UNTAMED HEART
CHAPTER 13
The journey had been quite long, and most of it you spent it half conscious, the herbs kept you sedated and sleeping, for you this trip was an entire blank page.
When you arrived it was decided you would be staying with Tauriel in her cabin, the king wanted someone of entire reliability to take care of you and no one was best for this than Tauriel, besides it was what she had been doing since the moment they found you.
The king asked almost every hour about your progress: if you had eaten (thing that you didn't quite a lot) how long had you been awake this time, what were your words if any. He had been the most preoccupied besides Tauriel.
In the seventh day of your arrival to Mirkwood you woke up entirely and conscious, the pain was there but it was bearable, you were famishing and you wanted to know what had happened in those days you were not in your senses
Very slowly you got out of the bed, you walked to the window and opened it, the light hurt your eyes a bit but the smell of fresh air was comforting and it felt quite good when it hit you in the face.
Slowly as you walked to the window you started to walk towards the room's door, you opened it and started to descend through the stairs, everything was silent so you assumed it was hunting day.
You decide the best thing to do was to go back and get dressed, you wanted to go out and see some faces, the silence made you feel terrible for some reason you didn't quite remembered.
The process of dressing yourself was quite slow and painful but you managed
You went downstairs once more, grabbed an apple and went outside, the air hit you once more and it felt good, the sound of the branches breaking as you walked…branches…a ring of branches…Laegnir. You remembered the voice of Tauriel…she was there while you were half alive but…you can't recall hearing Laegnir's voice…a ring of branches…it was in the clothes you wore to battle, it must had been lost…where was Laegnir?
Suddenly you feel the pain in your chest, the trees seem bigger and the air seems poisonous, the adrenaline you feel makes you run and you do it as fast as you can, the pain on your leg seems unbearable but if you stop you will die, you know it.
Not so far you hear voices, you run to them and spot Legolas, he runs to you and catches you before you fall
"Aeneth you must not be here, you shouldn't have left her alone!" he looks at Tauriel
You realize Tauriel is there as well
"I…I…h-heard your v-voice but…but not…L-laegnir's, wh- when I was sick…I didn't hear h-his voice…just yours"
And by the tears streaming in both Legolas and Tauriel's face you know he is not here…or anywhere
The strength you had leaves you and you pass out in Legolas's arms
No news go without the king knowing so naturally the scene in the woods got to his ears, and in a moment he was at Tauriel's cabin
"You left her alone?"
"She was sleeping, I…"
"You know she must not be left alone, not in this state"
"Yes my lord"
"She knows now?"
"Yes" her voice was broken
"How is she?"
"She fainted before saying anything"
"I must see her"
"She is upstairs sleeping she hasn't awaken"
He went upstairs and inside the room and there you were lying in the bed
She looks so peaceful…but she isn't he thought to himself
He came closer to the bed, and stared at you. He felt sorry for you and he regretted not being able to help you and dispel your grief.
He sat on the bed, gave you a kiss on the forehead and caressed your cheek
"Is it possible for her to recover from this?" he asked Tauriel
"I hope so my lord, I will try my best to help her"
"I am sure you will, don't leave her alone again and let me know when she wakes up"
Said this he left
The night looked so peaceful and the stars were bright the forest looked very illuminated, Tauriel wished you could see this, it was all so beautiful and she knew you'd have loved it in another circumstances.
"I brought some berries and mushrooms"
"The prince picking up berries and mushrooms?"
"The fact that I am a prince does not interfere with the tasks I have to do one of them being collecting food"
"Thank you"
"How is she?"
"She knows now, I fear the moment she wakes up"
"She will be ready to bury him? We can't wait too much longer"
"She has to, I am afraid of her sadness, you know what sadness can do"
"Then we must help her"
"How? This is too much for her"
"We will find a way"
"The king came as soon as we returned"
"Of course he did"
"He…I think his feelings are strong"
"Yes, my thoughts as well. He is infatuated I believe"
"Today I proved it, he loves her, there is no doubt"
"She doesn't share the same feelings, the elf she loved has died in a horrible way, I doubt she ever looks at him in that way other than him being her king. My father might be mighty but if she doesn't love him he will have to give up"
"She has been through a lot, he is a good king he will understand, now if you forgive me I must go back and see if Aeneth's well"
"Wait…we must talk"
"Yes?"
