Author's Note: I apologize for such a late update this time; holiday retail hours have not been very flexible this year so I haven't had much time to devote to this story. But now I do so thank you for sticking with me to read my super late update!
DragonGirl1546: Thank you for taking the time to drop a review; I'm so glad you stumbled upon the story and you're enjoying it! I will never abandon the story you never have to worry about that! Yeah I really wanted a not so typical Legolas/OC romance story, I think having Haldir in the dynamic makes for a more interesting story. The story continues now…hope you enjoy!
Elleth of Light
Chapter Nine
Legolas' POV
It was no longer a secret to my eyes the extent of how much this march warden meant to Merenwen. I no longer felt the desire to ask because I had just witnessed the parting of two souls in love. A knot swelled within my stomach and envy crept into mind; I felt sick but did not have the heart to accept it, let alone bring it up to the elleth before me.
"We should return." I stated in a tone I had not yet hear my lips utter. She turned and looked up at me, her eyes glistening with tears and emotions unknown to me. She needed a comforting hand, an embrace to remind her that the path ahead will grow far easier and less painful…but I could not do it. I could not reach out to her though my heart begged me to do so.
The elleth began to walk back towards the gates, not a word spoken, she walked. I looked up at Eomer; his cold stare had eased.
"Are you alright?" He asked. I raised an eyebrow at the question, was I that transparent to the eyes of this man? I clenched my jaw and nodded before I mounted my horse and made our way back.
Many hours had passed; I soon found myself in the great hall of Theoden. The discussion between Gandalf, Aragorn and the king had strayed into the midst of war. Sarumon had his sight set on this land, he would try to put an end to this race of men and he would do so swiftly and cunningly.
"I know what it is you want of me. But I would not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war." Theoden proclaimed.
"You have strong men here, Eomer and his men are ready to fight for their king if you would simply give the word." Aragorn quickly replied.
"No…we have suffered great loss already in these lands, I will not play by the rules of a madman…if Sarumon wishes to put an end to the race of men, then he will have to work a great deal more to do so. Helms Deep lies within in our reach…a fortress that has never been breached, that is where we must go."
I shifted my gaze from the man, I did not agree with his mindset but I could not find the strength within me to speak. My mind was elsewhere.
I scanned the hall of wood and dark tapestries and found no signs of Merenwen in our presence. I wanted to search for her, but what could I say? What was there to say? I hated this feeling, I hated that my mind, once so direct and motivated to this quest has been clouded and led astray with these emotions.
Aragorn and the King continued their argument while Gimli sat gorging himself with an array of food; it wasn't long before my steps led me from the great hall and into the open air.
"Go to her lad, you need not withhold your feelings especially when tomorrow is not a guarantee." I turned to see Gimli standing beside me, food still adorning his beard.
"I do not know what it is you speak of." I lied.
"Is that so? Well in that case I'll leave you to your thoughts of…well, whatever it is you're thinking about." He scoffed before walking back towards the doors.
"She is in love with someone else…" I blurted out. My composure was slipping from my grasp the further I stood in my thoughts of the matter.
"Then be there for her as a friend…that's all you can do for now." Gimli offered a smile but that was hardly the words I could find hope in.
"By order of the King, the city must empty! We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures, take only what provisions you need!" Hama's voice traveled through the lands as the men and women of the city began flooding from their homes. Their rugged faces were filled with such fear and doubt I found it hard to look upon them.
"Elessar fears we will have a difficult journey and war will be the only thing that will come to us at Helm's Deep." I heard a voice speaking softly behind me. I turned to see Merenwen there, the sun beaming upon her features. She was so beautiful.
"Aye. It will test us in every way, but fear not. We will find victory one way or another." I said, my words felt empty but it was hard for me to show even the slightest emotion to the elleth in fear all emotions would escape me.
"Have I done something wrong? You…speak to me as if I am a stranger." Her eyes were pleading for an explanation but all I could conjure was a shake of my head.
"Legolas…" She started, hearing my name fall from her lips only drove me to leave her presence. This would be the longest journey of my life.
Hours of a painfully slow pace had seemed to have gotten us nowhere in the scale of the land. We were so vulnerable to attack it was causing even me to be weary. I scanned the horizon every moment I could spare all while keeping Merenwen in my sight as well. My desire to protect her was stronger than ever but it did not help ease my heart. She was riding next to Eowyn; it was nice to see the two sharing in laughter at the comments made by the dwarf. His talk to female dwarves being mistaken for dwarf men was quite the entertainment for us all.
"May I offer some advice to you?" I turned to see Eomer bringing his horse alongside my own.
"I am listening."
"You look like a man who accepted defeat in the matters of the heart but you should not. If holding onto something…or someone gives you strength and gives you reason to want to see tomorrow's light, then it is not worth letting go. Accept it and harness it, wield it strong so that you live to see the days grow brighter." His words were simple in nature but effective nonetheless. I had looked upon my feelings for Merenwen as a weakness but I did not see that it may be a strength I had not yet known before. I did want to protect her; I wanted to be stronger so that I could help ensure her tragic end she so desperately feared did not come to pass. That is no weakness.
"You are very wise my friend." I smiled.
"And you…are very foolish." He laughed.
Suddenly my senses began to pick up on something stirring in the distance.
"What is it? What do you see?" Eomer asked, panic filling his words.
"Trouble." I replied. I sped my horse up to Aragorn and Gandalf; they learned quick what it was I feared.
"How many?" Aragorn asked. I focused my gaze to see a large group of warg riders approaching us from the north.
