Please Valar, save me from the predicament I am in now! I am a burden, useless to my friends now. At least let me die, set my crippled body free!

I can feel as if there is a wall blocking me from nature’s life force. The birds, trees, flowers…all seem to be lost to me, leaving me alone! I need to free my friends from my burden. I will only slow them down when they pursue the hobbits.

Maybe I will wait until it is darker. Once they lie down to sleep or rest, I can leave them with no added worries.

+-+-+

Prince Legolas indeed waited until the sun went down before slipping away from his friends. No longer would he be a burden to them, he thought as his heart ached with guilt. This was the only way.

As night fell…

Prince Legolas watched as Aragorn leaned back against the trunk of tree and Gimli laid his head upon a big rock.

He waited a few minutes to be certain that they did fall asleep, then rose slowly to his feet, and walked through the shadows.

Aragorn heard the sound of crunching leaves, as if feet stepped lightly upon them.

‘Someone is coming!’ He awoke alertly.

Quickly, he walked to the dwarf and woke him. He went to wake Legolas but found him gone, only his sword left behind.

‘Where are his quiver and his bow?’ Aragorn wondered, curiously.

“Aragorn,” Gimli called, seeing Aragorn’s expression he knew something was wrong. “Where is Legolas?”

Aragorn turned to the dwarf. “He is not here, just his sword. I do not know where he is…or why he left us.”

Gimli moved his hand to his beard and scratched it lightly. “We better catch him. He won’t be able to hear when an enemy approaches him you better track him down… quickly.”

End of Chapter 11.