Disclaimer and Acknowledgement: As in Chapter 1

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Chapter 5 – Long Walk to Freedom

A tremor radiated from below him and quickly spread out to the rest of the cave. The walls shook; dust and debris rained down towards the elf and man. Bending forward, Aragorn shielded Legolas’ face with his body to prevent the elf from inhaling the dusty air. A loud grinding sound flooded into the cave from all directions and to Aragorn, it felt like the walls were moving. But what the ranger did not realize was that one of the walls was indeed moving! Stone grinding against stone, the wall closest to him moved out and sideways, slowly revealing a hidden doorway that was not there before. The tremor stopped suddenly when the entire passage was exposed. Coughing slightly, Aragorn lifted his head and snorted into the musty air.

"Wh--What happened?" Legolas managed to choke out, his voice getting weaker by the minute.

"I’m not sure but..." Aragorn glanced around and his gaze fell upon the newly formed tunnel, "I think we’ve found a way out."

Dragging his body through the entrance, the ranger surveyed the area. The tunnel slanted slightly upwards, an indication that it was leading to the surface. Not wanting to delay any longer, Aragorn began moving slowly up the path, hoping against hope that his decision to follow this new route would eventually lead them out of this prison.

The tunnel was narrow, barely enough for one person to pass. Carrying Legolas was hindering his movement greatly and his broken ankle didn’t help the situation. Many times he was forced to stop and rest, bracing against the wall for support. His arms ached from holding the elf for too long and his fingers numb from lack of circulation.

Sensing the human’s distress, Legolas asked to be let down, insisting that he could walk but his knees gave way as soon as his feet touched the ground. It was Aragorn’s quick reflex that kept him from crashing onto the floor. Rummaging through their pack after lowering his friend to the ground, the human found some extra ‘bandages’ and designed a sling to support Legolas’ broken arm. Draping the elf’s good arm around his shoulder and wrapping his other arm around his slender waist, Aragorn hefted the prince onto his feet. The sharp cry from his injured friend broke his heart into a million pieces but desperate times called for desperate measures. He could no longer bear the elf’s weight for his strength was almost depleted.

Leaning against the wall side by side, the duo rested momentarily before continuing their journey, inching sideways up the narrow path. Stopping several more times to rest, Aragorn began to wonder if he made a correct choice by taking the path. Just when the thought all hope was lost, the tunnel began to widen and the slope leveled off gradually. A dim light shone into the darkness some distance away and that brought him new hope. Half-supporting and half-dragging the barely conscious elf, he moved towards the light with renewed energy.

"We’re almost out, Legolas." He encouraged his friend, urging him to move on. "Just a little while longer and you will be able to see the sun again."

The journey was difficult for both of them. Legolas shivered against the human, an unnatural cold spreading from within him yet his face was flushed and the heat emanating from his body made him feel sick. Blood saturated the bandage around his head and a thin trail of the crimson substance snaked down his face and made its way into the collar of his tunic. A small groan escaped his lips as a wave of queasiness swept over him and he swallowed hard in attempt to suppress the undesired outcome.

"Are you alright?" the human slowed his pace and came to a stop before turning to the distraught elf, concern evident in his gentle voice.

"I don’t feel well..." Legolas clamped his hand over his mouth. He hated to admit it but he felt downright miserable at the moment. Cold sweat broke on his brow and neck, trickling slowly down his back. Pushing back his elven pride, he wanted to tell Aragorn that he was going to actually be sick but before the words came out, his stomach churned. Turning away quickly, Legolas doubled over and heaved violently bringing up what little food that he had eaten earlier in the morning. The vigorous movement tore at his chest but the screams were caught in his throat for they could not escape at the moment.

Taken aback by the elf’s sudden movement, Aragorn was almost dragged off balance as the elf collapsed forward. Jerking back hard on his heels with his hand still wrapped around Legolas’ waist, the human managed to stay on his feet but the action caused him great pain. Biting down hard on his lower lip, he stifled his own scream as the weight of the elf pulled on his injured ribs and ankle. Dark spots danced before his eyes and he blinked hard to clear his vision. Sounds of retching brought him back to the current predicament and Aragorn shifted his attention to the distressed elf. Sweeping the long blond hair away from the sweat-drenched face, the human patted his back as the dry heaving continued.

The piteous screams finally made their way out of his throat when the retching ceased, wrenching a sob from the pale lips. Pearly tears streamed down his cheeks as the pain got to an unbearable level and his breath hitched slightly. Aragorn continued to rub his back soothingly while whispering words of comfort in elvish and he was thankful for his friend’s support in this difficult time. After recomposing himself, Legolas expressed his silent thanks with a small nod. He was too sickly to feel embarrass at that instant, only grateful that the horrible feeling was gone and the world around him had finally stopped spinning.

