Author's Note: Thank you for your reviews, questions, suggestions, and the likes.
CHAPTER 10: The Truth
There were so many things swimming in her head that she started to feel dizzy. Mina ran straight to her room and locked it, collapsing on her bed. She cried into her pillow even though she didn't understand why she was crying. She was so angry with Legolas for keeping the secret of Elise from her that she mentally kept picturing punching him in the nose.
Then, a sudden noise behind one of the walls made her look up. It sounded like something was tapping against it. "Who's…who's there?" she asked with a shaky voice. A portion of the wall creaked open, revealing a secret passageway that she wasn't aware of. Not knowing what was going to come out, she scooted her body against the headboard of the bed, gripping the blanket tightly up to her chin. Mina was ready to scream when Legolas stepped out of the secret door. "What the hell are you doing here?" she exclaimed, getting out of the bed and stomping toward him. "You need to leave. Right now!"
"I know this is a very unethical thing to do, but please, let me explain everything," he said, trying to calm her down.
"You scare me half to death for a second time sneaking into my room when I'm clearly upset at you and you expect me to listen to you right now?" she spat at him. "And what the hell is that about?" she motioned to the opening in the wall.
"The castle has over a hundred secret passageways…and I happen to know all of them," he told her. "It was the only thing I could think of to get you to talk to me since I knew you would lock your door."
"Well, obviously locking my door meant something," she glared at him.
"I know you're upset, Mina, and you have every right to hate me. But, you not allowing me to explain will only frustrate you even more because I know you want to know the truth about Elise's journal, your name sake, and…the curse on this castle."
The curse he mentioned caught her interest, but she still remained stubborn about listening to him. Her head already felt like it was going to explode. "If you don't leave my room, I'll scream," she threatened. "Anastasia and Vincent are right next door to me."
Legolas sighed and sat on her bed, which she couldn't believe he thought she would be okay with. He was also acting too cool and calm for her liking. "Scream all you want, Lady Mina, but they will not hear you."
"What you are talking about? What did you do to them?" she started to worry.
"They're fine. I placed them under a deep sleep that can only be undone with my magic."
"Magic?" she looked at him with a confused and skeptical expression. "You're joking…right?"
"No, I'm not, Mina," he stood up and snapped his fingers, the lights turning off in the bedroom. He snapped his fingers again, the candles lighting in their place. Mina stood back behind one of the bedposts looking frightened. "I'm not here to hurt you, Mina. I would never do such a thing," he said softly. "If you ever trusted me before, even for just a brief moment, please trust me now."
"What…are you?" she asked, searching his eyes.
He moved away from her and sat at the desk chair to give her some space. She slowly made her way back on the bed and sat there with a pillow on her lap. "I am not from this world. I come from a far off land called Middle-earth, where wizards, dragons, dwarves, and small child-like folk called Hobbits exists. Every fabled story or creature you've heard growing up are real in my world. I, myself, am not human."
"You look human…" she glanced at him briefly.
"My race has similar outward features to yours with identical anatomies, except for our abilities," he replied. "I gather you finished reading the Wood of Greenleaves?"
"Yeah, I did. So…you mean to say that the book was about you and your people?"
"Well, in some parts, yes. Our abilities listed in the book are based on facts. Some of us were also taught how to use magic by wizards we call Istari. Gandalf is a part of that Order."
"I am so confused…" she sighed, slumming herself down on the bed. "What does any of this have to do with me?"
"I know it's a lot to process, that's why I didn't want you finding that room. I wanted to gradually explain everything to you piece by piece so that you could fully understand the past."
Mina sat up. "Did you have anything to do with us being stranded here?" she gave him a suspicious look.
"No, of course not. You gave me quite a scare when you went into the water. I was also very surprised to see you when you first arrived. I didn't think I would ever see you…"
"I don't understand? You knew I was coming on this trip?"
"Not exactly," he shook his head. "I suppose I should start from the very beginning."
"Yeah, maybe you should," she folded her arms, wanting to know the truth.
"I come from a world called Arda; my race is called the Firstborn. We are also known as Elves or Ilúvatar's Children. Many also know our creator as Eru. He and the Ainur, our gods, live in a different realm within our world called Aman. When we first came into being war broke out in their lands and eventually the Firstborn relocated to Middle-earth, the mortal lands of Arda."
"Wait…you said Elves?" she gave him a weird look. "You're an…Elf? So that part in the book is also true?" The rest of what he said was hard to wrap her head around.
"Yes. My race is not like the fictional characters in children's stories. As I have mentioned we are the same in outward appearance, but my race has a more slender figure and our senses are more heightened than yours are. We are also very skilled warriors and craftsmen."
"What did you mean by Middle-earth being the mortal lands of Arda?"
