"The Cold Kiss of Death"
By Joliene Secor
I would recommend listening to Breaking Benjamin's 'Anthem of the Angels' while reading this piece.
Legolas sat with his arm wrapped around Nalina's shoulders as they watched their beautiful, carefree child play in the clearing before them. The tall grasses swept around her bare feet and she twirled, danced and giggled happily. At that moment she reminded him of her mother. Nalina had always been playful too. Legolas sighed with contentment as he snuggled his wife and watched Laralyn. Laralyn was the human equivalent of about thirteen years old. She soon walked up to her parents and stared down to where they sat in the grasses.
"Ada, Naneth, are you ready to go home and get some supper? I find that I am hungry," the pretty, young elleth said. Laralyn was absolutely breathtaking. She had hair that was a perfect mix of Legolas' blond and Nalina's red. It was a lovely color that reminded people of autumn. Her eyes were also a combination of her parents. They were a light aquamarine, mixing Legolas' cerulean and Nalina's forest green. She was built like her mother and Legolas had commented to his wife that that would only lead to trouble. Laralyn was still so very innocent. She still awed Legolas with her purity and obvious wonder at everything around her. She loved life so much and was so in tune with the songs of nature that she sometimes almost seemed to herself be a force of nature.
Legolas looked up at his daughter, "I am not surprised that you are hungry after all that dancing and playing. Your energy seems boundless, Laralyn. I would also enjoy eating, so let us begin our trek back to the city," Legolas said as he climbed to his feet then offered Nalina his hand. She took it with a smile and watched as her daughter skipped ahead of them happily. Nalina frowned as the foreboding feeling she had had all day nearly made her cringe. Legolas noticed her frown and quietly asked, "Nalina, what troubles you?"
"Nothing, Legolas. I am fine," she said faking a smile.
Legolas frowned, "Meleth nin, (my love) you are not very convincing. We have been bound together for too long for me to not sense when something is amiss with you. What is it?" Legolas asked concerned.
Nalina sighed, "I just… well I have that feeling again, Legolas. It makes me nervous because something usually happens when I feel this way. But we can worry about all of this later. For now,… I'll race you to our daughter!" Nalina said trying to lighten the mood.
"All right then, hiril nin. (my lady) If that is how you want it. You never win. How do you plan to do so this time?" Legolas asked smugly. Nalina began slinking up to him seductively. When she got close enough, she wrapped her arms around Legolas neck affectionately. She drew him closer.
"Ai, my love. I had thought to do something like…. This!" she said as she kneed him in the stomach and effectively knocking the wind out of him. Nalina turned and darted off as fast as her legs would carry her, giggling mischievously the whole way. Legolas took a few deep breaths and struggled up from where he had fallen to his knees.
"Ai, when I get my hands on that clever little vixen I am going to have revenge," Legolas growled with a smirk. Nalina wanted to play dirty did she? Well, then he would accommodate her. Legolas began to chase after his wife and daughter when he heard an ear splitting scream of agony and terror. Legolas knew that voice. It was Laralyn! The elf began to run as swiftly as was elvenly possible to where he had heard the scream originate from. He and Nalina both entered the glade at the same time from opposite sides. They were met with a sight that both broke their hearts and enraged them. A group of several men had pinned their little girl to the ground and were viciously violating her. Legolas attacked with an almost feral, wild sounding snarl emitting from his throat. Nalina added her own furious cry to the reverberating sound of Legolas' and joined her mate in defending their child. Legolas slashed at the men holding his baby and some began to fight back. Legolas was being slowly driven away from Laralyn by the four men brandishing their weapons at him. That left Nalina with four of her own to deal with, Legolas thought to himself worriedly. He glared at the demons that would dare defile a child, "Not one of you will live to regret this mistake. I swear it," Legolas said in a quiet, icy cold tone. With that he attacked.
