I ate food yesterday. If I owned Legolas, I would know if he ate food as
well, but I don't own him so I don't know. I don't own Haldir or King
Thranduil either. But ya know, one would assume that Legolas did eat food
yesterday. . . Funny story about the title to this chapter: My friends and
I always play computer games, and sometimes, when we see a monster, like a
deer, who doesn't even attack, we'll be like: Run away! Run away! Heheh.
Yeah, annyyyyyways. . . Oh yeah, Brendan means 'little raven' in Gaelic.
Chapter Ten: Run Away! Run Away!
Cate did not sleep that night. She waited in her room, listening carefully for the minutes to pass by. One hour passed. She brushed her hair. Two hours passed. She braided her hair, and put it into a twist on the back of her head.
When three hours had passed, she threw the cloak she had been given over her shoulders, and slipped out of her door. A light flickered on the wall at the end of the hall, but the rest of the place was dark. She went as silently as possible to the courtyard where the statues of Mabnis and Meleri stood.
She looked upon the carving of her father's face, and took the sword from his grasp. A finger cracked and a piece fell to the floor. Cate swallowed and left the place, hoping no one had heard.
Cerid was waiting for her outside. He was already on his horse. "You are sure that you want to do this?"
She nodded. "I have to meet my father."
He helped her up onto his horse. An inch of snow was on the ground, and Cate's breath formed a cloud of ice in front of her face. Clouds covered the moon, so there was no light, and they started off.
They traveled north, following the river. A gentle wind whistled along the river, blowing snow onto their backs. They both shivered, and Cerid wrapped another cloak around Cate. She looked over her shoulder and gave a slight nod of thanks.
Cerid stared at where her sword was strapped to her back, pushing the cloaks out just under her hood. Her father's hung in another sheath, at her side. He swallowed, and brushed some hair out of his eyes.
"What's he like?" Cate asked suddenly.
"He is Great. He is strong and tall and brave."
"Is he nice?"
"He will be kind to you. Towards enemies though, he is extremely harsh of tongue, though honorable nonetheless.
Cate frowned. "You speak as if - Did you two fight together or something?"
"Aye, we have seen one another in battle."
Cate bit her lip, and shivered again, although she was no longer cold, but said nothing.
By late afternoon, they had reached the edge of the forest, and Cerid stopped his horse. Pointing ahead, he said, "Just over the horizon is my home, an nearby is where Mabnis your father dwells."
"Cool. How long will it take to get there?"
"If we stop and rest tonight, we will arrive before midmorning tomorrow. If we do not stop, we will be there by dawn."
Cate took a breath. "It's kinda snowy; maybe we shouldn't stop. If it's okay with you, that is."
"I would prefer it, actually." He enunciated the word 'actually' in a strange way. "I do not normally stop traveling between my home and Mirkwood Hall, but I also do not normally travel with a maiden, do I?"
"I guess not." She frowned.
After the sun set, Cate began to shiver again. The wind had increased its speed, though there were no more trees for snow to blow off of. Cate felt her stomach growl. She had not eaten in some time now. She said nothing though, simply wanting to get there.
It was a long night. It was cold. Cate was hungry. There were no sounds but the whistling of the wind. She began to think of it as almost a lullaby. She yawned, growing tired. The last thing she saw was a quaint house, before her eyes fell shut and her head drooped.
~
Eledan knocked on Cate's door. There was no answer. He knocked again, louder but still there was no answer. He opened it slowly, sticking his head into the room. The bed was neat, everything was in order, but Cate was not there. He closed the door again, and headed for the picture of Mabnis.
He saw someone there, looking at the picture much as Cate had done of late. But this was not she. "Legolas?" The prince turned to look at Eledan.
"She is gone," he said immediately. "And so is Cerid." Eledan's eyes widened slightly. "My father said he couldn't be trusted. . ."
"Does anyone else know about this?"
"No. Only you and I."
"And we," said a voice. They turned around to see Haldir and Imrohir. It was Haldir who had spoken.
"She took Mabnis' sword," Imrohir said.
Legolas frowned. "What?"
"No. . ." Eledan said.
"What?" Legolas repeated.
"We will have to go after her," Haldir told them.
"Why?" Legolas asked.
"Did the king tell you who Cerid is?" Eledan asked.
"No. . . just that he couldn't be trusted."
"Well, that IS true." Eledan frowned. "He is after her sword, and the sword of Mabnis."
"For their power," Legolas said. Eledan nodded. Legolas looked back at the picture for a moment. "I though he was dead."
"He is, " Haldir said. "there is a statue that held the sword for two hundred and seventy three years."
"He might find it more of a challenge to take those swords from her than he expects." Legolas grinned.
Imrohir did not. He stepped in front of Legolas and looked him in the eyes. "Do not underestimate this man. I have seen his mind. It is both as intricate and as sticky as the web of a giant spider. Youth and skill are no match for age and treachery, my Lord."