"Our gods and immortal beings live in Aman, which is a blessed realm. Only the immortals or those given a special grace are permitted to enter. Mortal beings, like the Afterborn, or the race of Men, are not allowed on their shores. As they circle the sea, they are brought right back to their beginning destination. But, for an immortal, a different pathway is opened, giving them access to Aman."
"So, you're an immortal then…" she said quietly. "Being a Firstborn was the secret to your family's immortality so you couldn't really grant it to others."
"That is correct."
"How did you meet Elise?"
Legolas smiled a little. "This is where the real story begins. Your father's family comes from a long line of great leaders, starting with Aragorn Elessar, king of the Reunited Kingdom of the Dúnedain. His wife, Arwen Evenstar, herself was a peredhil."
"A what?" she gave him another weird look.
"A peredhil is someone who is half mortal, half immortal; in other words, half human and half elf. A peredhil is immortal but can choose to give up that life for a mortal one, which is what Arwen decided in order to be with the one she loved. She and Aragorn had one son and three daughters. It is from their youngest daughter that your ancestors' surname, Mendenhalle, flourished after she married a prince from another kingdom and provided him with a male heir."
"Does that mean I'm some sort of peredhil, too?" Mina wondered.
"Because your generational line is mostly full of mortals, the elven blood in your family has dissipated. And so, Elise was mortal when I met her."
"How did you meet exactly?"
"I have known your family for a very long time. I was very close with Elessar, ever since we fought in the first wars of Middle-earth together. Elise, I had known since she was born and watched her blossom into a young, beautiful lady," he stared at Mina again.
"And then you fell in love with each other..." she averted her eyes away.
"We did, but we knew we couldn't be together right away. There was still too much turmoil within Mirkwood and Gondor for us to enjoy each other's company. When things had finally died down, I spoke to her father about relocating our kingdoms to your world to gain some peace in our lands. He agreed, and with the help of the Istari's magic, we recreated both castles here."
Mina scooted to the edge of the bed, letting her legs dangle over the sides with the pillow still on her lap. "I thought you were still in the middle of a war when she…died?"
"My real kingdom in Middle-earth is located underground in Northern Mirkwood so my stronghold is difficult to penetrate. Mirkwood itself is a dangerous place, full of foul creatures and lingering evil in certain parts of the forest. The land here was prosperous and green and we did not have to worry about battles and wars as much, so our defenses weren't as well built. Then one day, our enemies found a way to your world and tried to take over the Water Castle. I used all the magical strength I had to put a protective barrier around Mendenhalle castle to keep Elise safe. However, the war dragged on and my magic slowly began to wane. An enemy disguised as one of my warriors delivered a fake message of my death to the king and almost succeed in killing him on his throne. Elise caught wind of the information and couldn't bear the news…so she took her own life."
"But, I thought you were an immortal? Why would she believe you were dead?"
"The Firstborn are an immortal race. However, we can perish from the World by being slain in battle or by grieving over a loss. Our beings are reincarnated into the Halls of Mandos where we live out the rest of our days, and some, return to the blessed realm and are no longer permitted back into the Outer Lands."
"How did you take the news of her death?"
"Not well," he sadly half-smiled. "She was my everything. I had never known pain until I lost her. I was sick for a very long time, almost withering away from sorrow. She was the youngest of three and her father's favorite. He also had a hard time dealing with her passing and because I could no longer protect their kingdom, our mutual enemies took advantage of his weakened state and attacked. I tried to send as many warriors as I could, but the king refused my aid. I could not go myself, as I was still not strong enough to help. They tried to evacuate as many people as they could but still, many innocent lives were lost that day," he frowned.
"I didn't really understand before how much you had to go through," Mina almost wanted to cry. The events that took place couldn't have been easy for anyone. Not only was one life affected but an entire kingdom destroyed. "I'm so sorry, Legolas…"
"Thank you," he tried to smile more genuinely. "It's been many decades since that incident and I have an easier time dealing with it these days, although it's still not a pleasant memory. Elise loved to visit the Water Castle and could always be found on the beach staring at the sea during the sunsets. I would watch her from afar, admiring her. She would tilt her head back, close her eyes and smile, as the wind blew in her hair," he smiled again, picturing her in his head. "She loved the sea…"
"That's why I kept dreaming about it. It wasn't me in the dream…it was her and her memories of this place…and of you," Mina replied thoughtfully. "But, what I don't get is your name? In her journal entries, she referred to you as Lance?"
The prince chuckled at the name. "Lance is a nickname she had for me. Legolas was too hard for her to pronounce when she was first learning how to speak and it always came out sound like Lance. The name was easier for her to say so I just let her call me that ever since then."
"Oh, I see," she nodded. The holes in the pieces of information she was looking for were finally starting to come together. "But, what you still haven't told me is what this has to do with me and the curse on this castle."
