Hello everyone!
Alright, here's a longer chapter. More Legolas for all the ladies out there! xD
Disclaimer: As of this moment I don't own LotR . . . All OCs are mine.
I woke to soft lips covering mine. Sweet air filled my chest, expanding my lungs. My head lolled to the side and I coughed up a lung full of water. My stomach trembled convulsively. I felt calloused hands turn me on my side so I could expel all of the water. Stomach acid and salty water burned my throat. My body shook involuntarily. I was rolled onto my back when I was finished.
My eyes blinked open. It was dark above, only a few slivers of sunshine sifting through the foliage.
All of a sudden, the most gorgeous man I'd even seen was above me. His long blonde hair sopping wet. Small braids were on either side of his temples and dripping frigid water onto the white sand all around me. His ears were delicately pointed. I shook my swimming head before gazing back at him. He had the lightest blue eyes. They showed knowledge far beyond the years in his face. My heart stuttered as he looked down at me intensely.
"Are you alright my lady?" His voice had a strange accent to it. I took in his medieval-style clothing. I looked at him in confusion. "Can you move?" I nodded. The man lifted me easily into a sitting position. I shivered as the cool night air met my soaked flesh. The blonde man put a warm arm around my shoulders.
I could feel other people crowded around us. An older man with darker hair look at me worriedly. Three men who had dark blonde hair stood farther away with a collection of horses. Green silk was laid under the saddles with an intricate emblem stitched in silver. As the men conversed, they glared at me in disdain. It made me frown. I coughed. I looked down.
My sports bra had ridden up, revealing the defined swell of my breasts. My nipples pebbled through the material noticeably. Flushing red, I crossed my arms tightly over my chest. The men turned away, the silver velvet of their cloaks skimmed the white sand under their feet.
That's when I noticed something odd. The one feature all the men had in common were their ears. Like the man who still had his arm around me, all the men had pointed ears. Also, their skin seemed to almost glow, as if illuminated from beneath. It reminded me of the glow of the moon, if it was seen through a piece of delicate tissue paper.
I could feel the soothing hands of the man caressing my shoulder softly. The older man brought me an incredibly soft blanket that was quite thick. I smiled gratefully as I took it. The blonde helped me wrap it around my shoulders. I glanced at his profile once more. As soon as my eyes were on him, he turned to face me. His lips lifted into a warm smile.
"Better?"
"Much. Thanks." I smiled back.
The man froze immediately as the words left my lips. He frowned slightly. "You are not of the Eldar?"
My brow creased in confusion. "Sorry?"
He paused. "You understand what I am saying, can you not?"
I laughed lightly; equal parts sound and air. "Of course. You're speaking English, just as you were before." I noticed the men went quiet. I quieted, my smile dropping. "What? What's wrong?"
The man's smile wavered. He got up, leaning me up against a nearby boulder before pulling the older man to the side. "She does not know that she speaks Sindarin?"
"It appears not..." The handsome man replied.
I scoffed angrily. "Excuse me! I'm right here!"
They glance at me before turning, continuing their conversation in hushed tones. "Her ears?"
"Pointed."
Another pause.
"I see..."
With the help of the boulder behind me, I staggered to my feet, breathing through the intense waves of nausea and dizziness. I shook my head, attempting to get my balance back. A strong breeze blew through the clearing and I swayed. Feeling gravity catch up with me, I closed my eyes and readied for the hard fall.
It never came. The pain. Inches above the ground, strong arms wrapped around my waist. I felt his sweet breath on my lips long before I'd opened my eyes.
He helped me to my feet, this time keeping his arm around me.
The older man pursed his lips, eyes focused on our position. "What is a maiden such as yourself doing alone in the wood?"
My head throbbed. I swallowed thickly. "I went for a walk."
"And a swim?" He raised one of his perfectly plucked brow, accusingly.
I nodded slowly. I was beginning to feel uneasy. "The water looked nice..."
"Urúvion..."
It sounded like a warning.
The other men turned from their conversation by the horses. Their eyes fell on me. Their boots made little noise on the sand as they started forward.
"How do you speak the language of the elves?" One man asked.
"From where do you hail?"
"Are you a spy of Saruman?"
I pushed away the man holding me up; reeling. "I think... maybe I should go..."
The men stopped. Then I saw a glint of metal in the dim light.
A sword.
I moved backwards, one foot behind the other. I lifted my hands in peace as I retreated. "Thank you for your help, but I'm going to leave. I'll forget this ever happened."
My tone was calm.
My heart pounded.
None of the men replied to my words. I reached my bag, fingers fumbling blindly with the zipper as I kept my eyes on the men in front of me. I quickly shoved the items that were strewn all around back inside.
"You are coming with us, my lady," Urúvion hummed darkly.
My throat tightened. I slung my bag quickly on my shoulder and quickly turned and ran for the trees.
I didn't get far.
My feet slipped as my wrist was jerked back. Perfect, long fingers were wrapped tightly around my wrist. I looked up, feeling vulnerable. Ice blue eyes burned into mine, staring imploringly down at me. I pursed my lips as I planted my feet. He tugged me towards him. All emotion wiped from my features.
