Author's note: Sorry for the delay! I kept seeing an error message when trying to upload, and I eventually gave up.
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Lainien stomped through the snow with little grace, her anger and frustration flowing easily now that she was free from the confinement of the city.
I don't want to see him! She thought angrily, taking extra care to childishly stomp on a fallen leaf, reveling in the crunch sound that the action made. Though it wasn't a green leaf, and therefore not the target of her frustration, it served its purpose. I swore to myself I'd never again look upon his traitorous, capricious, good-for-nothing face!
Despite her tantrum and her adamant thoughts against it, Legolas was quickly approaching Imladris. And with him, followed her past.
He will bring with him many who feel even more strongly against me, she thought, almost desperately now, realizing that her stay here would become even more unbearable. I didn't think that could ever happen, she snorted lightly.
She thought back to Elrond's words the day before, telling her Lady of the Young Prince's arrival and the reason. Lainien felt guilty that she hadn't spoken of this to her Lady yet, especially as weeks had past since she and Elrond spoke of it. But she hadn't looked forward to the questions she anticipated from her Lady.
So curious, that woman, she thought fondly, never ending questions plague her thoughts!
She had managed to evade answering such questions for the time, truly thankful now for her Lady's empathy towards Lainien's feelings. But Gilraen's curiosity would not be satiated, and the elf would be forced to explain her obvious resentment for the Young Prince.
And here I am, branded a traitor, when I did nothing wrong, and the Young Prince is exalted as strong and brave for his actions taken against his once-friend. She snorted again, remembering the praise she heard in the minds of the court as they saw his betrayal as an act of sacrifice for the good of his realm. Sacrifice, she thought darkly, what would the Young Prince know of sacrifice?
Finished with her ramblings and destruction of innocent leaves, Lainien turned back toward the gate and ultimately, to finally answer the questions of her Lady.
-:-
Walking up the steps into the hall slowly, as if stalling long enough could provide her an escape, she saw Elladan resting on the topmost stair, heavily cloaked, and staring at her. His thoughts were a mix of different ways to greet her, confusion and indecisions apparent both in his features and in the flow of his mind.
She realized then that his mind was pleasantly warm, like a spring breeze, and reminiscent of Elrond's brightness. Taking heart from her observations, she smiled at him lightly, and bowed her head.
"It is getting colder." He said at last. Blast it! I'm talking to her about the weather?!
Lainien smiled, and closed her mind to him, allowing him privacy, and was glad that, despite his obvious fear of her, that he decided to speak to her at all.
"It is." She agreed, unsure herself of how to hold a conversation, "Though, I find the snow quite beautiful."
His eyes lit up, "I agree." He said, happy to find at least a small similarity between them.
He took in her wild figure, from the length of her long, wavy and tangled dark brown hair pulled back with a strap of leather, to her wide and dark blue eyes staring at him unblinking, like a falcon observing prey, and her broad shoulders, more strongly built that many elven women. She was both frightening and fascinating.
Though she was now unable to read his mind, Elladan's eyes were expressive enough for her to know he was sizing her up somehow, whether appreciatively or not, she did not know, but his observations seemed more personal than Erestor's had, and she shifted uneasily.
"I must go." She said quickly, and took the stairs two at a time until she brushed passed him, the trail end of her grey cloak softly grazing his shoulder as she bounded past.
Elladan sighed softly to himself. There is something most definitely wrong with me. Standing, he turned and retreated into the halls.
-:-
Lainien followed the brightness of her Lady's mind into the library, where she stood outside the door listening. Her Lady was reading to Aragorn. Estel, Lainien corrected herself, he is our Estel.
Lainien smiled as she realized Gilraen was reading out the story of Ilúvatar and his creation of Arda.
"Then the voices of the Ainur," came Gilraen's soft voice, "like unto harps and lutes, and pipes and trumpets, and viols and organs, and like unto countless choirs singing with words, began to fashion the theme of Iluvatar to a great music," Her voice was pleasant as she described the song that created Arda, their land.
"And a sound arose of endless interchanging melodies woven in harmony that passed beyond hearing into the depths and into the heights, and the places of the dwelling of Iluvatar were filled to overflowing, and the music and the echo of the music went out into the Void, and it was not void."