He sat forward, letting his elbows rest on his knees as he clasped his hands. He appeared to be thinking of what to say. Mina could tell it was going to be a difficult answer. "I promised Elise that I would wait for her return. We believed that neither life nor death could keep us apart. Because of this promise, I am not allowed to leave this land until I can physically touch her again. Her spirit wanders the halls every few decades but only appearing in moments. She has been around the castle more frequently since you arrived. Those who have decided to serve me since that day are also tied to the castle and cannot return to Middle-earth until we are together again."
"I was told the prince was willing to give up his immortality to be with her. Are you a peredhil then?"
"No, I am not. It's more difficult for those who are full-blooded Elves to give up their immortality. The process is far more…complicated."
"How complicated?" she was curious to know. "Might as well tell me after everything else I already know."
Legolas was quiet for a long time, hesitating to tell her. "I would have to kill her…" he answered quietly.
"What?" Mina's eyes widened with shock. "Are you crazy?"
"In order for an immortal to become a mortal, they must kill the one they love with a special Elven knife. If the mortal truly loves them in return, the immortal's life force will bring them back to life," he explained.
Mina relaxed her position. "So…you mean you'd be sacrificing your immortality to revive her?"
"Yes. Once life returned to her, I would lose the grace Eru has given me."
"But you and Elise wouldn't have had any problems. You clearly both loved each other."
"We did, but as you can see…that is no longer an option," he reminded her.
Mina nodded at the predicament, "Because she took her own life…"
"Exactly."
"So, what does she want with me?"
"Elise declared that she would come back in the same physical form in a different lifetime. It would be up to her reincarnation to reunite us together again. You were never told, but your grandfather dreamt of your birth. He discreetly implanted the suggestion to your father to name you Willamina because he knew you would be the one. You are right around the same age as her when she died."
"And how am I supposed to reunite the two of you?" she shrugged. "Am I supposed to revive her from the dead or something? She's not going to take over my body is she?" Mina began feeling nervous. She wasn't keen on having her ancestor taking her over.
"No," he smiled at her assumptions. "Once we are reunited, I would join her in the afterlife…as a mortal."
"But, I don't get it? What am I supposed to do?"
Legolas stood up and walked over to the bed, which surprised her. "Two days from now a full moon will rise. It is predicted that when she returns in her reincarnated form and a full moon is in the sky, she—you—will break the curse."
"Okay, I get it, her reincarnated form is me, but I don't know what to do!" she threw her hands in the air. "It's not everyday someone tells me I look just like a past relative that's turned into a ghost, waiting for me reunite her with her lover," she said sarcastically.
"Don't worry about it now. There's still time before then," he gently squeezed her hands. "Get some rest. You've had an eventful day." He smiled at her again and proceeded to leave.
"Wait, where are you going?" she asked.
"Where I always go," he smiled secretively. "I know you will end up finding me later." He unlocked her door and left, leaving the secret door still opened. Mina sighed not really knowing what to do next. She finally got up and closed the door in the wall. The lining was hidden well within the paintings and was difficult to see so she never noticed it. It made her wonder if he ever snuck in her room at night while she was sleeping.
A yawn finally caught her off guard and soon felt sleepy. "This better not be your doing, Legolas," she said to him as if he was still in the room, yawning again. She rolled her eyes thinking he put a spell on her like he did with her friends since he told her to get some rest. She didn't have a clue on what he meant about finding him later, but that wasn't a concern of hers at the moment. All she wanted to do was sleep. Mina crawled into bed and fell into a deep slumber within a matter of minutes. The tapping of the rain against the window slowly faded into the background.
She dreamt that she was sitting by the shore again. The air was crisp but the sun shining down was warm on her exposed hands and feet. She let her fingers comb the sand around her as she stared at the sea, the conversation with Legolas flashing through her mind. It was such an unbelievable story, but she found herself calmer than she thought she would be. Her grandfather loved to tell her ancient stories and she would fall asleep to the sound of his voice. This entire scenario felt just like one of his stories. A part of her was hoping that this was all just a dream and she was going to wake up and find herself back in her dorm room.
However, deep inside her heart she knew it wasn't. Mina knew she had to help Legolas and Elise somehow, but finding the way was still a mystery to her. Even Legolas didn't seem to know. They had a beautiful story, the way they loved each other, but she couldn't help but feel a little jealous of her ancestor. Mina had never experienced any sort of deep love or strong emotions for anyone and wondered what it felt like.
She sadly laughed at herself for wishing that Legolas had fancied her in that way, but she knew his love was faithful to Elise. She would never dream of taking her ancestor's beloved away, especially when she knew she didn't have a chance of being with someone whose heart belonged to another. Mina kept telling herself that Elise's words of Legolas loving her was only due to the fact that they looked alike. She was convinced the way he looked at her was because she reminded him of Elise. The thought put another sad imprint on her heart.
