Bloodright
By: Calypso
Summary: The battle for Helms Deep is over, but to win the battle for Middle Earth, the secrets of a nearly forgotten past must be revealed. For just as it was an elf that saved the progeny of Sauron another elf must destroy her… AU; Drama, Adventure, Romance if I can sneak Arwyn in.
Authors Notes:
As you can probably tell from the summary, this is based of the film version of LOTR and not the books.
Frankly, there were too many details in the book that made the central idea of this fan fic 'highly unlikely' and disturbingly lacking in detail. So I'm taking the movie – much easier to use - and writing an AU branching from it.
I'm gonna try and finish this off before ROTK premiers, so wish me luck and keep me encouraged if you like this!
Also, I am going to be BADLY in need of a technical consultant as things go on. If anyone here considers themselves a LOTR expert, drop me a line.
Prologue
Three Hours Before the Battle of Helms Deep
"Come away, come away with me!" The voice caressed his ears, its tones gentle and sweet. "Come away with me my darling," the words were sung by the breeze that lifted his hair and cooled his skin. The words spoke like gentle rain and warming sunshine.
Legolas knew he was dreaming, but it wasn't a dream he wanted to wake from. "To where?" he asked. For a moment, there was no answer. The breeze stood silent. He was saddened; the absence of the voice was like a dull physical ache.
"To the edge of the farthest world. To the depth of the deepest sea!" The voice came more forcefully this time, almost painful in its beauty. "You must come away my darling, away from this place - and this death!" The voice broke into a wail, and the walls of Helms Deep appeared around him, blood running down the mortar, blood awash on the floor. Blood staining the sun streaking thehair still attached to his severed head.
Legolas woke suddenly and completely; he did not start as a human might have but simply took a breath and blinked, annoyed that his self-doubt had crept its way into his dreams. It was not the first time he had dreamed that voice, but it just might be the last, he thought grimly. Legolas was reserved, quiet even by elven standards. Yet though he said very little, he thought a lot. Too much sometimes. If this will be my end, let it be.
Legolas glanced around him, at the same walls that had haunted his dreams. Walls not yet covered in the blood of companions or enemies. He had not slept long, less then an hour really, but it had been enough time to shrug off some of his weariness before the up coming battle. Near him, Aragon slept soundly. Deciding to let Aragon rest some more, Legolas quietly backed out of the room. Not noticing that upon Aragon's neck, the Evenstar glowed hotly.
Chapter 1 - Angren
~
Gollum felt it happen.
The shift was imperceptible to most, the silly hobbit holding precious didn't even notice - but Gollum noticed. And so did Precious. "You feel it don't you precious?" He whispered in the general direction of Frodo's sleeping form. "You know…" A twisted smile curled its way onto his lips. "It'll be our sssecret. Sssssilly hobbits need not know. No, no." Shaking his head, Gollum smerked before slinking backwards into the darkness of the woods, heading towards a nearby stream.
Gollum felt it happen. What he did not feel was Sam watching him noticing.
~
Eomer watched the moon rise over Helms Deep, relieved to be home - and to find both his uncle and sister alive. The war was not over, but they had won this battle. For the time being, this was enough. For now, it was enough to know that the people of Rohan lived and lived free.
It was a strange moonrise, but then there was something odd about this night.
"I thought you were to take last watch." Eomer whirled around and partially drew his sword when he heard Legolas' voice. It spooked him that the elf was always able to come upon him from behind without making a noise. However, as soon as he realized that he had drawn his blade on a friend, he reddened.
"I apologize." He mumbled as he put his sword back into it's scabbard. Legolas inclined his head, accepting the apology without word, letting the incident slide by. He had become accustomed to the odd behavior of humans. A moment of silence slipped by before Eomer realized that he hadn't yet answered Legolas' original question. "I couldn't sleep."
The elf nodded as if in understanding, then stepped forward and stood beside him on the battlements, glancing downward at the area around Helms Deep. They stood side by side looking down over the battlefield now emptied of all save the corpses of the orcs. Not for the first time, Eomer was glad that he had stopped to help Legolas, Aragon, and Gimli in that clearing. As the two of them stood there, Eomer felt something wash over him, a wave of relief and emotion.