Lainien entered the library, closing the door softly and sat upon a cushion at the ground before Gilraen's feet, listening to the end of her story.
Hello, angel, Gilraen thought, smiling quickly down at the elf, noting the snow that still hung on the shoulders of her cloak and the echo of wild freedom still lingering in Lainien's eyes. How fared the forests today?
Lainien chuckled. "The same as yesterday, my Lady; old and joyous."
You have much to say, I can see it.
Lainien sighed. "Yes, you are correct. Would you like to hear another story?" She asked softly, glancing up at Gilraen's eyes briefly.
In response, Gilraen shifted Estel more comfortably on her lap, setting the large, leather-bound book upon a side table, and tucked her legs beneath her.
Lainien took this as being ready, and began her tale.
"After my father left me and ran, his siege failing and slaves retreating, I was carried into the healing halls and tended for two days. Unbeknownst to me, as I was put into a deep healing sleep, the guard was focused on interrogating the captured creatures to find the source of evil."
"They had found that an elf, one of their own, had lead them and, with the power of magic gifted by the Dark Wizard, my father and his minions entered the forest in stealth, hidden from the eyes of our guard."
"It was not long until they had a name. Saeros." Lainien paused, closing her eyes.
"With that information, they began to hunt him, and they turned to me."
She opened her eyes now and continued. "I was brought out of my sleep and taken abruptly into the dungeons below the halls." She remembered perfectly the feel of cold iron around her wrists, along with the cutting pain of uneven stone upon her knees as she was lowered onto the floor of the cell.
How could they do that to a child? Came Gilraen's stricken thoughts.
Lainien looked at her with heavy, sad eyes. "I was born of a traitor, and was found to be the last person near him before he fled into the woods." Lainien explained. "They feared me, and suspected me of knowing his plans."
"But how could you have known?" Gilraen asked, indignant on her behalf.
Lainien's face fell into even deeper sadness, and she lowered her eyes from her Lady's face. "My gift." She whispered, the words barely audible to Gilraen's ears.
Lainien was forced to squint her eyes at the sudden brightness of the hall compared to the dimly lit cell she had been occupying. King Thranduil sat magnificently upon his delicately carved throne, surrounded on either side by his advisors and the court.
The elfling shivered in fear at the imposing sight. My King has always looked so warm, Lainien thought, but now there is only cold resignation.
Unwilling to appear weak before such an audience, Lainien straightened her back and squared her shoulders, staring directly at the King.
"Lainien Saerosiell," the King began with a strong, ringing voice, echoing through the hall, silencing the slight conversation, "you are charged with aiding treason against your kingdom, and the ultimate slaying of your kin."
Lainien's eyes opened wide, Treason?! Kin-slayer?! she thought, panic rising quickly. She focused her eyes on the people in hall, reading their thoughts.
She had to have known his plan!
How magnificent of an actor this one is!
My poor beloved!
Lainien quickly shut out the thoughts, the term of endearment causing her physical pain as she remembered her mother begging her father to see reason.
"What say you to these charges?" The King demanded impatiently.
"I deny them." Lainien said, determined to show no fear.
The King looked at her, an eyebrow raised. He looked so much like Legolas when he does that, she thought suddenly.
The hall erupted in noise as the advisors all began talking, damning her in some way or another. Lainien looked around, noting she recognized most of the faces. These were the elves who worked with her mother and father. My mother, she thought, pain gripping her chest, stopping her breathing and bringing hot moisture to her eyes.
"Silence." Said the King, staring hard at the elfling before him. She brought her face back to his again, and he could see the tears forming. How young, he thought, to know so much evil.
"You claim not to know of his plans?" The King asked.
Lainien denied it again. "How could I have known?" She asked, desperation creeping into her voice.
The king raised an eyebrow again. "Child, he began slowly, a dangerous glint in his eye, "do not play with me. I know of your secret."
Lainien froze. How could he know? She thought wildly. The only people who know are either dead, or running for his life, she thought. But then she stiffened. There is but one other who knows.
"Legolas, my son, come forward."
Lainien thought her heart could break no more, but she was proven wrong as the young prince of Mirkwood, her most trusted friend, came to stand in front of her. What dignity and pride she had shown was broken, and she sank to her knees slowly, the air gone from her chest.