I stomped on his foot, feeling the bones crush under me. He cried out. Using my entire weight, I flipped him over my shoulder, his back hitting the forest floor hard. The air hissed from his lungs. He let go of my wrist. The man was back on his feet in moments, faster than I could follow. He lashed out at my face. I barely blocked it and stumbled back. I kicked at his side. my foot tightly and threw me to the ground. I rolled lightly, already back on my feet. The man was so fast. Even with all my training, I was on the defense. He hit the side of my head. I gasped, trying to block. He then sent an uppercut to my stomach. I tumbled to the ground, all air leaving me. I stayed down. Waiting. The man sighed. He leaned down to where I was laying; curled up, arms protectively winding around my knees. I waited until he was only inches away from me. I snapped my head forward, cracking against his forehead. He tripped on a tree root, only for an instant. I jumped up.
I looked over at the other men.
They hadn't moved, staring with unbelieving wide eyes. Then, like ice melting, they moved into action.
I bolted.
I sprinted into the thick wood. I felt powerful as I ran. I pumped my arms. My feet pounded on the fallen leaves. I put on more speed. My heart pounds. My fear dissipates as I run. My muscles are tired; sluggish from the water. My side aches from the blonde man's blows. Despite the knowledge that people are chasing me, I feel pleasantly at ease: My lungs are burning, head aching, the fierce pleasure of a flat-out sprint. I weave deftly through the trees, listening as the air whistles around me.
It was strange. I could see every individual tree as I ran. I knew what path to take. What would be safe.
Then I heard a foreign noise. It broke me out of my musings. Another sort of whistle. Then there was a loud 'thunk'. A large arrow struck a tree a hairsbreadth from my shoulder.
I screamed out. I couldn't help it.
"For the love of god!"
My eyes widened. These people were really going to kill me. I found it strange why they were using arrows.
Wouldn't a gun be easier?
Maybe they just came from a Renaissance Fair. I would've laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation if they weren't trying to murder me.
I ran in the direction of the army base, knowing that it wouldn't be far before I'd begin to see it.
They were going to catch me. That's the only thought that came to me.
I could hear the crunching of leaves quickly closing the distance between us. I forced my sluggish body to move faster. I forced the impulses from my mind that told me to stop. I shut everything out and focused ahead. My mind entered a state of autopilot as I flew through the woods.
The footsteps of my pursuers began to slow. What seemed like hours of running was probably only minutes. The adrenaline coursing through my body was beginning to wear out. I was tiring.
Suddenly, I could see the trees beginning to thin out. The glow of the moon was peeking through. I chanced a quick glance behind me. I couldn't see anyone. Continuing towards the edge of the forest, I couldn't stop the smile that stretched across my lips. The base couldn't be that far now. I burst through the trees. My legs almost gave out.
Unfamiliar wide plains were in every direction. Snowed mountains could be seen and meshed into the land seamlessly.
My smile dropped immediately. My eyebrows pulled together as I ungracefully stumbled to a stop.
What...
Faintly in the distance, I could hear the cracking of branches and foliage. There was nowhere to run on the flat land. They would shoot me down instantly.
I spun around, eyes burning. I looked in every direction. I couldn't recognize any familiar landmarks. There was nothing. I squeezed my eyes shut. I turned slowly as I heard something break through the trees.
"My lady!" The silken voice made my stomach tighten. I froze. The blonde man had a bow in his hands. The string was pulled taut; an arrow was already notched.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. I lifted my hands in surrender. "Please. Where am I?"
I tried to keep my voice from shaking.
The man faltered. He lowered his arm, releasing the tension on the bowstring. "We are now five leagues from Imladris."
"And where is that?"
He paused, regarding me strangely. "Middle Earth, my lady." I shook my head, not comprehending what he was saying to me. The man stalked forward. I met each step, moving back, keeping the distance between us. At my movement, he raised his hands like mine. "There is no reason to be afraid of me, my lady."
I scoffed, moving farther away. "You just chased me through the woods, threatening to kill me!"
He began to move forward slowly. His feet barely made a noise on the dry yellow grass. The tentative motions reminded me of an animal trainer I once saw at the zoo when I was young, working with a lion. "I apologize."
"You apologize?" I laughed. I couldn't help the note of hysteria that slipped into it.
His glance was wary. "Indeed."
I sighed tiredly. "Why are you doing this to me?"
His brows met in the middle, a small crease forming. "You attacked me, unprovoked. My company feels you are a spy of Saruman."
"Who the hell is that?"
He paused, sizing me up. His icy blue eyes looked me up and down. My hands dropped, resting against my sides. I wiped my sweating palms on my thighs. If he noticed, he didn't say anything. "You have no knowledge of Sauroman the White ?" I shook my head. "If you accompany us to Imladris, you may request the help of Lord Elrond." This time when he walked towards me, I let him close the distance. He stopped a couple feet away.
My body tensed as I heard cracking braches in the forest.