Legolas blocked the first blow and growled as the familiar sound of steel meeting steel reached his ears. Legolas was so enraged that he no longer even thought for his own safety. He was beyond rational thought. He animalisticly hacked and cleaved into the men before him. Legolas took several wounds, but did not even notice. One of the men slashed at the elf's thighs while another kicked him hard in the groin. Legolas groaned and very nearly stopped fighting as the intense pain assailed him. Instead of allowing himself to halt, Legolas brought his blade up in a swift motion and buried it to the hilt in the one who had kicked him. It hung out of the man's temple like some macabre antler. Legolas instantly withdrew it and turned to face the remaining three with a deadly look. Now they looked frightened but did not retreat. Legolas smirked madly and brutally charged them, one of his knives still dripping crimson blood from their companion. Legolas slew one immediately as he drew his blade across the human's throat. A spray of blood splattered around as the dying man sank choking and wide eyed to the ground. The light left his eyes before he was finished falling. The last two attacked together and he deflected several blows before finding an opening. He brought his blades up with his arms nearly crossed over his chest. As the blades came up to the human's neck, they sliced across in a scissor cut that removed the head clean from his body. As Legolas struck a death blow to his companion, the other human had seen his own opening and stabbed his knife into Legolas' right side between the ribs. Legolas paused for a moment in shock but quickly turned and drove his own blade into the man's heart. The human blinked a bit then fell, his knife ripping from the elf as he fell with it still gripped in his now dead hand. Legolas looked around to see Nalina finish her last opponent and peer around just as he was doing. They both gazed around for Laralyn but were not happy when they found her in the clutches of one of the villainous humans. He had a knife held over her heart and she was silently sobbing. It was obvious that she was terrified. Both of her parents stood in shocked horror, unsure of what to do.
Legolas finally spoke, "If you release my daughter you will be free to go," Legolas said as calmly as he could, "She is an innocent child and you need not hurt her."
"She ain't innocent anymore, eh?" the man dared say. Legolas had to put a sharp reign on his anger as the man spoke again, "And I ain't stupid, ya know. I know you'll kill me even iff'n I let this little one go. Naw, at least my final act will ensure that you are just as dead as I am to be," he said with an evil, malevolent laugh. Then he stabbed the blade into the elfling's chest and she cried out in agony and in shock. As Legolas roared angrily and charged forward, the human twisted his blade then jerked it rudely from the tender young flesh in which it was imbedded. Just as Laralyn fell to the ground, Legolas collided with her attacker. His momentum carried them ten paces away from Laralyn's unmoving form. Nalina ran to her child to stop the bleeding and left Legolas to deal with their foe.
The furious father, blinded by his rage and bloodlust, proceeded to shred the human he had tackled. Long after the man was dead Legolas still wildly cleaved at the body until it was unrecognizable and he was bathed in blood. Slowly, he came to himself as his fury faded and remembered Laralyn's wounds. He dropped his weapons and ran to where his wife held their bleeding child. Nalina held Laralyn's head and upper body in her lap clutched close to her. The elfling shuddered a little and opened her eyes as Legolas approached. He stared into their pain stricken depths. He glanced up to Nalina and saw the tears pouring down her face and restrained sobs wracking her frame. Legolas looked back down to his daughter and finally saw what had reduced Nalina to the hopeless state she was now in. The light in those beautiful eyes was fast fading and Legolas realized that he could not save his little girl. Tears began to fall from his eyes as he realized that his baby was going to die in this corpse strewn, blood drenched glade in agony and there was nothing he could do to halt it. He was brought from his heartbroken musings as Laralyn yelped at the pain she felt from breathing. Legolas stroked her hair, "Sh, tithen pen. (little one) Sh, everything will be all right, baby. Just lie still."
Laralyn's tear filled eyes met with Legolas' and she struggled to speak, "Ada, Nana,... I.. I mele... le," she said. The last word came outin a sigh as she breathed her last. Legolas saw the light leave her eyes and his world fell apart.
"Laralyn?" he asked disbelieving that this could be real, "Laralyn?... No! No, please Valar, no! Not her! Not my child!"
