Disclaimer: I don't own anything!!
((((((((((CHEATING DARKNESS: PART II)))))))))))
Well, here it is, the beginning of the second installment in my trilogy about Legolas and Eressa. This story picks up right where the last one left off (or to be exact, three days after the first one ends, but big whoop). I hope you enjoy this one as much as you enjoyed the last one! I had well over 700 reviews! Thank you all so much and once more, enjoy!
(((((Chapter 1))))))
"Legolas, how far is this place…Rivendell?" Eressa said, sighing heavily and sitting down.
Legolas didn't answer. Eressa looked up at the boughs of the tree she was sitting under. "Legolas! I asked you a question!"
There was a the ruffle of leaves, very faint. Then in a green blur Legolas appeared in front of her, crouching his body to absorb the impact as he dropped from the branches. Eressa jumped. She remembered Legolas telling her that he was at home in the trees, but she never expected his ability to be so…catlike. He leaped through the branches just as easily as the most agile human could on land.
"It is a matter of…many miles." Legolas said, hesitating at the last bit.
Eressa narrowed her eyes and rubbed her already-sore feet. "How many miles, Legolas?"
Legolas looked downward and frowned. Eressa frowned also. "Legolas, will you just answer me?"
The elf looked up and smiled. His grin lasted long enough for Eressa to return it and more besides. "I'll show it to you." He answered.
He leaned forward and offered his hand. Eressa looked at it in question but then took it. In an instant Legolas had her body wrapped tightly to him and he leaped up, grasping a low branch of the tree they were under. Eressa shrieked and struggled.
"Legolas!" She cried, though she was smiling still. "Legolas, I don't want to go up there!"
The elf only replied: "Hold on!" And with a powerful movement of grace and strength he swung the both of them up into the tree. Eressa clutched him tightly as she watched the ground grow further and further away from her. Twenty feet…forty feet….
"Legolas, how high is this tree?" She asked, becoming uneasy.
"High enough." Answered the elf with another grin. Finally, he poked his head out from the top of the canopy. There were places where the trees still had not grown leaves, and the land was wet and fresh with the passing of winter and the coming of spring.
"Oh." Eressa gasped as she too pushed her head through the leaves of the canopy. "Goodness."
Legolas nodded his head to one direction. "See? That is the way we've been coming. We are about 30 miles away from Lord Curdolin's city now. Which is good, considering we've been traveling three days."
"Which way are we going?" Eressa asked.
"East. See those mountains over there?" Legolas asked. "They are the Misty Mountains. Beyond them is my home, Mirkwood. But Before them is Rivendell."
"That is a long way." Eressa marveled.
"About 200 miles."
"How many?!"
"Don't worry, Eressa. I can easily walk the distance. I'll carry you as much as you want."
Eressa shook her head. "You don't want to carry me. I'm too heavy."
Legolas gave her a look and grasped her waist again. He stepped off the branch they were perched on and allowed both he and Eressa to fall about ten feet. Then he lashed out his free hand and caught another branch. Eressa, of course, screamed as they fell.
Legolas made their way to the ground that way. When he finally dropped Eressa onto the ground and then dropped beside her, she gave him an annoyed look, which he promptly returned with a smirk.
"You aren't heavy. I could run with you on my back the entire day." He boasted.
Eressa shook her head again. "You forget your going to be carrying two of us." She said, putting a hand to her belly. "I'm gaining weight every day."
Legolas blinked and his grin widened. He knelt in front of Eressa and put his ear to her stomach, closing his eyes. Eressa forgot her annoyance with him and smiled, she placed her hands upon the elf's soft hair.
"Do you hear anything?" She asked.
"I hear your heartbeat, it's very loud." Came the reply. "But I hear…" He paused.
"Legolas?"
"I hear our child's heartbeat, Eressa." Legolas said, taking his head back and frowning. "It's much faster than yours. Is that alright?"
Eressa's face fell. "I hope so. I don't know much about babies."
"I don't either."
"I never expected you to." Eressa chuckled.
Legolas sighed and stood up, brushing off his knees. "We should continue walking. As I said before, we have a long way to go."
Eressa made a whining sound. "But we must have already walked ten miles today!"
Legolas turned and looked back at her, his eyebrows raised. "We've only walked three, Eressa. Do you want me to carry you?"
"No."