My feet shifted uneasily. Air rasped in my lungs; muscles burning from exertion as the adrenaline began to fade. The blonde man made the distance even smaller between us, now leaving only six inches. I froze as he lowered his bow to the ground. When he straitened, he reached down, as if to caress my cheek. My heart jumped as I sucked in a gasp. He didn't touch my face. He pushed my damp hair behind my ear. His fingers stroked the slight points there.
"You are of Elvin kind, are you not?" His voice was rough.
"No. I'm really not." My voice was measured and deliberate, as if I were explaining something to a small child. He exhaled through his nose.
I felt him trail a hand down my arm, raising the hair. I closed my eyes. His callused hand grasped mine. They skimmed over my ring. Legolas looked down at the ring. He tightened his hold on me and brought my hand to his eyes. I watch him dubiously as he muttered strangely to himself.
Urúvion burst from the trees, quickly followed by the rest of the company who were on horseback. "Your Highness!"
My brows raised. The man didn't respond. He seemed to be focused on my ring."How-?"
"Can I have my hand back?" I interrupted quickly. I noticed a light pink color enter his cheeks. He coughed, dropping my hand as if it burnt him.
Urúvion's hand rested on the hilt of his sword as he stalked forward. I tried to pull away from Blondie, but he held me until I couldn't feel the circulation in my hand anymore.
Urúvion looked at me with large eyes that darkened. What was everyone's problem with my ring?
"Nenya." The blonde man's mouth caressed the word delicately. I froze in place. The word sent chills down my spine as the jewel on my finger suddenly became warm.
Urúvion's hand left his sword as he reached forward. He looked down at the jewel on my finger, then into my eyes. He stared into the uniquely violet toned depths gazing as far into me as he could. He shook his head immediately, as if he were trying to clear cobwebs. "At times that were not yet as dark as now, there was a prophesy made by a council of the Elvin rulers of Middle Earth. 'The Savior will come forth, bearing signs of the Valar from distant lands. When the time of elves is ending, the champion's journey in Middle Earth shall begin.' "
I scoffed and stumbled away from the men that were now surrounding me.
"I don't want any trouble," I repeated. "If you just tell me where the nearest highway is, I'll leave."
Urúvion scowled. "High-way? You still think her not a follower of Saruman? She speaks these words to trick you, your Highness."
The men shared a look. Urúvion continued. "She tried to take your life, your Highness. What other evidence do you require?"
"Quiet," the blonde hissed, looking back at me. "I do not understand your words, my lady. I see you are frightened, though you try to hide it." He paused, as if waiting for me to speak. He assesses me once more before turning back to face his company. "The lady will accompany us to Imladris."
"I say we kill her," a man with dirty blonde hair muttered with a sneer in my direction.
Urúvion nodded. "I agree."
Tension filled the blonde man. "Then she shall be grateful that I am the Prince and you are not!" The men were taken aback at his outburst. I shrank back at the ice in his blue eyes. "Ready the horses."
All the men turned to leave. All except Urúvion. He stood his ground, crossing his arms."I cannot do that, my Lord. I will not wait for her to kill us in our sleep!"
The blonde whipped around. "You question my authority, Urúvion?"
The dark-haired man lifted his chin as he squared his shoulders. "It is not the authority it question, but your judgment."
Silence.
"You are to take your horse and return to Eryn Lasgalen. You will report to the King the reason; that you questioned my judgement and threatened the life of a maiden in our care. You hereby relieved from my service."
Silence.
Urúvion's appearance changed. His green eyes darkened as his head twisted to the side at a disturbing angle. A shiver traveled down the length of my spine.
"You would choose the whore over me? I have served you for years! You throw my loyalty away for her?!" When there was no response to his words, he ran forward, hands like claws as he struck the man guarding me over the head. He dropped heavily. Then Urúvion threw me to the earth. I cried out. His heavy body crashed down on top of me. He grabbed my head and began slamming it down on the soil. I tried bucking him off, but his strong legs pinned me down. "I. Will. Protect. My. Prince. At. All. Costs." Every word was punctuated my head colliding with the ground. Urúvion's eyes were wild. A wicked grin stretch across his lips.
I screamed. I heard a loud crack.
Suddenly the weight was gone. My head fell to the earth one last time. Even though I was free, I felt like I couldn't move. Then there was a strong grip on my shoulders. I tried to push them away, but I was too weak. My vision swam.
"My lady! Are you alright? My lady, can you hear me?!"
I whimpered.
I heard shouting. My vision cleared enough that I could see the outraged face of the man who had tried to protect me. I could tell he was furious. A thin trail of blood slid down his temple, clotting in his white-blonde hair. My eyelids became heavy as tears stained my cheeks. I could barely feel his hands at the back of my head. I watched as he retracted them, a deep red liquid dripping from them. The pain became distant as my focus on the man's face faded. He shook me, trying to keep me awake. My head lolled to the side. Long grass stroked my cheek. I could see Urúvion lying next to me, a long arrow protruding from his chest. His hands were coated in the same red. The man's green eyes stared unblinkingly back at me. My heartbeat was loud in my ears. The shouting quieted.
Then it was dark.
(A/N: 07/17/2013- I think that I like this much more than I did before. Let me know what you guys think! Thank so much for reading. Hope you have a great day :D)