Legolas frowned. "Is he going to kill her?'
"No, not her body at any rate."
"Just her soul then?"
Imrohir nodded. Legolas closed his eyes. "How do we fight him?"
"I do not know." Imrohir shook his head.
"I know," Haldir said.
~
Cate opened her eyes. She was in a bed in a small room with a dirt floor. There was one window in the wall, and the bright light of midmorning shone through it. She sat up , and saw both swords, in their sheaths, on top of a chair on which her cloak hung.
She stood up out of bed and walked to the window. Much of the snow from the night before was gone. The air was fresh and crisp. A brisk wind rustled the tall tufts of grass around the house and blew to the window, wiping the last of the sleep from Cate's eyes.
She went to the chair, and strapped the two swords onto her self, throwing the cloak over them both. She climbed to the windowsill, and jumped to the ground, catching herself on her hands.
Walking around the house, she was Cerid. He stood in front to the door, facing away from her and the wind. "Cerid."
He turned around. "Ah, so you are awake."
"Yeah. So. . can I meet Mabnis now? My father?" Cerid nodded, and turned back around. Putting his fingers in the corners of his mouth, he let out a short, shrill whistle. A raven stirred in a solitary tree nearby, and flew over to Cerid, who held his arm up for it.
Cate frowned as the man spike to the bird in a strange language. It flew off, and Cerid turned around. "Brendan will find your father, and tell him someone is here to see him. He should be here within the hour. In the meanwhile, you are probably hungry."
"Oh yeah," Cate said.
~
The elves mounted their horses. Imrohir watched them, a look of disdain on his face. Eledan looked down to him from his horse. "Do not regret, Cousin. You see many things, but battle is not so glorious as it may seem. You time will come, and then you will see. No, you must take care of your sister." Imrohir nodded, but his expression softened only slightly.
"Take care, my friend." Eledan nodded back, and they were off. The horses ran through the trees, their riders ignoring the brambles and burs that clawed at their clothes and skin. They reached the edge of the forest in just over an hour. They stopped there, to rest, and to plan.
~
Cate stood next to Cerid, watching the horizon. A horse appeared, galloping toward them. It was a dark cream color, with a white mane, catching and reflecting the rays of the sun at the same time. It stopped a few feet in front of them.
She waked forward, slowly, tentatively, until she stood facing it. Then, the horse was a man. He was tall, with bronze skin and dark curly hair. "Daddy?" Cate said frowning.
Realization dawned on the man. "Catylyn," he said, and she fell. Cerid threw another Dream, hitting Mabnis in the chest, and he fell as well.
Chapter Ten: Run Away! Run Away!
Cate did not sleep that night. She waited in her room, listening carefully for the minutes to pass by. One hour passed. She brushed her hair. Two hours passed. She braided her hair, and put it into a twist on the back of her head.
When three hours had passed, she threw the cloak she had been given over her shoulders, and slipped out of her door. A light flickered on the wall at the end of the hall, but the rest of the place was dark. She went as silently as possible to the courtyard where the statues of Mabnis and Meleri stood.
She looked upon the carving of her father's face, and took the sword from his grasp. A finger cracked and a piece fell to the floor. Cate swallowed and left the place, hoping no one had heard.
Cerid was waiting for her outside. He was already on his horse. "You are sure that you want to do this?"
She nodded. "I have to meet my father."
He helped her up onto his horse. An inch of snow was on the ground, and Cate's breath formed a cloud of ice in front of her face. Clouds covered the moon, so there was no light, and they started off.
They traveled north, following the river. A gentle wind whistled along the river, blowing snow onto their backs. They both shivered, and Cerid wrapped another cloak around Cate. She looked over her shoulder and gave a slight nod of thanks.
Cerid stared at where her sword was strapped to her back, pushing the cloaks out just under her hood. Her father's hung in another sheath, at her side. He swallowed, and brushed some hair out of his eyes.
"What's he like?" Cate asked suddenly.
"He is Great. He is strong and tall and brave."
"Is he nice?"
"He will be kind to you. Towards enemies though, he is extremely harsh of tongue, though honorable nonetheless.
Cate frowned. "You speak as if - Did you two fight together or something?"
"Aye, we have seen one another in battle."
Cate bit her lip, and shivered again, although she was no longer cold, but said nothing.
By late afternoon, they had reached the edge of the forest, and Cerid stopped his horse. Pointing ahead, he said, "Just over the horizon is my home, an nearby is where Mabnis your father dwells."
"Cool. How long will it take to get there?"
"If we stop and rest tonight, we will arrive before midmorning tomorrow. If we do not stop, we will be there by dawn."
Cate took a breath. "It's kinda snowy; maybe we shouldn't stop. If it's okay with you, that is."
