Warning: Violence later on in the chapter.
Asleyna: Thank you for your lovely review, it made my day! Yes, you are not the first person to say they prefer Haldir and that something between Legolas and her did not quite match up! We shall see!
Also thank you to everyone for their follows and favourites, I love knowing you enjoy reading!
"You look tired." Haldir noted as he slowly approached Emdiril. It had been days and she had not left Darilth's side, nor had she spoken to anyone. Nor had she slept. "You should get some rest."
"I cannot sleep." Emdiril replied matter-of-factly as she looked up at the elf, dark circles evident underneath her usually bright eyes. Her eyes had somewhat lost their green colour and her red hair was a mess.
"Making yourself ill will not help him, Emdiril." Haldir reasoned, then sighed. He then gave the dragon a once over. "He looks a little better today."
"He does." A small smile graced her lips as she looked to her dragon friend. Then she looked to Haldir, gratefulness lingering in her eyes. "Thank you."
"You can thank me by getting some rest." Haldir insisted, a cheeky smile crossing his handsome features. Emdiril rolled her eyes in a playful manner.
"I have tried to sleep. Every time I close my eyes… there are a lot of voices telling me to do different things in my head." Emdiril shook her head in annoyance, a sigh escaping her lips. Haldir sat himself beside her and looked into the distance. A smile covered his face.
"What?" Emdiril questioned him as she noticed.
"Ah, just memories." Haldir waved it off.
"Tell me." Emdiril encouraged him to carry on, shuffling a little closer to the elf. It was nice to see him smile and she longed to know what made him happy.
"I was just thinking of the very first time I have seen you in distress, in Mirkwood's library. Do not misunderstand – seeing you in distress does not make me smile. But you proceeded to fall asleep in my arms." Haldir explained, thinking back. When he had first met her he had not anticipated them to become so close, even belittled her as a mortal. She had definitely taken him by surprise, just swooped in and took his heart.
"Yes, I remember." Emdiril spoke softly as she thought back to their time in Mirkwood. How they grew closer and closer each day until he had to leave. "Well, to be precise the first time you saw me in distress was when Thranduil questioned me about my skills. You asked me for a dance."
"Ah yes. I distinctively remember you telling me 'I never thought I would be happy to you' as we danced." Haldir chuckled. Emdiril laughed, for the first time in a long time, she whole-heartedly laughed.
"We were so young. I did not like you when we first met." She said with a smile, shaking her head in disbelief.
"I was not particularly fond of you to begin with either." Haldir smirked as he looked at her face. They shared in another round of laughter, taking in each other's joy. Oh, her smile was so beautiful. It made his heart flutter. If things had been different he would have loved continuing by telling her how much he loved her. Everything about her, the way she walked, the way she talked, the way she cared about everyone else with her whole heart. The way her dimples showed in her cheeks and her eyes glimmered so prettily when she smiled. Even the things he did not like, he loved. They stared at each other, lost in one another's eyes and he knew he had no need to tell her. She knew. He knew in a way she loved him, too.
"Why did you really come find me, Haldir?" Emdiril asked, her eyes wandering into the distance. Haldir's smile faltered and turned into a frown.
"The Lady Galadriel came to me in my mind during the night. I must depart to Rivendell and then Rohan. The enemy means to attack there in great numbers," the elf explained. "Come with me."
"I cannot." Emdiril pressed her lips together in a thin line as she slowly shook her head.
"I do not want to leave you." Concern and worry crossed his features, his eyebrows knitted together.
"I cannot come with you. I need to find Boleslaw." Emdiril explained to him as she stood from where she sat.
"I promise to help you find him afterwards." He tried, also moving to stand.
"You cannot make such promises, Haldir. You must go." Emdiril said sadly, a hand reaching out to touch his cheek. He covered her hand in his bigger one, nodding in understanding. His face was grim but he understood they had different duties to fulfil, different places to be.
He moved in to embrace her, hugging her tightly in his arms. "Stay safe." He whispered softly in her ear. She kissed his cheek and then he pulled away, readying for his long journey alongside his brothers.