"I kissed you"
"I understand that was because of the situation, I know it was a mistake a prince wouldn't…I must go inside…forgive me" she was as red as an apple
"Tauriel…"
A simple branch ring…it was what he wanted, you must go and get a branch. It's dark outside and you need the most beautiful tree you can find. As soon as you move you fall asleep again.
"I must go and get a branch" you speak
"Did you say something?" Tauriel asks
"I must find a branch"
"What for?"
"I must make a ring, I…I haven't given Laegnir his ring, he says a branch ring is okay while I give him a proper one…have you seen the ring he gave me…is beautiful"
"Oh my dear…I will find that branch and I will help you make that ring"
"Thank you"
"You must rest now, I will go get the branch"
She must have been dreaming, still I must go and find that branch, perhaps it could make her feel better
All the branches looked the same for Tauriel as they did to you, but he made an effort and picked one easy to model for making a ring. She traded some food for a white stone to put on the ring, so it didn't look that simple. She understood the purpose was to put the ring on Laegnir's hand, it was Aeneth's gift for him…even when he was now dead the ring had to be something he would have liked.
She hurries back home and finds you sitting by the window
"I found the branch, and…a white stone"
"I didn't gave him the ring, he gave me one, I lost it"
"No you didn't, it was on your neck and I kept it…I will give it to you"
"What for? It doesn't have a purpose"
"Part of him will be in that ring"
"I did not love him you know? Not in the way I was supposed to, he was like a brother to me, and then…things changed and I was engaged to him and the moment I start to feel more than those simple feelings he's taken away from me…am I being punished?"
"No, of course not! This was a war, we lost too many of our brothers and sisters…and other friends as well…it is the price of a war, you must not torment yourself with those thoughts"
"I wish I had died"
"…"
"Did you bury him?"
"No not yet, we were waiting for you to wake up so you could say goodbye"
"I must make his ring, is the least I can do…"
"Yes, indeed…here take the branch and the stone"
Though simple it looked quite good, Laegnir would have loved it. The stone gave it an impressive look. It was a shame he had to wear it while being dead. It didn't took long for you to make it but the feeling it gave you while doing it was a miserable one.
"When do we bury him" you asked Tauriel
"I must ask the king"
"Can I go with you?"
"Aeneth…I don't think your body is ready to make such an effort"
"I am awake and I managed to get downstairs…I think I am capable of going with you to ask when am I to bury my husband"
"It is settled then, let's get on our way"
Again, you manage the slow and painful process of getting dressed…it was a simple thing but to you it was exhausting.
It was not a long way from Tauriel's cabin to the King's palace, but walking took you long because of your leg and you kept making stops to rest.
Legolas was waiting at the door by the time you reached the palace
He gave a severe look to Tauriel but he approached to help you. You can't say a word to him you know it must have been a great loss for him too.
He takes you by the waist and guides you to the main hall
As well as Legolas, Thranduil gives Tauriel a hard look, you know he is going to punish her if you don't do something.
"Why are you here?" he asks you
"I am here to ask when am I to bury my husband?"
"When do you want it done?"
"I would like it to be tonight, if that's fine with you my lord"
"Then it shall be tonight" he gives his guards some orders
"Thank you my lord"
"Can I do something else for you?"
Everyone seems to be amazed at this question,
"No my lord" you give him an indifferent smile
He was put in a boat with lots of flowers, his robbe was white and his hair was behind his ears even in this state he looked so beautiful.
"I am so sorry, I should have been there and I wasn't…I love you my brother, my friend, my love…you taught me so many things…and because of you I have to live, without you here I don't know how long I am going to be able to endure it…Na lû ir a-goveninc, gi melin (until we meet again, I love you)" and you slid the ring on his finger, your husband's finger.
A few elves pronounced speeches in Laegnir's honor, he was a mighty warrior and he always looked out for his people, he was loved and appreciated by many elves.
Legolas looks at you and you know it's time, you push the boat into the river and watch it as it goes…with tears in your eyes you prepare the fire and the arrow and as soon as the boat reaches its distance you are the first to shoot, then Legolas, then Tauriel.
Soon the river gets illuminated by hundreds of arrows…and it ends.