Nalina vaguely heard Legolas' anguished cries through her sobs. She had felt her baby girl stop breathing and had not the strength to look up and confirm what she already knew from her husband's reaction. She could not bear to see that empty look in her child's now glassy eyes. She felt Legolas curl up next to her as they both clung to the body of their whole world. Neither could find the motivation to move. Neither cared if they stayed that way unto the world's ending. All reason they had for caring was just ripped cruelly away from them. They sat there for a long time oblivious to everything around them.
The Lord of Ithilien and his family had been staying in Minas Tirith on a visit to King Aragorn and Lady Arwen, as well as their young son Eldarion. Being a family of wood elves, they had quickly tired of the stone confines and gone on a stroll of the countryside surrounding the city. That had been last night before dinner. They had not returned and Aragorn was going after them. He and his search party left the gates and rode straight down the main path to the forested area a short ways from the city. They had not ridden far into the wood when they came upon the family. Aragorn stopped short at the sight before him. The regal Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, Lord of Ithilien, and companion of the Fellowship, sat on the ground with his wife weeping over the bloody remains of their only child. Aragorn noted the carnage surrounding them through his grief. The scene was both macabre and tragic. Aragorn tentatively approached his closest friend as one would a wounded animal. A dangerous one at that. He gently laid his hand on Legolas' shoulder. Legolas did not acknowledge it if he noticed.
"Legolas, mellon nin, we must get you and Nalina back to the city. It is plain to see that you have taken injury. We can clean Laralyn up when we get to the citadel. Come, my friend," Aragorn gently urged. Legolas did not so much as look up. Aragorn desperately continued, "Legolas, Nalina is hurt and needs aid. If we do not get her to the city she will be following Laralyn to the Halls of Mandos."
At this, Legolas finally looked up into Aragorn's eyes. The human hated the despair and anguish that flooded their depths, "Ai, this cannot be real... I... No, I cannot.. accept this," Legolas said looking dazed.
"Legolas, this is real. I am sorry, mellon nin. I wish it were not so. You must let go of her so we can help Nalina," Aragorn replied regrettfully. Legolas sighed and took a few deep breaths collecting himself. Then he climbed unsteadily to his feet and looked down at his wife. He crouched next to her.
"Nalina, we must go. Come, let me have her," Legolas said as he gently tried to take his daughter from his distraught wife. She tightened her grip.
"No! I will not let go of my baby! Leave us here!" Nalina screamed at Legolas. She feared moving. It seemed to her that if she had to move from this spot and look at her Laralyn it would all be real. She refused to allow this. No, maybe if she just stopped, time would stop with her and she would not be forced to face the horrific truth of this new and dreadful reality that would be her life without her baby. She stuggled against Legolas as he tried to restrain her so she wouldn't hurt herself worse. As Aragorn finally managed to wrest the dead child from her mother's arms, Nalina's wailing almost broke his heart. Aragorn could only imagine what this was doing to Legolas, "No! Legolas, please! Please bring her back to me! Do not let them take her from us! Valar, please give me back my baby!"
"I will take her," Legolas said as he took his daughter's body from Aragorn. Nalina was being gently restrained by Elladan and Elrohir. She quieted after they managed to administer a sedative. Aragorn mounted his horse and Nalina was settled in front of him by Elladan. Legolas handed his child to Elrohir and then unsteadily mounted a horse brought for his use should they find him. Elrohir gently, almost reverently passed the limp girl to her father. With everyone mounted, they rode back to the city.
The wails of despair and grief as they rode through the levels of the city were many. Laralyn had been a much loved visitor along with her parents. To see the once lively and happy elven family ride through their streets covered in the blood of the young child was awful. When they reached the citadel, Legolas slipped from his horse still holding Laralyn and walked towards the House of Tombs where the royals of Minas Tirith took their dead. No one followed him. Nalina was taken to the healing halls still asleep from the sedatives.
