BAM! new chapter all pretty! However this is the only one I've made before releasing it... so get ready for a bit of hiatus. But no matter! Hopefully I've haven't scared too many of you away, so enjoy this one!
Legolas and Tauriel led their patrol through the woods, keeping a sharp eye out for anything in their forest. Suddenly though they heard a voice, a staggering, female voice. Legolas held up the sign for stopping, and listened, horrified at what she heard.
"The jealous man comes, comes for the ones unworthy! He tears them apart... like a hunter with his deer! He wears their skin, and becomes the one... the true elf..." Tauriel gave Legolas a worried glare, trying to make sense of these ramblings. Legolas thought of a strategy, turning to his men he spoke.
"Find the women, but do not approach, I want to see her first, stay in the trees and stay hidden." The men nodded, and with a swift movement they left, fleeing to the other trees and finding this women. It didn't take long to find her, she limped along the path, her head jolting from time to time, along with her hands. Sometimes her hands will clutch her ears, as if trying to block out thoughts. The guards studied the women, shifting at the sudden sight. Legolas was terrified at the sight, how could an elleth turn to this? What happened to her? Legolas decided that his father would need to handle this, thinking that his father experience will help. He motioned for the men to follow the girl. He then turned and sprinted back towards the palace for his father. Upon reaching the edge of the woods he was lucky to see his father wandering in the gardens, admiring the flowers blooming from the first month of spring.
"Ada!" Legolas called out, jumping down from the trees and running towards the king. His father turned to his sun, face turning to concern at the urgency.
"What is it?" Thranduil questioned, chin up and eyebrows down towards his son.
"We've found an elleth in the woods, she's... well we don't know... but she's rambling on like an insane person." Thranduil thought, knowing that his son will want him to deal with it. He nodded, and Legolas looked relieved, giving a small smile before he turned and guided his father to the women. Despite have his long robes Thranduil managed to navigate the thick trees easily. They quickly caught up with the women, the prince surprised that the women made little distance. Thranduil eyed the women, his lips parting a little. clenched his jaw, swiftly making his way down the tree he approached the women. He came about twenty feet from her, but she still didn't notice him, so he softly spoke.
"My lady?" She gave a scream, cowering her eyes from him and backing away, but she quickly tripped and landed. Her head and hands jerked her mumbling going faster. Thranduil placed his hands up to show that he was harmless and slowly approached the elleth.
"My lady 'tis alright, I will not harm you. No one will harm you my lady." She didn't look up though, only screamed and kept away from him. Thranduil then made the risky decision and kneel next to her, being lucky as to not have her attack him.
"My lady," he whispered, slowly taking her hands as she recoiled them away, "no one will harm you, you are safe from the jealous man." This time she seemed to hear him and reply.
"no one is safe from the jealous man! He comes for me! I know it! He'll clutch onto me and drag me back home, where I'll hear the screams again and again. And the begging and the pleading and the gurgling!" She was rocking now, arms wrapped around her legs and bringing them close to her, but Thranduil managed to stay calm from the horror. Thranduil now sat next to her, carefully placing an arm around her he asked, "who is the jealous man?" This time she looked up, eyeing Thranduil like he was the crazy one.
"Have you never heard the tale?" Her voice was smooth now, "legend said that, he was born of man race, but always envied the elves. He read everything about them, and would talk to every elf he came across, but that envy quickly turned to jealousy. He thought that those born as elves didn't deserve to be elves, so he started researching, asking how to become an elf, so he could rule them and make them the right elves. But he couldn't find anything, so the jealousy turned to range, and he started capturing elves. He would torture them, and get his anger out on them. Then he thought of an idea, to make himself an elf, he would replace himself with an elf. So with the elves he captured, he would skin them, put their skin and organs in him. He became immortal, his heart of an elf, strength of elves and beyond. He cannot be killed by any weapons, and he will become the ultimate elf." Her eyes went off, staring into the blank abyss. Thranduil though blanked far before she was finished, his eyes going to terror of the old elfling stories to scare them. The other guards didn't know the stories, for that story was long lost from fearful parents. He shook out his trance though, looking back at the elleth who began rocking again.
"Shh my lady, he will not capture you again my lady. Please, tell me how long the elves normally last?" She didn't look up again, just answered as she rambled.
"Some last a day, a week, a month, his guards normally last a year, but no more than that... No one has lasted more than me."
"And why is that?" She looked at him again, eyes hurt and depressed.
"I am his wife, I am the one he deemed the perfect elleth a-and so he took me, and changed me, and married me." Thranduil sighed deeply, having to break her eye contact from pure disbelief. Legolas now kneeled next to his father, taking the ladies hand and asking.
"'Tis alright my lady, we will protect you. Do you have a name?" She looked at him again, stuttering.
"A-anwavanessa, m-my name is Anwa." Legolas nodded, keeping her hand in his as Thranduil stood, ordering the men down from the trees. As they descended down Anwa started to panic, backing away from them. Legolas quickly came by her side and tried to sooth her, whispering calming words and brushing his fingers through her greased hair. When she finally calmed down enough Legolas carefully placed his arms under her, and heaved her up, cradling her like a child in his arms. Thranduil turned to his son, seeing the women in his arms he nodded to his son, then turned and left, Legolas on his right and the guards keeping an eye out for the "jealous man." By the time they've returned to the palace, Anwa has fallen to sleep, but with a simple shifting of the prince's arms to lay her on the bed she woke again, eyes wide with terror.
"Shh lady Anwa, you are safe hear, sleep now." He soothed, and she slowly closed her eyes again. Legolas exited the room, only to be meet with his father, worried eyes staring at the wooden door.
"Will this Jealous Man come for her?" Legolas asked, trying to get some kind of relief from his father.
"If she is his wife, then he will come after us with full force, so we must be ready." That was all he said before leaving, heading for his chambers as Legolas stood there, fear seeping back into him. He made his way to his chambers, Tauriel though approached him, her eyes soon turning to worry.
"How's Anwa?" Legolas sighed and leaned against his door.
"Asleep, barely, also the Jealous Man will most likely be coming after us if she is his wife!" Legolas' fear turned to frustration as he banged his head against the door. Tauriel placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and tried to sooth.
"If this Jealous Man is real, then we'll stop him. No one can be completely immortal where no one can kill him. We will stop him, and Anwa will be safe again." Tauriel though saw the fear in his eyes and softened her voice.
"You're scared." He turned his head towards her, staring into her meadow green eyes.
"I-I'm more terrified than I've ever been. When I saw my fathers eyes when she told about the Jealous Man, the fear in his... I just knew that this enemy was one to be feared by all. I mean a man who turned himself into an elf by skinning other elves like we do to deer!" Tauriel swallowed hard, trying to think of other words to comfort her friend, but she just spoke, "any one can be killed." She left, heading to her bedroom while Legolas entered his, slowly undressing his tunic and collapse on the bed, sleep not coming until the dead of night.
Oh damnnnn scared leggy is scared! Please leave a review, it's always a nice thing to have that brightens my day! Until then, read my other stories if you've never read them before, and pray that I get an easy week for school!... stupid PSAT!