The wind hit her cold in the face as she made it to the top of the mountain. A light layer of snow covered the mountain top as a few snowflakes found their way onto her hair. She did not know why exactly why she came here, but a feeling told her so. Her hair was tied up in an effort to keep it out of her face and the belt on her tunic held her two daggers and her sword. A hand instinctively held onto one of her daggers as an eerie feeling overcame her. She knew he could not be far away and then she noticed him. Crouched down on the floor, holding onto his head desperately. Boleslaw was there, rocking back and forth right in front of her and she did not know how to feel. Part of her wanted to cut his head off on sight, yet another part pitied him.
Emdiril gasped as he stood up abruptly and faced her, his eyes dark and skin pale.
"Ah, yes. There she is. Precious Queen Emdiril." He mused in a sing song voice, a devilish smirk covering his features. He swung his arm around, sending her flying through the air. She landed hard on the ground, her eyes narrowing angrily at the man.
"Whatever took you so long?" Boleslaw chuckled before he scratched the back of his neck.
"You asked for my help." Emdiril said, her eyes scanning his features in a calculating manner. She stood up from her position slowly as he merely laughed.
"Help? You? Help me?" Boleslaw burst out into more laughter. "The only thing I need from you is to finally give in and die. Tell me, how many times do I have to kill you?" He extended an arm towards her, his hand squeezing the air between its palm and Emdiril could feel herself struggling to breathe. With an arm movement of her own she sent him flying back, but he landed on his feet.
"You are not yourself, are you?" Her jaw clenched in anger, though she still wanted to believe there was good inside him.
"I am always me, my darling." He replied darkly, pulling a sword from his back. She grabbed her own, her breathing becoming continuously heavier.
"You do not have to do this, Boleslaw. Come back to me." Emdiril urged him, desperately trying to find the Boleslaw that had spoken to her in her mind.
"This is the only way." His lifeless eyes then lit up in yellow as he charged towards her. She readjusted her grip on her longsword, holding it over her shoulder. Their swords clash together and a loud sound emitted, almost as loud as thunder. Emdiril's own eyes changed to yellow as she stared at him, not backing down.
He pushed her backward using his sheer strength and moved to slash her thigh. She let out a loud groan as the blade cut her skin, then swung her sword at him, their swords clashing together once more.
"Please come back." She yelled at him in her mind. Everything within her did not want to fight him. She desperately wanted to believe in the good at him. In the person she met in Lothlorien who would sit by the trees and drink wine with her, away from the Elves. She wanted to believe he was good for he was the only other being like her on Middle Earth.
"I can't control it." He yelled back at her in her mind and she noticed then that a single tear rolled over his cheek. Though the evil had taken control and his eyes were full of hatred, he cried. He was there. "There is no other way."
Taking one of his hands off his sword he punched her, sending her backwards. He rushed in, aiming his sword for her head which she blocked with her own sword. They engaged in a dance of death for several minutes before he hit so hard that her sword flung through the air. Gasping in horror she ran, in her head figuring out her next move. He would not give up. Spinning around she used her magic to stop him dead in his tracks. Emitting a scream she fought him off. He was strong, fighting every bit of magic with his own. She could feel the pain and struggle run through her veins.
Breaking free of her spell he quickly charged at her, his eyes widening as he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He dropped his sword in the snow as different coloured lights filled the sky above them. Boleslaw then looked down at the dagger she had hidden underneath the sleeve of her tunic, now buried in his chest. His eyes flickered to hers, the yellow within them dying. Her green eyes shimmered with tears as he fell to his knees, her falling to her own knees with him, her hand still holding onto the dagger.
Boleslaw laid himself down holding onto her, his eyes firm on her as another tear spilled from his eye.
"Thank you." He said shakily and Emdiril began crying. She leant over him, her whole body shaking at what she had done. "I am so sorry." She sobbed as she laid her head on his chest, her hands gripping onto the material of his clothes. She could feel his heart pumping slower and slower beneath her until there was no beat left. The colourful lights surrounding them slowly died down and Emdiril wiped her face, watching them disappear into nothing. She thought of the lights as the spirits of those before her, the former Children of Earth.
"Take care of him." She asked them, sniffing before she stood up, regaining some composure. She griefed his death more than she thought she would. Perhaps it was because they were the same, because he was her kin, her brother. Shaking her thoughts off she made her way back home. This war was far from over.