CHAPTER 21 - Of distant dreams
Kal stirred with the lingering feeling from a distant dream. The forest was as shaded and diseased as it ever had been, but not so her own mind. Her mind felt bright and clear, and Kal found she had achieved the goal of a restful sleep. Assessing her surroundings, she rose unsteadily and set to find her companions.
Her companions, indeed. Throughout the whole ordeal of the recent happenings there appeared to be no constant to her days nor her life in its entirety, any longer. Then thoughts of Celeg offering her his fare of dried food meandered through her mind and her shoulders fell, her heart recalling its dread with newfound strength.
As Kal walked towards the Anduin she soon beheld the lithe cloaked frame of the elf. Curiously she sought to see what he was doing there, descended to the ground with his back to her. The half-orc caught sight of Eron, now rummaging in close whereabouts with no little amount of spring in his slender legs.
Well, nearly no constant, she smiled with the new thought.
And then as she watched, her dream resurfaced. She had been lost in the throes of a night terror set during her years of toil and servitude in the Tower. Where he would come to both teach and torture her. Even now Kal shuddered, burying the images of things the robed one would do which left her wishing for death, the memory of cold harsh hands forever engraved in her skin. She never saw his face, but among all the servants of the Dark One, the alchemist had been her worst bane shadowing her days throughout all those hard, miserable years. Now, when freedom had taught her the difference Kal found a new resentment towards what the Lord of Mordor embodied, and all that was done in his name.
But then it all shifted and changed. And for the second time since she had known him, Kal had seen the elf in her dreams. Yet despite his manner in waking life, the vision looked upon her with kind eyes, as warm as the palm rested on her forehead. And then life of vivid colors and brilliant lights first encountered not long ago flooded her sleeping mind, and left Kal wishing for more.
But why should he, of all that the half-orc had lived and seen, find place again in her nightly imaginations? Still Kal was left bemused by how steadying this presence had felt. Akin to pure gold never to rust nor tarnish, a spirit alight in its silvery appearance. Further the touch had felt so real and seeing as it was a dream, Kal had allowed herself the pull of curiosity to feel in turn. She had never touched anyone the way she had done in this nightly plane of visions, and yet it had been her first guiding thought. She felt lighter in remembrance. Warm, and...
Kal severed her thought, now stood on the river bank and having reached the spot where the object of her musings was. Before anything, she now called him a friend. That was new and, along with the swift and sudden pain of meeting and losing the humans, had kindled the strange and ruthless flames of change. Once, the purpose of not showing weakness in the face of fear and cruelty ruled her life. And now?
Her eyes sought his. "I thought you would wake me," the half-orc said without preamble, seeing the elf rise. He had her dagger in his right hand, a long sturdy branch in the other.
"So you have rested?" the elf merely asked, his attention on the blade now swiftly carving into wood.
"I have," said Kal after brief hesitation.
Warm, and... She shook her head, leaning towards Eron, who duly welcomed the granted favor. Kal observed how he had already begun to change. Dire wolves proved impressive specimens when reaching maturity, and their growth was steady and fast. But for now, yet a youngling she mused as the wolf pounced away again.
"Are you in need of aid?" asked Kal turning to the river and stretching her arms wide to shed the remnants of sleep from her limbs.
"Not for now," came the reply.
Looking to his work, she assumed the elf would use the spear-like tool for fishing deeper into the river. As he appeared to be very much focused on his task she turned to seek for Eron. Kal saw the wolf submerging into the river, and wondered at his boldness. Well well. Silently she soon left the elf to his own and strode along the bank with a new aim in mind.
Some ways far from where the elf stood Kal looked about herself, straining to catch any potential signs of a foul presence. Finding none, she placed down her sword and began to remove her garb and boots. Soon she steadily dove into the river, toward the spot where Eron paddled through. The water was cold, but bearable if one spent only a certain amount of time in its depths. And it calmed her senses many a time. The half-orc always found it held a deep purifying quality, and the feel of it against her skin now came as another sign of freedom. Swimming farther and farther from the shallows she searched for Eron. She saw him some ways ahead, and thought nothing of his agitation at first. But when his head submerged suddenly and swiftly beneath the surface a second time, Kal sensed there was aught amiss. She quickened her strokes seeing the wolf now struggled to gain purchase above surface.
Kal was beginning to struggle somewhat herself with an unknown force pulling her sideways and though she righted her course, it led her ever away from the shore. After much effort she reached the wolf, now visibly tiring, and grasped it by its hide.
She led and thrust the animal forward towards the bank even as she was again swiftly drawn aside by a powerful current. Still Kal persevered using all her strength to keep a straight path to the shore. Despite her strongest attempts, the relentless force of the depths was soon sending the half-orc farther and farther towards the deepening breadth of the Great River.
Unable to scream and striving to stay adrift, she had not seen the elf swiftly shedding his cloak and upper layers before plunging into the waters himself.