"I would prefer it, actually." He enunciated the word 'actually' in a strange way. "I do not normally stop traveling between my home and Mirkwood Hall, but I also do not normally travel with a maiden, do I?"
"I guess not." She frowned.
After the sun set, Cate began to shiver again. The wind had increased its speed, though there were no more trees for snow to blow off of. Cate felt her stomach growl. She had not eaten in some time now. She said nothing though, simply wanting to get there.
It was a long night. It was cold. Cate was hungry. There were no sounds but the whistling of the wind. She began to think of it as almost a lullaby. She yawned, growing tired. The last thing she saw was a quaint house, before her eyes fell shut and her head drooped.
~
Eledan knocked on Cate's door. There was no answer. He knocked again, louder but still there was no answer. He opened it slowly, sticking his head into the room. The bed was neat, everything was in order, but Cate was not there. He closed the door again, and headed for the picture of Mabnis.
He saw someone there, looking at the picture much as Cate had done of late. But this was not she. "Legolas?" The prince turned to look at Eledan.
"She is gone," he said immediately. "And so is Cerid." Eledan's eyes widened slightly. "My father said he couldn't be trusted. . ."
"Does anyone else know about this?"
"No. Only you and I."
"And we," said a voice. They turned around to see Haldir and Imrohir. It was Haldir who had spoken.
"She took Mabnis' sword," Imrohir said.
Legolas frowned. "What?"
"No. . ." Eledan said.
"What?" Legolas repeated.
"We will have to go after her," Haldir told them.
"Why?" Legolas asked.
"Did the king tell you who Cerid is?" Eledan asked.
"No. . . just that he couldn't be trusted."
"Well, that IS true." Eledan frowned. "He is after her sword, and the sword of Mabnis."
"For their power," Legolas said. Eledan nodded. Legolas looked back at the picture for a moment. "I though he was dead."
"He is, " Haldir said. "there is a statue that held the sword for two hundred and seventy three years."
"He might find it more of a challenge to take those swords from her than he expects." Legolas grinned.
Imrohir did not. He stepped in front of Legolas and looked him in the eyes. "Do not underestimate this man. I have seen his mind. It is both as intricate and as sticky as the web of a giant spider. Youth and skill are no match for age and treachery, my Lord."
Legolas frowned. "Is he going to kill her?'
"No, not her body at any rate."
"Just her soul then?"
Imrohir nodded. Legolas closed his eyes. "How do we fight him?"
"I do not know." Imrohir shook his head.
"I know," Haldir said.
~
Cate opened her eyes. She was in a bed in a small room with a dirt floor. There was one window in the wall, and the bright light of midmorning shone through it. She sat up , and saw both swords, in their sheaths, on top of a chair on which her cloak hung.
She stood up out of bed and walked to the window. Much of the snow from the night before was gone. The air was fresh and crisp. A brisk wind rustled the tall tufts of grass around the house and blew to the window, wiping the last of the sleep from Cate's eyes.
She went to the chair, and strapped the two swords onto her self, throwing the cloak over them both. She climbed to the windowsill, and jumped to the ground, catching herself on her hands.
Walking around the house, she was Cerid. He stood in front to the door, facing away from her and the wind. "Cerid."
He turned around. "Ah, so you are awake."
"Yeah. So. . can I meet Mabnis now? My father?" Cerid nodded, and turned back around. Putting his fingers in the corners of his mouth, he let out a short, shrill whistle. A raven stirred in a solitary tree nearby, and flew over to Cerid, who held his arm up for it.
Cate frowned as the man spike to the bird in a strange language. It flew off, and Cerid turned around. "Brendan will find your father, and tell him someone is here to see him. He should be here within the hour. In the meanwhile, you are probably hungry."
"Oh yeah," Cate said.
~
The elves mounted their horses. Imrohir watched them, a look of disdain on his face. Eledan looked down to him from his horse. "Do not regret, Cousin. You see many things, but battle is not so glorious as it may seem. You time will come, and then you will see. No, you must take care of your sister." Imrohir nodded, but his expression softened only slightly.
"Take care, my friend." Eledan nodded back, and they were off. The horses ran through the trees, their riders ignoring the brambles and burs that clawed at their clothes and skin. They reached the edge of the forest in just over an hour. They stopped there, to rest, and to plan.
~
Cate stood next to Cerid, watching the horizon. A horse appeared, galloping toward them. It was a dark cream color, with a white mane, catching and reflecting the rays of the sun at the same time. It stopped a few feet in front of them.
She waked forward, slowly, tentatively, until she stood facing it. Then, the horse was a man. He was tall, with bronze skin and dark curly hair. "Daddy?" Cate said frowning.
Realization dawned on the man. "Catylyn," he said, and she fell. Cerid threw another Dream, hitting Mabnis in the chest, and he fell as well.