Smiling sympathetically, Aragorn helped him sit down and proceeded to clean his face with a spare tunic before moving on to change the soiled bandage. Binding the new bandage neatly over the gash on Legolas’ forehead, Aragorn helped his friend onto his feet again.

"Come my friend, let us get you into the sunshine. It will warm your spirits and your body."

Blinking tears from his eyes, the prince of Mirkwood willed the world to stop spinning and it took him a while to steady himself and allowed the human to guide him towards the faint light some distance away. The thought of sunshine on his face intensified his determination and he intended to make the trip without another stop despite the intense pain that plagued his body.

As the two friends limped slowly towards the exit, Aragorn prayed that they would not be delayed by any more unexpected hindrances. Supporting most of Legolas’ weight, the human hoped that the elf would be able to make it without another stumble for he feared that he might not have the strength to continue on. As they approached the exit, Legolas’ breathing grew more labored, sharp gasps accompanied each step he took. The elf was near collapse and Aragorn knew that he would need to carry the prince to prevent him from aggravating his injuries further. Pulling the woodland being to a stop, the young man scooped the light-weighted elf into his arms, ignoring the weak protest from Legolas. His body had adjusted to accommodate his injuries some time ago and therefore he was prepared for the pain that came along with his action. Dragging himself towards the exit with his precious burden, the human’s thoughts were focused on the warmth of the sun and the cool, clean air outside.

The exit was partially hidden behind an entanglement of vines and shrubs, an indication that it had not been used for a very long time. Aragorn took several minutes to clear away the mesh and opened a hole big enough for them to pass through. Picking up Legolas, he made his way out into the open air.

Fresh air filled his lungs and it renewed his strength. Carrying Legolas over to a large tree, he settled the elf down on the damp grass and leaned him against the thick trunk. Dropping down beside his friend, Aragorn let out a sigh.

"We are finally out of that horrible place, Legolas." The ranger took in sweet scent of the wet grass. It must have rained while they were trapped in the underground cavern. "We will rest for a while and I will take you home." He waited for a response from the elf but it never came. Opening his eyes, the ranger looked over to his side and his heart sank.

Legolas slumped limply against the tree, his head dropping forward onto his chest. The elf’s eyes were closed and his chest was still.

"No..." Aragorn rolled onto his knees and knelt in front of his friend. He grabbed Legolas by the chin and tilted his head up. The elf’s face was deathly pale, his lips had turned a slight tinge of blue.

"No!" Aragorn shouted. "We have come so far! You can’t give up now!" The man grabbed Legolas by his shoulder and shook him vigorously, hot tears streaming down his face. Not caring if he hurt his friend, Aragorn slapped the elf across the face hoping that the pain would somehow jostle him back to life again but nothing happened. He held the limp elf by the shoulders and shook him again until he heard a sharp gasp.

Legolas’ eyes flew open suddenly, a silent scream locked in his throat. Aragorn stared at the terrifying expression on Legolas’ face. "Breathe Legolas! Breathe!!" He yelled at the petrified elf. What was only seconds seemed like an eternity to the ranger. Suddenly, Legolas’ fingers clenched up and his eyes squeezed tightly shut. A deep shudder ran through the battered body and he took an agonizing breath. The scream left his throat as a mere whimper for he was too weak to work up enough strength to scream.

Aragorn released the breath that he didn’t know he was holding and had a sudden urge to embrace his friend but the pained look on Legolas’ face stopped him. Brushing his fingers over the elf’s cheek, he let it linger on the prince’s face an extra heartbeat before leaning him back gently against the tree. Several minutes passed before Legolas finally opened his eyes and the first thing he did was reach out for Aragorn. The human grasped the slender hand in his own, squeezing it lightly.

"H--Hurts... to breathe," Legolas admitted ruefully, unshed tears brimmed in his dull silver-blue eyes.

"I know. But you have to try. You hear me?" Aragorn said wearily and the elf gave him a slow blink in acknowledgement.

A ruffle behind Aragorn drew the ranger’s attention away from his friend momentarily and he turned towards the sound. "Don’t go anywhere," the man said over his shoulder, "I’ll be right back." Despite his heavy limping, Aragorn approached the bush where the sound had come from with elf-like stealth that would make his father proud. He stopped near the bush and listened intently. The ruffling sound came again, the grass wavering slightly at the disturbance. Just when Aragorn was about to investigate further, something dashed out abruptly and rammed into the ranger.

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To Be Continued...