"Fifteen…but something does not feel right. Why would they chose to attack us head on? Why would they not chose the element of surprise?" I asked.
"What is it?" King Theoden approached.
"Get your strongest men ready to fight. Have a few continue to lead the women and children to Helm's Deep as fast as possible." Gandalf ordered.
Within seconds sounds of screaming reached my ears; I instantly shifted to ensure Merenwen was near; she was making her way to me. I then turned to see wargs attacking from the south…so they did plan an element of surprise.
"Eowyn! Lead them to safety! Continue on!" Theoden shouted towards the young woman.
"But I can fight!" She screamed but with a stern glance from the king she quickly obliged, quickly grouping the people together and leading them to lower ground, leaving the able men ready to fight.
"Stick close to me." I said to Merenwen as I drew back an arrow and released it towards the horrid beast closest to me.
It was madness surrounding us, everyone fighting had all but scattered about the land, fighting and fleeing all the same. The wolf like creatures were not like anything these men had ever seen before…but I had fought worse in my past and I was not ready to accept any fear within me.
I found Aragorn and the others fighting nearby and knew they could handle themselves.
"Legolas!" Merenwen had screamed but I only saw the sky above me before the connecting with the ground hard. A warg had collided with my horse. Stars danced about my gaze, my body throbbing from the impact but I forced myself to regain my balance. I quickly readied my bow at my attacker.
Merenwen quickly dismounted and came to my defense as the warg began to circle us, its rider chuckling in a deep tone.
"Two little elves about to be…eaten." He grunted. Merenwen drew out her sword and leapt upon the back of the warg the moment the opportunity presented itself. In a moment the two struggled for dominance, the orc threw his head back abruptly…connecting with Merenwen's delicate features before she steadied her blade against his throat. With a swift slice, the orc had frozen in his movements and fell limp upon the ground. In that very instant I pulled back two arrows and watched them travel directly into the skull of the beast, it fell with a mighty roar.
Merenwen jumped down from the beast and began wiping the blood from her lips where the orcs head had reached.
"Do you still have you're teeth?" I teased.
"Oh are you quite done with your little attitude because I think it is you who should stick close to me prince." She laughed as I brushed off the grass and dirt from my tunic.
"Oh there is your amusing sense of humor again." I chuckled before a bright light caught my attention. I strained to make out Gandalf's staff emitting a burst of white light flooding the land. Wargs began retreating with their gangly orc riders chasing behind them. Our battle was cut short thanks to the power of the white wizard.
"Gather the wounded! The dead…must remain behind. We must reach Helm's Deep!" The king's voice roared.
"Merenwen…" Aragorn started as he approached her, lifting her chin to inspect her injury.
"Fine! I'm fine Elessar! Goodness…" She protested.
"We're nearing the time where you cannot afford to make any mistakes Merenwen."
"I am doing the best I can…I have a lot on my mind I-"
"Your thoughts will only distract you and you know this. Let it go, let it all go." I was confused at the intensity coming from the ranger.
"I AM TRYING TO! HE'S NOT HERE! I KNOW THAT ELESSAR!" Merenwen screamed before taking in a deep breath and calmly looking upon him with an expression of unwelcomed defeat.
"My love for him will fade Elessar…and when it does I will know peace. Until then I beg of you to trust that my mind is here, my blade is still true." With a bow she gathered herself before walking away.
"You attack her unnecessarily." I said with a glare.
"Unnecessarily? Do not be so quick to forget what it is she saw in Galadriel's mirror. Upon a bed of rubble of stone she will lay…fading from this world in a way much too tragic for a creature such as herself. I have spoken to Haldir…I know his intentions and I know he will return to us at Helm's Deep to protect her but I advised against it. I believe she will not leave Helm's Deep alive…especially if he is there. He cannot help himself…he believes his actions, every one of them is for the good of her safety but it is folly. He is her greatest weakness and she is his…I tell you this because I fear for you as well."
I was still gathering sense from his words, but his last sentence created a sense of confusion within me.
"Why do you fear for me?"
"I am no fool Legolas Greenleaf…you care for her but if the worst should happen…if she should fall…you cannot let your heart allow grief to settle in. Not now…I need you here…" He was staring deep within my eyes in such a way I felt my steps take be a few inches from his gaze. What he said was something I had not yet imagined. Panic set in…fear was beginning to grip me like never before. I was so determined to ensure her safety I did not realize I was keeping myself from the idea that I could fail her, we all could. Her fate may be found in the precise way she had seen in the mirror deep beneath the canopy of foliage of Lothlorien.
My mind began to swirl about the thought of her absence and I suddenly felt it. A chill within me that caused me to grow weak from my own weight; I crumbled to the ground only to have Aragorn support me upon my feet once more. What was happening? Could this truly be the greatest fear of all elves?
"Do not allow your mind to go there…you must be strong Legolas. Think of your father…think of your people." My father…my people…seemed so distant to my mind. All I saw was Merenwen. All I could see was her smile fading, the color leaving her features.
Suddenly a strong hand forced my face to lift.
"Look at me! Don't do this!" I cursed the helplessness I felt, I looked up at the sky and rays of sun and begged for warmth to find me where I stood.
"You are no use to her in this state! Now move, walk…breathe…you are not to go to this place in your mind again do you understand. Don't feel…don't think…just go about your way Legolas." Aragorn said as he shoved me forward, my legs were still so weak but I found a pace I could maintain as I approached my horse. I felt in a daze of some sort but I focused on my breathing, I focused on the path my horse was leading me to alongside the men of Rohan, Aragorn's watchful eye never once faltering far behind me.