"Thank you... and your friends as well." Eomer whispered and did not look at Legolas as he spoke. " I know I seem a hard man by many standards. But my sister and uncle are all that have… I loath to say it, but their lives are more valuable to me than all of Rohan." He did not know where the words came from. It was unlike him to speak so. Suddenly embarrassed, he quickly clamped his mouth shut. Twice the fool in one night. I act as if I'm drunk. Eomer thought harshly to himself. To his surprise, Legolas laid a hand upon his shoulder.
The two glanced at each other, both were equally surprised by the motion. "There is something strange this night." Legolas spoke in a soft melodious voice. More suited to a woman than a man. Eomer couldn't help thinking. Outwardly, he only nodded.
Legolas drew back his arm, giving his hand a perplexed glance as if it had moved without his permission. "You should sleep." Like his hand, his mouth moved without his bidding. "It has been a hard battle. If you stand this watch, you will not be able to stand the last one as well." Something is wrong, Legolas thought, these words speak themselves. His face took on a grave expression. When he looked up, he found Eomer mirroring it.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Legolas caught a flash of white. Without thinking, he whirled and ran after it, Eomer following close behind. The figure in white did not give them much of a chase and the two caught their quarry in the staircase - and were duly surprised to find themselves facing a young woman wearing an old fashioned silver gown covered by a white elven cloak.
Legolas and Eomer both stood nearly a foot taller than she, but the girl did not look fearful as they backed her against a wall, rather, she glanced from one to the other with a dull curiosity. "She is not of Rohan." Eomer murmured needlessly. And she is not an elf. Thought Legolas. At least not wholly. She was too human to be an elf, and yet too elven to be human. A half elven girl? Impossible… we would know if she existed.
"You aren't one of the refugees from Rohan and you didn't come here with my soldiers. Who are you?" She's not really a 'girl', thought Eomer as he glanced more closely at her, she's probably no younger than Eowyn… but she looks like a child. She didn't answer immediately, but continued to look at Eomer and Legolas as if they puzzled her.
"I am Angren." Legolas wrinkled his brow. Confused as to why she had just said "I am made of Iron." It took him a moment to realize that she was using the word Angren as a noun, more specifically, she was telling him it was her name.
When that settled in, he noticed something more important. He had heard her voice before….. he had heard that voice sung by a breeze, gentle as spring rain and warming as sunshine.
~
When Sam woke Frodo at midnight to resume their journey, Gollum had not yet returned from wherever it was he had slinked away to. As the two packed up and erased all traces that they had been there Sam contemplated telling Frodo what he had witnessed earlier.
He didn't trust Gollum, and had protested against him too often for Frodo's liking. Thus, if he spoke now, it was likely that Frodo wouldn't believe him. But he needs to know, he told himself, he's every right to make up his own mind about it.
Frodo could tell something was on Sam's mind, but he held his peace and let his friend be. Knowing that Sam would tell him when the time was right. However, silence wasn't really the nature of Hobbits and after nearly a quarter of an hour, Frodo's curiosity began to get the better of him. "Sam, is something the matter?"
Sam blinked, then blinked again before he realized Frodo had been speaking to him. Seeing the concerned look on his friends face, made Sam realize that he must've been expressing his internal debate more than he'd meant to. "Nothing's really wrong Mr. Frodo it's just..…"
"Is Masstter rested?" Gollum walked up from behind Sam, speaking before either of the Hobbits realized he was there. "Rrrreeeady to continue?"
Sam clamped his lower jaw to his top one so hard that his teeth clinked. Glancing curiously from Sam to Gollum, Frodo wondered what had transpired while he'd slept. "Yes Gollum, we're ready."
"Ggggooood. Master follow." Taking the lead, Gollum walked ahead as Sam and Frodo picked up thier things. Giving his companion a curious look, Frodo waited for Sam to continue what he had been saying before. When Sam didn't so muchh as open his mouth, Frodo began walking in silence.
It has happened, thought Gollum, she has awakened... and soon precious will be mine again. All mine. Practically giggling with glee, he trudged on slowly, careful that the Hobbits would be able to keep up with him.
~ End Chapter 1
This is a bit of a short chapter, but in all honesty I wasn't sure how much to write. I'd like to continue but I'm not sure if I really should. If I do, this is going to end up being quite a long piece, (let's face it I'm basically chopping off the third book and writing my own ending,) and I'm not certain I want to commit myself to that yet. Either way, I suppose it doesn't hurt to get this out there and test the waters.
Oh - and I'm going to say this again. I will NEED a technical consultant to help me with stuff, I'm a LOTR's fan but I'm not heavily into it so there's a lot I don't know. Any help would be highly appreciated.