Updating again! Yay, EXCITING!(For me at least)
Hahah, I know that the council was held the day after Frodo woke up, but I'm making it a couple of days :)
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Chapter 9- I Want To Go Home
The Orc lunged forward at Legolas. A loud gasp escaped Vanessa's lips before she summoned the courage to release the arrow she was aiming at it. It embedded itself into the Orc's back, allowing Vanessa to exhale in relief. Legolas defended himself using the knives, he stabbed the last Orc and it fell to the ground in a disgustingly unbearable hiss. Vanessa pushed past the branches of the trees before she raced to Legolas and passed him his bow and quiver just as another dozen Orcs appeared out of nowhere. Legolas smiled at Vanessa in thanks and began to shoot down Orcs. Vanessa just watched him. He did not miss a single time, shooting down at least seven of the Orcs really quickly. Vanessa's head fell in shame; she had only shot down four. The four elves finished off the last of the Orcs.
Legolas' friends ran over to him.
"How do you fare, Prince Legolas?" One of them asked.
"I think that I shall live. And you?"
"We are all unharmed, Milord. However, we were surprised at the great number of Orcs, had they been following us long?"
"I believe they had been following us since we discovered those tracks yesterday." Legolas said gravely.
"Yes, I have feared similar things. We shall go pack up camp and put out the fire." The young elf nodded and led the other two back through the trees.
Legolas turned to Vanessa. Was he going to say something about how she killed an Orc? She felt that pang of guilt in her stomach again, she averted her eyes to the ground. That Orc had a mind of its own…she killed it… She turned her gaze back to Legolas.
"You saved my life." He stated, looking into her eyes deeply.
"Well, I couldn't just let you die, could I?" She grinned, but still secretly shocked at herself for being able to do such things. Being able to kill something…
Legolas chuckled softly. "Thank you, Mellon nin."
Vanessa smiled, turned on the spot and walked back towards the camp, leaving a confused Legolas to his own thoughts.
The company rode for many days to follow, only stopping briefly so that Vanessa could recover her strength. Vanessa found herself envying the elves; a bead of sweat did not fall from any of their brows. The perks of being an elf…she thought. They rode for many hours more, Vanessa was beginning to grow tiresome of horses. A sigh of relief escaped her lips when she could finally see a building on the horizon.
"There is our destination." Legolas told her.
The sun was setting in the sky when they reached Rivendell. They were greeted by a very beautiful elf-maiden. Vanessa felt envious of her, but reminded herself that it was not worthwhile to be envious; she would be the only one who would suffer.
"Greetings. Rooms have been prepared for you upstairs." the maiden said softly. "I am afraid that we had not expected an elleth to accompany you, but a room shall be prepared for her. Please, follow me."
Elleth? Vanessa frowned; did people always mistake her for an elf? She exchanged glances with Legolas before following the girl towards the building.
Vanessa wandered around one of the gardens in Rivendell, the darkness of the night was approaching. She walked to where the balcony allowed her to overlook the garden below. She sighed and leaned against the barrier, resting her chin in one of her hands.
"I did not expect you to be here." A voice said from behind.
She turned her head to see Legolas, her eyes following him as he walked over and leant against the barrier beside her. Vanessa turned back to look out into the distance, captivated by the beauty of Rivendell.
"Something troubles you." Legolas said empathetically.
"Is that a question or a statement?" Vanessa asked in a half-laugh.
"An observation." Legolas said smugly.
Vanessa sighed in sadness.
Vanessa did not want to talk about her feelings. She decided to change the subject. "What's the date today?" She asked, in a hope that Legolas would pick up on the fact that she was uncomfortable of talking about such things.
"The 26th of October." Legolas breathed, staring out at the stars that were starting to appear in the darkening sky.
Vanessa started laughing, "Today is my Birthday!" she smiled, sadness still over-taking her eyes.
Legolas smiled. "Happy Birthday! How old do you fare?"
"Seventeen, today!" she beamed.
Legolas turned to her smiling. He cupped her face with one of his hands "So young…" he sighed.
"Why, how old are you?" she giggled.
"2,931." Legolas answered bluntly, pulling his hand away to look back over the balcony.
"That is quite a shock." Vanessa gasped. "Are elves gifted with immortality?"
"Aye, but we can die in battle or of… of grief."
"Oh." Vanessa was unsure of what to say.
Legolas smiled. Silence lingered between them for some time, Vanessa started to feel her emotions rise back up in her.
"What is it that troubles you, Vanessa?" Legolas asked.
"I…I…I'm just sad." Vanessa stuttered. "It's been about ten months since I last saw Hayley, ten months since I've been home."
"Fear not, we shall talk to Lord Elrond, tomorrow, before the council. Maybe…maybe you will be leaving Middle Earth soon."
Vanessa nodded, her eyes not leaving the invisible point she had fixated her gaze upon in the distance.
"Ten months is a long time…" she breathed.
Legolas placed a comforting hand on her arm.
"I wonder…I wonder what happened to Hayley…I hope she didn't…" Vanessa failed to finish her sentence, she started sobbing and tears began to run down her cheeks.
Legolas' eyes saddened and he placed a comforting arm around her, pulling her towards him. Vanessa was grateful for his attempt to calm her, but her heart felt as though it had been stabbed, she had never been away from Hayley so long.
Soon Vanessa's sobs subsided and she pushed herself away from Legolas. She wiped her tears away in a feeble attempt to pretend that nothing had ever happened. She could heel Legolas' eyes burning into her, she, however did not feel in necessary to look at him. Or maybe she didn't have the emotional strength to look at him.
"You should not hide your feelings." Legolas said. "You wipe away tears for a friend, yet you need to grieve for her."
"I have NOT given up hope, she is not dead, therefore I have no grief."
"Grief is not only caused due to death. We also grieve for the ones we love, ones who are lost, people who are needy and the suffering. I grieve for you, Vanessa."
Vanessa looked at him, her eyes welling in tears. Blue eyes met blue, staring deeply into each other. Tears fell from Vanessa's eyes. Legolas smiled sadly and turned his gaze back to the distance, his expression thoughtful.
"I just want to go home!" Vanessa said, eventually.
"I know, Mellon nin, I know." Legolas sighed.