My Little Greenleaf ~ Little Legolas - Chapter 26: Chapter 26

As the scream left Legolas' lips, all the orcs turned towards him. Time seemed to slow down as Legolas watched. Thranduil staggered a moment before dropping to his knees. Blood seeped through the tunic and trickled down his chest. After looking at his shoulder, Thranduil raised his head to Legolas.
His eyes widened as he yelled, "No! Go, ion nin! G...get out of here!" He coughed and tried to breathe desperately.
Legolas frowned, "But...Ada I-"
"Legolas, run!" Thranduil commanded. Instantly, time returned and several of the orcs that were once fighting the elven king now bolted towards the elfling. Legolas turned around and scrambled back the way he came. Instead of going around the main battle, the prince ran straight through it with several orcs pursuing him. Then, he entered back into a more wooded area and climbed up a tall tree.
When the orcs caught up to him, they took turns trying to climb up after him, yet each time, they fell. They shouted and grunted, angrily trying to reach him.
Legolas watched them through the leaves. Suddenly, one of the orcs made some traction. He managed to get a strong grip and began climbing higher.
Legolas began looking around for an escape, any way to get down. Then, his eyes noticed a tree that was quite close to his tree in height and distance. He breathed deeply and prepared to jump.
I can make it. He encouraged himself. I must. He crouched lower and then leapt through the air to the other tree. His blond hair swirled around as small arms reached for the branches.
Reaching out, he just fell short of the tree and tumbled to the ground. Legolas cried out in pain and gripped his leg. Thankfully, the fall had only caused him to twist his leg, but now it would be incredibly painful to walk.
He looked around for the orcs and noticed that several searched for where he had gone. The elfling had landed in a bush and was somewhat hidden from view, but not for long. He summed up his courage, stood up, and started to run. Images of his ada in pain pushed him to go on. Then, as he looked back, images of orcs chasing him pushed him even more.
Meanwhile, Thranduil struggled to stay conscious. The arrow was still sticking out of his shoulder as he fought the enemy. After Legolas had run, the king had managed to stand back up and kill several orcs quickly. Now, he was battling an orc captain. The orc would have already been dead if Thranduil had not been shot, but the elf still fought heroically. He swung his sleek elvish blade over and over as it clanged against the rusty orcish blade.
At last, Thranduil overpowered his foe and struck him down. The captain was dead. Instantly, amid the chaos Thranduil searched for Legolas. He gasped for breath and with one quick yank, pulled out the arrow. Then, he heard a cry come from the tree line that sounded like Legolas. His heart paralyzed with fear, the elven king raced to find his son. I'm coming, Legolas, hold on. He breathed.
Legolas limped as fast as he could through the trees. When he came to the clearing where his ada had been, he found it empty accept for dead orcs. He instantly thought of the worst scenario and began to panic. Before he could calm his mind, his pursuers burst into the clearing towards him. Legolas reacted by pulling out his knife. As the orcs charged, a swift figure came into the clearing and headed straight for the orcs.
"Ada!" Legolas yelled. He was not alone. His ada had come to save him. Thranduil fought the three orcs with ease and soon they all perished.
Both elves breathed a sigh of relief. Thranduil walked over to his son and embraced him. "Oh, ion nin." Legolas struggled to keep from crying. Thranduil looked sternly at his son, "Legolas, I will not ask now why you are here but know this, I will not forget the matter either. Now, let's get you out of here."
They headed into the now finished battle. The elves had won. Only several orcs remained alive in Dol Guldor as the elves prepared one final assault to finish it. A troop passed by the king and prince swiftly. Legolas stopped, "Wait...Ada, we have to look for Melhonin. I saw him back in the palace and he said he was coming back. I have to make sure he is okay!" Thranduil agreed and they walked among the elves, searching for him.
Thranduil stopped an elf walking by, "Soldier, do you know where the elf, Melhonin, is?"
The guard thought for a moment before answering, "No, my lord. I know of whom you speak but I have not seen him."
"Do you know if he had returned from gathering more elves?" Thranduil questioned.
"Yes, several elves informed me that he was one of the reinforcements to come back."
"Thank you. You may go." the king dismissed.
They kept looking until Thranduil needed to talk to his commander. He turned to Legolas, "Stay near, Legolas, and I will find someone to help your leg." Then, he turned back to the elf.
