You have to pay attention to what happens hear the end of this book to find
out what the bulk of this story is about. I hope you like it. I felt very
satisfied at the end, but I don't think it'll be one of the better books I
write in this series.
@Kitsune - There's usually a bit of a wait between books but I update chapters everyday unless something major and time-occupying comes up. Hope you like the rest of the series!
Chapter 10
The night lasted strenuously long for Legolas. His paces were short and his breathing shallow. He shivered much and tucked his numb hands into his armpits in a desperate attempt to keep them warm. Finally, he decided that he couldn't go on. Under the boughs of a young elm tree he made a fire and warmed himself.
The heat coming off of the flames was a glorious relief from the cold. He covered himself in all the cloaks and blankets he had and slipped on five pairs of stockings instead of his leather boots which took in the cold like a weeping babe.
He drifted asleep in the blizzard that blew out his fire. The cold was a violent prick all around him and nipped and bit at everything it touched.
However, Legolas's dream was far from cold.
He was bound against something, surrounded by a ring of fire. The heat was so extreme that he couldn't breath. He struggled to take in air, each breath more painful then the last. Suddenly, the flames to his right lit up and rose high. When they died down once more, he wanted to weep at what he saw.
His father, dressed in filthy clothing that looked as though it had belonged to a dead man, was hanging from a wooden stake surrounded in a smaller ring of fire. He was draped in chains that weighed him down and stretched him closer to the flames that blackened the soles of his feet.
'I'm sorry...' he whispered over and over again. Legolas could hear a pulsing drum that came from all around. 'I'm sorry... Legolas... so sorry...' Thranduil didn't even lift his head. He was so weak and thin. His pale skin started to pop and hiss as the flames crawled up his pants.
'Father, no!' Legolas cried as the flames lit up the king. He didn't even scream he was too exhausted. He just said one thing: clear and solid.
'I'm sorry, Legolas.'
'Father!' Legolas sat up, drenched in sweat. The world around him was painfully bright. The rocks, hills, plains and trees were all covered in at least a foot of snow. Legolas was breathing hard. He felt as though it was his first breath. It wasn't cold like before, warm enough for the sun to melt some of the snow throughout the day. Legolas packed up his possessions and weighed himself down with them, but making sure he was always in reach of all his weapons.
He journeyed with little rest for the whole day. He ate once in the mid afternoon and feasted in the evening. He slept under any tree he could find, dead or alive. They were the only things that reminded him of home.
It did not snow again during his journey. The white stuff slowly melted over two days until the ground was a consistent puddle and in some places was completely washed away. A warm wind blew from the mountains all day and night for those two days. Legolas found the chill afterward a shock to his body, but not at all a surprise. On the third day of his journey, he came to North Undeep. The waters were high and quick from the melted snow. Legolas debated with himself so a long time before he decided to wait for the fourth day to come.
He slept soundly that night and dreamt of a peaceful return home. He would walk through the gates as a forgiven being and embrace Elenest and his newborn child. He was unhappy when he awoke, for he knew that the wait for that time to come would be a torture in itself.
He crossed the river slowly, carrying one product at a time. The riverbed was sandy and dark. There was an occasional outcrop of stone that would have made Legolas slip were he not graced with the balance of elves. At last there was one item left. It was the chest where he had kept his coins. He carried it on his head, taking every step as carefully as possible. He was shivering once more from the cold of the water. It wasn't really that bad compared to what it would have been like in the dead of winter.
He was just crawling up the bank when he finally slipped in waist deep water. The chest slipped out of his hands and began to float swiftly downriver. Legolas dove after it with a great splash. He had grasped the handle but by then left his things and the crossing far behind. He sank down for a moment that arose once more. He was near the bank and groped the wet grass. As he continued downriver more and more water was added to the flow. Finally he was caught be a tree branch that stretched out over the water. He carefully pulled himself out of the water and looked to see how far he had gone.
It took him twenty minutes to return to the destination where he had left all of his things. He was surprised to find they were all still there. He burdened himself again and set off over the knoll that would overlook the Wold.
