The Elfling
Dedicated to Lightmare852 my first reviewer for this chapter and everyone else who reviewed (as listed at the bottom).
Chapter 2: Flight
Carlin fled through the tunnels stumbling and falling, he couldn't stop he knew or the orc and goblin would be upon him but he was in so much pain and he didn't know how much longer he would last. He stumbled again falling down a short flight of stairs 'get up' he told himself but his body didn't respond as he wavered on the edge of consciousness 'get up or you'll be killed!' he told himself and he struggled to his feet and started down the tunnels again. This happened many times but always something urged him on, a survival instinct perhaps, or something else; he wasn't sure and didn't really care.
Finally he could no further and he collapsed to the ground and into the world of sweet oblivion.
When he next woke he managed to roll himself over and take a closer look at his surroundings, he was almost surprised when he found that he wasn't surrounded by the faces of leering orc and goblin. Sitting up carefully he frowned, these walls did not look the same as dwarvan mines; they looked somehow far more ancient. Gingerly he got to his feet and stumbled over to one of the walls that held a giant carving made of white marble. It depicted a great army, in the ait above there was giant dragons their scales made of emerald, silver, gold and the leading one, the largest, was made of sapphire and mithril. In the air beside the dragons where men with dragon wings sprouting from their backs, their wings matched that of their dragon companions and they wore armour of shining mithril. On the ground below them where armies of elves dressed in golden armour in a leafy pattern, their leaded wore an emerald crown. Accompanying the elves where a group of seven men and seven dwalves they wore silver armour but for some reason didn't really fit in with the rest of the carving.
Carlin moved along the wall slightly and saw what the army was facing. This part of the carving was made of black marble and where the two joined the two coloured marbles swirled together.
The second part of the caring depicted terrifying creatures that seemed to bare a resemblance to the orc he had seen but compared to the carvings the orc he had seen had the beauty of the elves and were as scary as hobbits (no offence to hobbits but really their not very scary). These creatures wore blood red ruby armour and eyes. Beside them where seven men also in ruby armour and like their counterparts they too didn't seem to fit, behind the orc-like-creatures where an array of unnatural beasts, including Balrogs, in the dozens. In the sky he was just able to make out creatures as large as the opposing Dragons, they where merely carved, thus hard to see, though they did support two blood red rubies for their eyes.
Carlin shuddered away from that side of the carving, as he could almost feel the Darkness leeching off it. Looking back at the white marble side he tilted his head to the side as he stared at the leading Dragon, the only one without a companion. He felt a tear slide from his eyes, for what reason he did not know. Unable to pull his eyes away he stood on his toes all pain forgotten, as he reached up a hand and tentatively, almost affectionately, he brushed his fingers across the Dragons scales. Its eyes seemed to glow for a moment before Carlin felt something rush through him. He blanked out just as a rush of glowing blue light sounded him.
…………………………………….
Carlin groaned slightly as his muscles protested to his movement, he had woken up a little while ago only to find himself outside at the base of the mountain that had not long ago seemed to be his prison. From there he had allowed his instincts to guide him once again, thus he was now moving away from the mountain and into the unknown. The next evening he found himself stumbling into a forest that seemed to be calling him forward, he hadn't gotten far in before he reached a river where he collapsed, his wounds had reopened and he was losing a lot of blood which he knew was incredibly dangerous but he was too tiered to care, all he wanted to do was sleep. He was just about to blank out again when the sound of movement very close to him met his ears, opening his eyes tiredly he could see a pair of feet next too his head, 'not orc feet,' was his last thought before he gave in to the darkness.
………………………………………..
"…Elfling? How…"
"…mines…"
"…come back to us…"
"…Carlin I'm so sorry…"
These voices filtered through his head as he drifted in and out of consciousness, some sounding familiar others foreign, but all where confusing and made little sense to his hazy mind.
"…how did he escape Strider?" Pippin's voice filtered through the haze that filled his mind. He groaned slightly as he came fully conscious, the sound of hurried movement around him let him know that it had been heard.
"Carlin?" Aragorn's voice came filled with gentleness and concern.
Carlin opened his eyes slowly blinking a few times until they got used to the change, then he focused them on Aragorn, he gave a weak smile, "Aragorn, I…what happened? And where am I?" Carlin asked frowning, as he didn't remember meeting up with them again, and a quick look around told him that he was no longer outside nor in the mines, but in a beautiful carved room, with a really comfortable bed.
"You are in Lothlorien home an elven city built in the golden woods. The sentries found you almost unconscious at the edge of the forest and brought you here for healing. How you got there however, I do not know," Aragorn explained.
Carlin nodded and frowned slightly… then smiled, ah yes the 'not orc feet' must have been the elven sentries.
"Carlin I must apologise for leaving you after the battle in the tomb," Aragorn said sadly his head bowed slightly, "I know…"
"I forgive you and the others Aragorn," Carlin interrupted, "You had much on your mind and perhaps it was better that way, after all the Mortek!," Carlin spat the name, "was not allowed to escape," Aragorn frowned slightly at the unfamiliar word though he assumed, correctly, that Carlin meant the Balrog.
"Greetings tither pen," an unknown she-elf said as she entered the room, "I am Calylith," she introduced herself.
"Hello," Carlin greeted with a nervous smile looking at Aragorn as if for assistance.
Aragorn smiled at him, "Calylith has been among those healing you," Aragorn told him. It was then that Carlin noticed that Pippin wasn't here, but Carlin had been sure that he had been when he was waking.
"Where are the others Aragorn?" he asked curious almost completely forgetting the other elf.
"They are all here and safe, save for Gandalf, Pippin was going to tell them you are awake. I'm sure you'll see them soon, they where most worried for you," Aragorn said skimming quickly over the bit about Gandalf, but still Carlin saw the deep cloud of grief rise in his eyes and he too felt it on a smaller degree.
After Calylith had given him a check over she allowed Legolas in for a short visit before he and Aragorn would have to leave so Carlin could rest.
"It is good to see you awake tither pen," Legolas greeted as he entered the room, "The others send their best wishes also,"
A/N: Wow so many reviews sighs dreamily Thank you so much, it is because of those reviews that I actually finished this as quickly as I did (though it would have been done quicker if I hadn't had to start it again. Stupid me and losing all my hard work pouts). Any way thank you to:
Lightmare852
Mrs Huggins
Linkinparkfan
try it SOBER
Yami no Kaze
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whiteSin
cirecris
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Countess Alecto
Dadaiiro
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-w- easy enough
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The Icebird
ladynaruto13
HarrySlytherinson
shelly holmes
Tearaana
For those who are confused I have never planned for this to be a crossover with HP or anything else, though I suppose I could if enough wanted it… let me know.
Carlin is an elvish name I got from a book I was reading meaning 'new life' or 'new beginning' it is non-Tolkin elvish so yeah anyway.
As for a back story into Carlins life and how he got into the mine, well lets just say that comes later grins mysteriously.