After a couple of minutes, Thranduil turned back to his son, "Come with me and we will get that leg fixed up." He smiled.
When they entered the king's tent, several elves rushed in behind them, bringing bandages. They quickly tended to Thranduil's shoulder and bandaged it up.
"This will have to be temporary, my king." One of the healers explained, "Until we get back it will have to do because we do not have everything here to fully heal it."
Then, they tended to Legolas' leg. It was throbbing painfully now as they observed it.
The healer finished wrapping it and looked at Legolas, "Your leg is broken, my prince. Like I already said, we do not have enough supplies here to properly set it but this will do for now. You will be okay as long as we get you back swiftly. Just stay here and don't walk on it at all."
"I will go get an elf to take you back." a guard said. He walked out of the tent and closed it.
"I need to go talk to my commander." Thranduil stood up. "Stay here, Legolas. You will be safe."
"Yes, Ada." Legolas obediently answered.
At last, all the elves left the tent, leaving Legolas alone. Once he was sure they had gone, he stood up and walked out of the tent. His leg at first pained him greatly, but he took a deep breath, and kept walking. Legolas looked around vigorously, still searching for Melhonin. Suddenly, he had an idea. Maybe Melhonin was in the woods and that is why none of the elves could find him! He thought.
Finally, Legolas found Melhonin. He had been right! Melhonin was in the woods where the elves had not looked for survivors yet. Melhonin was on the ground with a look of pain written on his face. Legolas hurried over to him.
"Melhonin! Melhonin! I found you!" He exclaimed.
Melhonin looked up in surprise, "Prince Legolas, what are you doing here?"
Legolas bent down at Melhonin's side. "It doesn't matter. Are you hurt?" Legolas searched for Melhonin's source of pain.
"Yes...I...I'll be okay. I just have a small cut on my leg." He replied. Honestly, the 'cut' wasn't small at all. It was very deep and had already bled a lot. Melhonin knew that he probably wouldn't be 'okay' in the end.
As they two friends talked and Legolas tried to help Melhonin bind his leg, an orc archer snuck through the foliage to them. He pulled his bow string back silently and loaded it. Taking aim, he let the arrow fly.
Melhonin noticed the archer just in time and grabbed Legolas, pushing the elfling beneath his body.
Th Just like that, the arrow pierced Melhonin's body. He gasped and rolled onto his stomach, revealing an unharmed prince underneath.
Thranduil had discovered that Legolas had walked off soon after and had arrived just in time to watch the arrow enter Legolas' savior. Quickly, he sliced the orc archer's head off and ran over to the elves.
Carefully, Legolas and Thranduil pulled the arrow out of Melhonin's back and flipped him over.
He was still alive!
Legolas called to him urgently, "Melhonin! Melhonin! Don't die! Please don't die! I need you here! Stay...please." He sobbed.
Melhonin coughed and opened his eyes, "My prince, are...you unharmed?" He stuttered.
Legolas let out a small smile. Thranduil answered for him, "Yes, Melhonin. He is perfectly safe. You saved him."
Legolas leaned down and hugged his hero, "Thank you, Melhonin."
"It...was my pleasure...prince..." Melhonin gasped out. He began to cough violently and his whole body shook.
"Melhonin, stay awake, now. Help is on it's way. You are going to be fine, elves will be here any minute."
"I'm sorry, my king. I...b-b-lieve I am going into...the light..." His eyes started to close as his breathing grew more ragged and slow.
"No! You cant leave me! No, Melhonin, stay!" Legolas sobbed, "I can't lose someone else! Please..." Legolas gripped onto Melhonin.
"I'm...sorry, my p-p-rince. It is my time, b-b-ut thank you for all..." He paused to cough again, "...the w-w-onderful days...and times with you..." He painstakingly took a deep breath, "Legolas...you are my hero..." Silently, Melhonin closed his eyes and left Middle-Earth forever.
Realizing that he was gone, Legolas began to cry out loudly, "No..e back, please! Please!" He sobbed uncontrollably.
Thranduil gently picked him up and tightly caressed him while being careful not to touch his leg. He didn't say anything, but just let Legolas mourn and weep as he also silently honored the fallen hero, Melhonin Taldel.