This cannot be the end, Kal thought stubbornly. But then she was drawn beneath the waters struggling and thrashing, and when after failed attempts it all seemed in vain Kal broke the surface again. Confused, she found the vice she felt around her waist was an arm, and the tug on her was the movement of another. She met his eyes for only a breath and unwittingly flung an arm around his neck, as the elf guided them best he could towards safety. Kal soon found her lower body free of the pulling and swaying currents and so released him though she was now drained, setting towards the bank. The half-orc stumbled once she felt the murky river bed under her feet and stepping onto solid ground woefully dropped down, her breathing fast, gasping for air. She lifted her head to see the elf.
"Never... do that, again..." Legolas panted as he knelt before her, sounding both angry and fearful to her ears.
"It was... Eron-," Kal managed, pulling her wet hair back from her face.
"The wolf is safe," said Legolas, rising and donning his shirt and tunic with hasty movements. Then his eyes were hard on her. "You place us both in needless peril," the clipped words washed over her as the elf pulled his boots on, his gaze swiftly trailing over her shivering naked form. He reached and threw her his cloak before turning and pacing towards the woods.
"I did not know of the currents-" Kal protested as she wrapped herself in the thick cloth.
"Precisely, you did not," he rebutted, and the animosity she felt rising between them brought forth an unusual tension, leaving the half-orc dismayed and further darkening her state. It may have been an unthinking endeavor on her part, aye. But his manner was that of their harsh and resentful early encounters, and it now caused a new form of unease. And atop it all, she could not relinquish the memory of his riling grip despite her struggle at the time, and how it felt.
What is this? Kal wondered, her frowning gaze following his retreating figure.
The evening was spent in quietude, accompanied by a low fire and a meal consisting of fish. The lightless woods were colder shrouded by the descending night, and the vicinity of the river aided little in that respect. Kal sat sheltered and clothed at the base of a tree, shivering in the elven cloak. She pulled the material tighter around her frame as she watched the dancing shadows created by the flaming light.
"Your adventure left its mark on you," the elf said to her from where he sat some ways across.
"It... is... nothing," Kal braved, her teeth chattering from time to time. And then all about her dimmed, and the half-orc was lying on the cold floor in a curled position, the shivering so intense it made sleep nigh impossible. This she had surely never felt before.
"Eron," the elf called softly to the wolf beside them, "natho den."
Used to this queer connection by now Kal could not hide her smile, seeing Eron slowly near and come nuzzling to her face. He then descended against her, offering much needed warmth. "You have become quite troublesome and difficult to watch over," Kal admonished the wolf in jest, knowing she could not have left him.
The half-orc then looked gratefully to her other companion, only to see him also rise and approach her. She blinked when he placed a palm to her face. Warm and... soothing.
"No fever," said the elf. "Your body should mend itself by the morrow." And then he remained by her side, forearms resting on his bent knees. "I should not have been so curt today," her surprised ears heard.
Kal looked away, confused at the novel display of remorse. "It was fortunate you were there," she settled when met with his eyes again, following how the reddish light flickered and shone in them.
"Have you thought about your decision?"
Kal sought the wolf, her hand reaching to feel the rich thick fur of its hide.
"I have," she looked his way. "I would join you."
The elf nodded in understanding of her answer, but Kal saw no outward emotion on his features.
"Are the others dwelling there, all friends to you?"
"Many of them are," Legolas said. Then he showed a smile of his own, though it did not reach his eyes. "But so are you, are you not?"
The meaning in his words was shadowed by her following thought. "Yet, considering how you and I fared before..." Kal hesitated, barring feelings of the memory, "I am no fool. I doubt I would be welcomed there," said the half-orc finally. It had been weighing on her mind ever since the elf mentioned his offer.
Legolas sighed, his vision cast downward. "This may be so."
Her resolution faltered and her face fell at the words. "Is it not wiser of me then, to simply go my own way?" Kal wondered, her attention returned to the wolf who was now halfheartedly licking at her fingers.
"Is that truly your wish?"
It took a few passing moments before Kal could muster a reply. "It is not," she admitted, only then gleaning the truth of it herself. Then and there came the notion that purpose, were it hers or anyone else's, may have its hidden ties to fate. And as this was one road out of many revealing itself to her now, she would follow it. The certainty never withered even when met with the stern light of his eyes.
"I will be there," said the elf into her stare.
Yet more bewildering words, and not only owed to the vehemence and surety by which they were spoken. Being there, bridging the past to a changing future. That would be enough, and more than she could ever hope for.
Hope. There came a sudden, worrying need to reach for him. Both unsettled and strangely alight Kal fought another unruly smile, feeling a little foolish. Her response lay in her silence and a nod before all thought turned within, accompanied by the clean woody scent as she buried herself deeper into his cloak.
A/N:
'Natho den' = 'Help her/him/it' (Sindarin)
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On the story:
This will still be a romance/adventure, though it may not seem like it at this point? I promise it all builds towards something. While I don't know what the general impression is on how the story is evolving (feel free to let me know), this I can say: I have what I'm attempting to do with this fic drawn up in my head, including how I want to take you there. As usual, the devil/time is in the details. Soon enough other characters will make an appearance - some of which we know, very, very well.
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