When Nalina woke, she walked to where she would find her family. Legolas sat beneath a skylight next to a white marble slab. Their daughter lay on the marble. She was cleaned of all blood and had a beautiful gown on. Her hair was brushed and she looked peaceful. Were it not for the lack of breath one would think she only slept. Nalina began to cry as she looked at her daughter. Legolas pulled her into his embrace and they cried for a long time. White walls surrounded them, but all they saw was death and blackness. Finally Nalina went silent and Legolas sat back to look into her eyes. They were blank. There was nothing there at all. No recognition, no feelings, no desire to continue living. With this revelation, Legolas felt his will to fight fleeing him. He hung his head utterly defeated.
Many days passed and Nalina would not leave Laralyn's side. She slept among the dead with her child and slowly faded from her grief unwilling to fight it. Legolas watched helplessly as he lost his wife. He knew she was no longer there, but he couldn't let go. Not to death. He begged her to sail, to fight this with him, to do anything, but she did not acknowledge him.
Legolas lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. It was then that he knew that his wife, his beautiful, playful Nalina, was already dead, "There is nothing left of you. I can see it in your eyes. You are just waiting for me to let go. Days go on forever, but I have not left your side, meleth nin. Do not make me let you go, Nalina," he begged.
Finally Nalina acknowledged Legolas, "You cannot bring me back to life anymore than you can Laralyn. You must let us go, Legolas. Say the last goodbye and let me go to her. I cannot do this any more."
"If you go then so will I," Legolas replied through his tears, "We shall chase the dark together."
"No, my love, you are stronger than me. I love you but I am dead alive. Goheno nin," (forgive me) Nalina said as she tiredly hung her head. Legolas raised her chin and gazed at her sadly.
"I understand. No apology is needed. I love you and always will, my beautiful lady," Legolas said trying to choke back a sob.
"We will all meet again, Legolas. I will guard our child until we are together again," Nalina said as she lowered her lips to his. Legolas savored that passionate kiss and felt his heart nealy stop when Nalina suddenly no longer reciprocated his affections. Her warm breath no longer brushed his throat. He pulled back and looked at the glossy, lifeless eyes of his soul mate and his breath came in ragged gasps. She was gone. Legolas sat there staring at his dead family while his heart broke and his world crumbled around him. Elladan and Elrohir went to check on them later and found Nalina dead. They pulled Nalina from the grasp of a near catatonic Legolas and left the tomb. They sedated Legolas and thought that perhaps he would recover, but the grief was too great.
Legolas waited until the healers had left him alone and got up. He knew what he was looking for as he rifled through the cabinets. He had been around Elrond enough to know some things about medicines and correct doses. He also knew which were deadly when too much was administered. Finding what he had been looking for, Legolas silently made his way to the hall where his wife and daughter layed on a wide stone slab. Legolas looked over his beautiful girls as tears spilled from his eyes once again. Their skin was as white and cold as the winter snow. Legolas went to Laralyn's side, opposite from Nalina. He took a vial from his pocket and opened it. He no longer cared that this was an act that he would usually consider cowardly. He just wanted to be back with his family. With that thought in mind, Legolas downed the contents of the vial. It was definetly a leathal dose. As he began shaking and his breath started to catch, Legolas laid down next to his wife and daughter, "I will not leave... your side. I... cannot..," but Legolas was never able to finish that last sentence as his broken heart finally stopped beating and he felt the cold kiss of death before slipping into oblivion.
Legolas was found by Aragorn, Elladan, and Elrohir. They entered the tomb to find Legolas curled up with Nalina and Laralyn. Aragorn rushed over but sagged in defeat to find no traces of life in their dearest friend. They looked upon the family that would not be separated even in death and mourned for the loss.
"They are together again," Aragorn said to his weeping brothers, "Forever."
A/N: This is dedicated to my little sister, Lauren, who wanted me to put my evil plot bunny to work on a tragedy to go with the song mentioned at the begining of this story! So you all can thank her for this rather sad story.