Post by Admin on Mar 2, 2021 4:41:38 GMT
Author: LegolasLover2003
Challenge – Gems & Jewels
Summary – Legolas and Gimli find something shiny in the Glittering Caves.
Rating - G
Characters – Legolas, Gimli, & Aragorn
Warnings - None
“This was certainly not what I had in mind when you suggested checking the south tunnel…”
The skin on his fingers was scrapped and bleeding, causing the Elf’s grip on what seemed to be a sheer rock face to slowly start to falter. With each passing moment, and not without a wince or two, it was becoming increasingly clear that they were swiftly running out of time.
“Just a wee bit longer.”
Legolas groaned as he felt his left arm vibrate with the motion of a pickax from the occupant which he unwaveringly held onto. The right, obviously was hanging on for dear life to the rocks overhead.
Originally, Gimli had a rope tied round his waist and had scaled down the cliff face deep within the Glittering Caves on the notion that he saw something more prominent ‘glittering’. Of course Legolas had been opposed to the idea but reasoned that should anything come of it, his own reflexes would be swift enough to stop the rope’s descent and pull his diminutive partner back up to safety. Neither of them actually expected the rope to snap in two places at exactly the same time during the Dwarf’s descent… which then saw his Elven companion dive over the side of the cliff and grasp the back of Gimli’s tunic with one hand, while planting the fingers of his right hand firmly against the rock face and finding purchase a few moments later… after a good deal of skin had peeled away of course.
Determined as ever, Gimli was actually at the proper depth to see what had been glinting in the dark… a large emerald, still half buried in the stone. Thus, pick in hand, he had begun to chip away at it, even while Legolas struggled to keep them both from plummeting to what he could only imagine at this point was certain doom.
“You have until I count to five, Master Dwarf… at which point I am tossing you back onto the ledge.” Legolas warned as his fingers clung desperately despite the slippery surface.
Gimli seemed to fidget for a moment, which only added to the strain on the Elf’s arms as he began his countdown.
“One.”
Each strike of that pickaxe was easily felt in the Elf’s very bones, and to be honest, he feared he would end up with a very nasty headache by the end of their venture.
“Two.”
Gimli grunted with another hard swing and Legolas could see large pieces of stone flick away and into the abyss below.
“Three.”
The Dwarf moved again and this caused his companion to have to angle himself a bit further out in order to keep his hold of that leather tunic twisted within lithe fingers.
“Four.”
“Got it!” shouted Gimli, quickly pocketing the gem as he prepared for what he knew was coming next.
And it did come, for Legolas hurled the Dwarf, swinging his arm and entire body with the motion, hefting Gimli into the air and as high as possible. Quickly the stout being grabbed the ledge with both arms, scrambling back up onto solid ground before standing and dusting off his jerkin. He turned with a toothy grin, pulling the emerald out of his tunic to get a better look at it.
“Large one this… would make a fitting necklace… I bet there are more just waiting down there to…” but then Gimli paused. “Legolas?”
Hurrying over to the edge, the Dwarf peered over… but he could see nothing save the dark abyss below.
“Legolas?!” he called out, a bit more urgently this time. Gimli quickly put the gem away and got down on his hands and knees, looking over the edge as far as he could possibly look. His gaze caught sight of the small outcropping which he knew the Elf to have been clinging to, due to the blood still smeared on the stones.
Silence stretched for what seemed an eternity to the Dwarf and he was torn between heading back for help and staying behind in hopes there was some sign… any sign…
“Curse it all… Elf answer me!”
A sudden poke to the shoulder from behind had Gimli jump… and quite literally almost over the edge, had a hand not shot out to grab his tunic a second time, staving off another disaster.
“You really should stand further back from the edge.” Legolas said with a half smirk.
Gimli stuttered, shrugging out of the Elf’s grasp and rounding on him, “You…. You, I thought you… confounded Elves!”
The prince just grinned for a moment before displaying his now bandaged hand that already had a few blood stains seeping through. “My life for a gem, hmm? Must be a rare jewel that… I do hope you put it to good use.”
“Your life, bah!” Gimli complained, stomping off toward the entrance to that particular tunnel.
“Hurry up or I will leave you behind.”
Sighing, Legolas shrugged, picking up their lantern with his good hand. “The sooner we leave here the better. I do not fancy being stuck at the bottom of an abyss because you spy a diamond next.” He teased, his longer strides causing the Elf to pass by the Dwarf and further up the tunnel toward the more inhabitable regions.