When he reached the top, he almost screamed at what he saw.
@Kitsune - There's usually a bit of a wait between books but I update chapters everyday unless something major and time-occupying comes up. Hope you like the rest of the series!
Chapter 10
The night lasted strenuously long for Legolas. His paces were short and his breathing shallow. He shivered much and tucked his numb hands into his armpits in a desperate attempt to keep them warm. Finally, he decided that he couldn't go on. Under the boughs of a young elm tree he made a fire and warmed himself.
The heat coming off of the flames was a glorious relief from the cold. He covered himself in all the cloaks and blankets he had and slipped on five pairs of stockings instead of his leather boots which took in the cold like a weeping babe.
He drifted asleep in the blizzard that blew out his fire. The cold was a violent prick all around him and nipped and bit at everything it touched.
However, Legolas's dream was far from cold.
He was bound against something, surrounded by a ring of fire. The heat was so extreme that he couldn't breath. He struggled to take in air, each breath more painful then the last. Suddenly, the flames to his right lit up and rose high. When they died down once more, he wanted to weep at what he saw.
His father, dressed in filthy clothing that looked as though it had belonged to a dead man, was hanging from a wooden stake surrounded in a smaller ring of fire. He was draped in chains that weighed him down and stretched him closer to the flames that blackened the soles of his feet.
'I'm sorry...' he whispered over and over again. Legolas could hear a pulsing drum that came from all around. 'I'm sorry... Legolas... so sorry...' Thranduil didn't even lift his head. He was so weak and thin. His pale skin started to pop and hiss as the flames crawled up his pants.
'Father, no!' Legolas cried as the flames lit up the king. He didn't even scream he was too exhausted. He just said one thing: clear and solid.
'I'm sorry, Legolas.'
'Father!' Legolas sat up, drenched in sweat. The world around him was painfully bright. The rocks, hills, plains and trees were all covered in at least a foot of snow. Legolas was breathing hard. He felt as though it was his first breath. It wasn't cold like before, warm enough for the sun to melt some of the snow throughout the day. Legolas packed up his possessions and weighed himself down with them, but making sure he was always in reach of all his weapons.
He journeyed with little rest for the whole day. He ate once in the mid afternoon and feasted in the evening. He slept under any tree he could find, dead or alive. They were the only things that reminded him of home.
It did not snow again during his journey. The white stuff slowly melted over two days until the ground was a consistent puddle and in some places was completely washed away. A warm wind blew from the mountains all day and night for those two days. Legolas found the chill afterward a shock to his body, but not at all a surprise. On the third day of his journey, he came to North Undeep. The waters were high and quick from the melted snow. Legolas debated with himself so a long time before he decided to wait for the fourth day to come.
He slept soundly that night and dreamt of a peaceful return home. He would walk through the gates as a forgiven being and embrace Elenest and his newborn child. He was unhappy when he awoke, for he knew that the wait for that time to come would be a torture in itself.
He crossed the river slowly, carrying one product at a time. The riverbed was sandy and dark. There was an occasional outcrop of stone that would have made Legolas slip were he not graced with the balance of elves. At last there was one item left. It was the chest where he had kept his coins. He carried it on his head, taking every step as carefully as possible. He was shivering once more from the cold of the water. It wasn't really that bad compared to what it would have been like in the dead of winter.
He was just crawling up the bank when he finally slipped in waist deep water. The chest slipped out of his hands and began to float swiftly downriver. Legolas dove after it with a great splash. He had grasped the handle but by then left his things and the crossing far behind. He sank down for a moment that arose once more. He was near the bank and groped the wet grass. As he continued downriver more and more water was added to the flow. Finally he was caught be a tree branch that stretched out over the water. He carefully pulled himself out of the water and looked to see how far he had gone.
It took him twenty minutes to return to the destination where he had left all of his things. He was surprised to find they were all still there. He burdened himself again and set off over the knoll that would overlook the Wold.
When he reached the top, he almost screamed at what he saw.