"Alright. Then come and walk with me. I'll sing to you."
Eressa brightened. "You sing? You never told me you sing!"
"I never mentioned it because I had not the heart to while we were locked up in that dreadful place." Legolas said, his voice suddenly dark.
"Southbed."
"What?"
"The city's name is Southbed. The one we came from."
"Oh."
"Will you sing to me now?"
Legolas smiled. "Of course, milady." He adopted a sort of snobby lilt to his voice. "And what would the Lady like to hear?"
"A love song."
Legolas stopped his act and looked at her. "I don't know any."
Eressa frowned. "Why not?"
Legolas felt himself blush. "Well…I never bothered to learn them."
Eressa smiled as they began walking. She folded her arm around his. "But you've told me you've been in love."
Legolas swallowed. "Not like I'm in love with you."
Eressa stopped walking, her arm slipping out from between Legolas's. She was smiling coyly. Legolas turned around and faced her, a confused look in his eye. Eressa calmly walked the short distance between them and clasped his face in her hands, kissing him deeply.
"I love you so much, Legolas." She murmured. Legolas smiled as he kissed her one more time.
"I love you too." He replied. "But we will not get far doing this. Come, Eressa."
The two lovers walked hand in hand, deeper and deeper into the forests.
((((((((((((((((((((
Nights and days passed slowly. The two travelers managed alright, eating from a berry bush here, stopping for a rest there. Eressa's feet became more wary and sore, her load seemed heavier everyday. She asked Legolas often how much further they had to go. On the sixth day of walking Eressa finally complied to let Legolas carry her some distance. But at night she insisted that she walk alone, at least until Legolas had to swing them up into the trees for sleep.
How Legolas could sleep teetering thirty feet above the ground was a mystery to Eressa. But he was always careful to find the sturdiest, thickest branches to lean upon, and then let Eressa sleep with his arms around her. He insisted sleeping in the trees. He said there were wolves about this land; he could hear them far in the distance. It would be dangerous to sleep on the ground.
On the seventh day, they came to a stream. Legolas heard the running, babbling brook first and caught Eressa by surprise when his face suddenly lit up like a candle.
"Legolas, what is it?" She asked as he smiled slowly.
Legolas turned his head to her and his grin widened. He grabbed her hand and moved forward. "Water." He explained in one simple word.
Before now, the two had been forced to drink only the morning dew that collected on the leaves of the trees they slept in. That was enough for Legolas, but not nearly enough for Eressa. So Eressa was glad when they reached the stream and it's clear, cool waters.
Legolas didn't hesitate to wade in knee deep, his hands skimming on the surface. He scooped some of the water and he drank from it, but it was not foul-tasting or poisoned. He motioned for Eressa to join him.
Eressa smiled and hoisted up her skirt a ways before stepping into the water. It felt wonderful on her feet, and she drank from it greedily.
"Drink all you can." Legolas told her. "For we don't know how long it will be until we reach another stream."
"I know." Eressa said, gasping and clapping her damp hands on her dirty face. "I could just kill for some soap right about now."
"You can clean yourself. I'll leave." Legolas said quietly.
Eressa gave him a look. "Legolas, you know you don't have to leave. You know that."
Legolas grinned at her. "I know. Just being polite." The elf took another sip of the cool, crisp water.
"Legolas?"
"Hm?"
"How far are we from Rivendell now?"
Legolas swallowed, his throat no longer dry. "We've been making good time. I would have to say we only have 130 miles left."
Eressa's smile faded, and she sighed. Legolas frowned as well. He knew that Eressa was tired of walking, and she was worried for the child. He was as well. Even with his good woodsmen skills, he couldn't have found enough food for a pregnant woman in a woods twice as thick as this one.
"We will get there soon, melamin." He assured her. "We are already halfway there."
"I know." Eressa said, putting her smile back on. "I know."
Legolas ran his hand across the surface of the water once more. "Take another long drink. We'll keep moving."
Eressa sighed again. "Alright Legolas."
"Do you want to be carried?"
"No."
Legolas grinned and took his lover's hand. "Let's be off then."
Eressa smiled back at him. "Yes, let's be off."
((((((((((((((Personal Thing))))))))))))))))))))
It's a terrible place to end, and it's a little short. I'm sorry. I just wanted to get the first chapter up quickly! Bring on the reviews people!! Please!!