“Gimli grumbled most of the way back.” Legolas said with a grin, to which Aragorn could only shake his head, realizing that leaving the two of them to adventure alone might not have been the best of ideas.
The King of Gondor picked up the emerald necklace, with matching circlet, looking over the intricate pieces. “I can imagine you scared ten years off his life for that. Nice of Gimli though to fashion this… then again, I assume he did so in hopes that the ladies of Gondor would want to purchase jewelry from the Glittering Caves, hmm?”
Legolas nodded, “I suppose Dwarves can be rather shrewd businessmen when it comes down to it. The circlet though he made for Eldarion.”
Setting the piece down, Aragorn stood from the desk and moved over to the small table in his study, pouring a drink for himself and his guest. He handed Legolas a cup before sipping his own then taking the Elf’s free hand and undoing the bandage there.
“Healing nicely though… all things considered.” He said, inspecting the lithe digits. “No bow work, I take it?”
The Elf frowned, “Sadly no… and that is quite irritating to be honest. Fighting with one knife is also not exactly ideal either… though at least the orcs between here and Helm’s Deep have been… well… few and far between. Ow!” Legolas winced, though he did not pull his hand away as Aragorn carefully applied some salve from a tiny metal box on his desk, before starting to re-wrap the wound. “Honestly, Estel… it is fine. Really.”
“Oh no. We are not having this discussion again. You say you are fine and then you are not and we both know it only leads to trouble.” The king laughed.
Feigning a pout, the Elven prince puffed up slightly. “All over a ridiculous jewel.”
“I thought your family enjoyed gems…” Aragorn teased, making Legolas roll his eyes and groan. The man smiled, “Well, at least it is a very pretty jewel. He could have risked your life for a lump of fool’s gold.”
At this, the Elf smirked. “Then he would certainly be the fool. But… right now, I shall take a dotting Dwarf over an imbecilic one any day.”
“Dotting?” the former Ranger asked, arching an eyebrow.
Legolas’s smirk turned to a full on grin and he nodded, “Guilt can be a wonderful thing sometimes.”
Aragorn, knowing Legolas and his penchant for mischief, was actually starting to feel bad for the Dwarf…
END
Challenge – Gems & Jewels
Summary – Legolas and Gimli find something shiny in the Glittering Caves.
Rating - G
Characters – Legolas, Gimli, & Aragorn
Warnings - None
“This was certainly not what I had in mind when you suggested checking the south tunnel…”
The skin on his fingers was scrapped and bleeding, causing the Elf’s grip on what seemed to be a sheer rock face to slowly start to falter. With each passing moment, and not without a wince or two, it was becoming increasingly clear that they were swiftly running out of time.
“Just a wee bit longer.”
Legolas groaned as he felt his left arm vibrate with the motion of a pickax from the occupant which he unwaveringly held onto. The right, obviously was hanging on for dear life to the rocks overhead.
Originally, Gimli had a rope tied round his waist and had scaled down the cliff face deep within the Glittering Caves on the notion that he saw something more prominent ‘glittering’. Of course Legolas had been opposed to the idea but reasoned that should anything come of it, his own reflexes would be swift enough to stop the rope’s descent and pull his diminutive partner back up to safety. Neither of them actually expected the rope to snap in two places at exactly the same time during the Dwarf’s descent… which then saw his Elven companion dive over the side of the cliff and grasp the back of Gimli’s tunic with one hand, while planting the fingers of his right hand firmly against the rock face and finding purchase a few moments later… after a good deal of skin had peeled away of course.
Determined as ever, Gimli was actually at the proper depth to see what had been glinting in the dark… a large emerald, still half buried in the stone. Thus, pick in hand, he had begun to chip away at it, even while Legolas struggled to keep them both from plummeting to what he could only imagine at this point was certain doom.
“You have until I count to five, Master Dwarf… at which point I am tossing you back onto the ledge.” Legolas warned as his fingers clung desperately despite the slippery surface.
Gimli seemed to fidget for a moment, which only added to the strain on the Elf’s arms as he began his countdown.
“One.”
Each strike of that pickaxe was easily felt in the Elf’s very bones, and to be honest, he feared he would end up with a very nasty headache by the end of their venture.
“Two.”
Gimli grunted with another hard swing and Legolas could see large pieces of stone flick away and into the abyss below.