"Legolas," she whispered, the word coming out more of a soft sob as her voice broke.
He looked at her for a moment, a cold nothingness upon his face, and then turned away, facing his father.
Could you hear your own heart break? She thought, as she stared at his narrow shoulders, remembering the feeling of her arms wrapped around them as he carried her after she had fallen from a tree.
"My son," the King said, "tell us of the child's witchery."
"She can read minds." Legolas said flatly. "She proved it to me many times."
Lainien felt dizzy until she realized she had stopped breathing. Taking in a quick, shaking breath, she opened her mind again, searching for his thoughts.
She found a wall. He was blocking her. He was using the skills she taught him against her, repelling her mental probes and walling off his mind.
So, she thought, he is truly gone from me. There is no hope. She lowered her head and closed her thoughts off from the world, sinking slowly into her mind.
Lainien paused in her tale to focus on her Lady. Tears were slowly falling down her face, but she still held Lainien's eyes. The elf could see a small fire behind the tears, burning with indignation on her behalf. Lainien smiled slightly, before continuing.
"In the end, after much discussion, which I honestly don't remember," Lainien began again, "the greatest consensus was that I be killed. I was a danger with my dark magic that my father had bestowed, and I had lied about my abilities to my king."
How did you escape? Gilraen thought.
Lainien smiled again. "Only by the warm nature of the Lady of the Realm." She said, remembering the beautiful queen who she had loved as a child.
"With just a word and meaningful glace shared with her King, the Queen of Mirkwood saved my life." Lainien said, remembering with slight humor the look on many of the advisor's faces as the King changed his mind.
"Very well." Came the King's sonorous voice. "I am a merciful King. Being just an elfling, I will spare your life." The shocked outcries of the court were loud as they shouted their disbelief.
"Instead," he said, overpowering their voices with his own, "you will henceforth be banished from Mirkwood on pain of death for the rest of your days."
Just kill me, thought the elfling, for there is nothing yet more to life for, she despaired, feeling empty inside.
But before she could request her death, she was grabbed roughly on either arm by a guard and carried out of the hall. Her last view of the golden chamber was of Legolas' eyes, a cold and distant blue, before the hall doors shut.
"From there," Lainien said, looking down at her hands, "I was taken straight to the gate, tied upon a horse, a was ridden out into the forest. Just beyond the farthest village, a guard lowered me onto the ground and left me, hands still bound."
"Where did you go?" Gilraen asked softly.
Lainien thought for a moment. "I don't remember." She said simply. "For a long while, just how long I can't be sure – days, years, centuries – I laid upon the ground and waited to die."
Lainien's eyes grew dark as the memories resurfaced. Gilraen shuddered, and Lainien looked up, trying to clear her face of emotion.
"But death was not my fate. After a very long while, I stood and began walking. I eventually stumbled upon a village where I found food and shelter, but I never stayed anywhere for long."
"I spent the finals years of my childhood in the edge of the Mirkwood forest, teaching myself to hunt with a weak bow I had fashioned, and finding comfort in the woods."
"You are a survivor." Gilraen said, her eyes shining with pride at her elf.
"As are you, Lady." Said Lainien, eyes sparkling. "I saw you prepared to fight those orcs in the forest."
Gilraen smiled sheepishly. But then her face hardened. "I understand now your feelings for Legolas." She said, anger biting in her tone.
The elf's thoughts turned to their visitor. "I am strong now, no longer heart-broken, innocent, or weak." Lainien said with an air of haughtiness in her tone. Gilraen didn't believe a single word. Smiling lightly at her stubborn elf, she sighed.
"What will you do when you see him?" She asked.
Lainien's proud demeanor dropped suddenly, and she looked lost.
"I don't know." She said with heavy melancholy thick in her voice, her shoulders hunching slightly, hands wringing together. "I never thought I'd see him again."
We will be strong together, Gilraen thought, a strong edge to her mental voice.
"Yes, my Lady. We will be strong."
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Author's note: There you have it! Or at least, there you have most of it. Tomorrow will be Legolas' arrival, so get excited. I can't believe the story has become so popular! Welcome to everyone, and I hope you are enjoying Between Freedom and Loyalty.
- TtMM