The sun was finally beginning to set over the horizon as she watched the sky turn different shades of reds, yellows, and oranges. It was a calming moment for her as the wind gently started to pick up. She now understood why Elise loved going to the beach to experience this moment. Amongst all the chaos going on around her, it brought some clarity and peace in her.
"Mina…" a soft hand graced her shoulder.
She quickly turned around and saw someone with a smile, sitting down next to her on the sand. It was like looking at her own reflection except her hair was a shade lighter. "Elise?"
"Beautiful isn't it?" she commented on the sky. "I love coming here."
"So, it was you all along? The girl I kept seeing in the hallway?" Mina waited for her to answer.
Elise smiled at her. "I couldn't reveal myself to you until I knew you were ready. As you can see, my appearance would be quite a shock," she made a reference to their similar features.
"I don't know how to get you and Legolas together," Mina frowned. "I know you two have been waiting for decades to be reunited, but how am I supposed to do that?"
"Dearest Mina," Elise took her hands into hers, "do not think so much. When the time comes, you will know what do to."
"The full moon is in two days. What if I freak out and not do what I'm supposed to do and you and Legolas end up not having another chance? That's a lot of pressure…"
"You are handling this very well. And I believe in you, Mina. Trust your heart, not your mind. The truth always lies within us and it is in those uncertain moments when we find our way."
Mina sighed. "But, let's say that I'm not able to do it. Then what? What becomes of you and Legolas?"
Elise disguised her concerns with another smile. "Then Legolas will have to wait another century or so until I am reincarnated again."
"So, you still have another chance if I fail?" she looked optimistic.
However, the look in Elise's features weren't so promising. "It is not guaranteed…"
"I don't understand?"
"The Mendenhalle name is slowly dying with fewer males to carry on the name. Your father, Elton, is the last male Mendenhalle to be born. You being his only daughter, the name will either stay with you and your children or fade into history," she explained.
"You mean if I keep or change my last name when I get married and if my future children's last name is Mendenhalle, or rather, Mendinhale?"
"That is correct."
"That's easy then," Mina smiled. "I can easily keep my last name and pass it on to my children. It's the modern age where the female doesn't necessary need to take on her husband's name."
"It's a great thought," Elise nodded, "but, the bloodline is stronger with male heirs who are born to carry on the generational name."
"Oh…" she frowned. "So, even if my children are named Mendinhale, there's no guarantee that you will be reborn again since technically, I'm supposed to carry on a new name."
Elise nodded again. "But, don't let that thought burden you. You're a smart young woman. I know you will figure it out."
"You really loved him, didn't you?" Mina replied quietly.
"I still do," she softly smiled. "Once we are reunited, I can rest peacefully with him at my side."
"It's like a perfect…story."
"Lance, I mean, Legolas," Elise chuckled, "is a wonderful gentleman. I am very grateful for everything he has done to try and protect me and my father's kingdom. When I thought he was dead, I couldn't live knowing that he had perished from this world without me. I thought death was the only way, but how wrong I was. I should have continued to live for him." She then turned to Mina with saddened eyes. "A thousand apologies to you and Legolas. If I wasn't so selfish in my desires, neither one of you would be in this predicament."
"There's nothing to apologize for," Mina half-smiled. "You did what you thought was best because you loved him. If Legolas didn't love you as much he does, he wouldn't have made the promise he did, which he has kept to this very day. He still loves you…"
Elise grinned a secret smile. "He has been waiting many, many years now to fulfill his promise. I see new hope and life in his eyes…ever since he saw you."
Mina blushed. "It's because I remind him of you."
"Perhaps," she shrugged. "Or perhaps it is you he sees."
"I don't understand what you mean?" Mina kept her eyes on the sand, picking up small pebbles while she talked.
Elise got up and dusted the sand off her dress, a hint of a smile still on her lips. "What I said before is true. We may look the same, my dear niece, but Legolas can easily tell us apart. The heart is a wondrous thing, Mina. It can hold so many promises, emotions, and has an infinite space for love. Enjoy the enchantment of the Water Castle. Don't be afraid to let yourself go." She kissed her on the forehead. "This will be our last encounter until the full moon…"
"But, I—" Mina tried to say something, but Elise was gone in an instant. It was also in that moment she woke up from the vivid dream. She sat up and stared into the darkness. The rain had stopped with the half moon shining brightly in her room. "Why did I have to feel this way…" she whispered to herself. Mina got out of bed and went to go look for Legolas in the middle of the night.
Author's Note: For those of you with questions, yes, I altered some things as far as Elves learning magic and how they can become mortals without being a peredhil. I can do that since it's my story. (wink). I'm guessing there will only be a couple of more chapters left until end.
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