“Three.”
The Dwarf moved again and this caused his companion to have to angle himself a bit further out in order to keep his hold of that leather tunic twisted within lithe fingers.
“Four.”
“Got it!” shouted Gimli, quickly pocketing the gem as he prepared for what he knew was coming next.
And it did come, for Legolas hurled the Dwarf, swinging his arm and entire body with the motion, hefting Gimli into the air and as high as possible. Quickly the stout being grabbed the ledge with both arms, scrambling back up onto solid ground before standing and dusting off his jerkin. He turned with a toothy grin, pulling the emerald out of his tunic to get a better look at it.
“Large one this… would make a fitting necklace… I bet there are more just waiting down there to…” but then Gimli paused. “Legolas?”
Hurrying over to the edge, the Dwarf peered over… but he could see nothing save the dark abyss below.
“Legolas?!” he called out, a bit more urgently this time. Gimli quickly put the gem away and got down on his hands and knees, looking over the edge as far as he could possibly look. His gaze caught sight of the small outcropping which he knew the Elf to have been clinging to, due to the blood still smeared on the stones.
Silence stretched for what seemed an eternity to the Dwarf and he was torn between heading back for help and staying behind in hopes there was some sign… any sign…
“Curse it all… Elf answer me!”
A sudden poke to the shoulder from behind had Gimli jump… and quite literally almost over the edge, had a hand not shot out to grab his tunic a second time, staving off another disaster.
“You really should stand further back from the edge.” Legolas said with a half smirk.
Gimli stuttered, shrugging out of the Elf’s grasp and rounding on him, “You…. You, I thought you… confounded Elves!”
The prince just grinned for a moment before displaying his now bandaged hand that already had a few blood stains seeping through. “My life for a gem, hmm? Must be a rare jewel that… I do hope you put it to good use.”
“Your life, bah!” Gimli complained, stomping off toward the entrance to that particular tunnel.
“Hurry up or I will leave you behind.”
Sighing, Legolas shrugged, picking up their lantern with his good hand. “The sooner we leave here the better. I do not fancy being stuck at the bottom of an abyss because you spy a diamond next.” He teased, his longer strides causing the Elf to pass by the Dwarf and further up the tunnel toward the more inhabitable regions.
“Gimli grumbled most of the way back.” Legolas said with a grin, to which Aragorn could only shake his head, realizing that leaving the two of them to adventure alone might not have been the best of ideas.
The King of Gondor picked up the emerald necklace, with matching circlet, looking over the intricate pieces. “I can imagine you scared ten years off his life for that. Nice of Gimli though to fashion this… then again, I assume he did so in hopes that the ladies of Gondor would want to purchase jewelry from the Glittering Caves, hmm?”
Legolas nodded, “I suppose Dwarves can be rather shrewd businessmen when it comes down to it. The circlet though he made for Eldarion.”
Setting the piece down, Aragorn stood from the desk and moved over to the small table in his study, pouring a drink for himself and his guest. He handed Legolas a cup before sipping his own then taking the Elf’s free hand and undoing the bandage there.
“Healing nicely though… all things considered.” He said, inspecting the lithe digits. “No bow work, I take it?”
The Elf frowned, “Sadly no… and that is quite irritating to be honest. Fighting with one knife is also not exactly ideal either… though at least the orcs between here and Helm’s Deep have been… well… few and far between. Ow!” Legolas winced, though he did not pull his hand away as Aragorn carefully applied some salve from a tiny metal box on his desk, before starting to re-wrap the wound. “Honestly, Estel… it is fine. Really.”
“Oh no. We are not having this discussion again. You say you are fine and then you are not and we both know it only leads to trouble.” The king laughed.
Feigning a pout, the Elven prince puffed up slightly. “All over a ridiculous jewel.”
“I thought your family enjoyed gems…” Aragorn teased, making Legolas roll his eyes and groan. The man smiled, “Well, at least it is a very pretty jewel. He could have risked your life for a lump of fool’s gold.”
At this, the Elf smirked. “Then he would certainly be the fool. But… right now, I shall take a dotting Dwarf over an imbecilic one any day.”
“Dotting?” the former Ranger asked, arching an eyebrow.
Legolas’s smirk turned to a full on grin and he nodded, “Guilt can be a wonderful thing sometimes.”
Aragorn, knowing Legolas and his penchant for mischief, was actually starting to feel bad for the Dwarf…
END