To cherry: Not entirely correct… perhaps you will understand better once you read this chapter. As for Legolas' life… Hm… *evil smile* sh……
To lotrgirls: No problem. I never minded more reviews… _^ Thank you for reading! ^_^ It's great to have people reading my stories too… =D
To Fluff-Writer: Yeah!!!!!!
To Anne: Thank you! Here's the update! Hope you like it!
Mission Impossible
"Elenath… Do you know what you have to do?"
"No…" Elenath replied. She had gotten used to this voice, for it was the voice that helped her survive the past few centuries. As much as it had caused her heart to break a million times, she still obeyed the voice.
"You have to kill one person in this woods before you can be totally free of your curse," the voice said, the tones wavering with suspense and some excitement.
"Who?" Elenath asked quietly. Killing one more elf does not make any difference does it?
"Legolas…"
Elenath's heart jumped at the name. "What?!"
"Legolas is born in the same year as you are, which makes him the best person for you to break the curse. Without his death, you can never be free of that curse… I know you have feelings for him… So… you have a choice now before you. Choose wisely."
"No… wait! Come back!" Elenath cried. She opened her eyes and looked up at the starry sky. "Come back… No…"
'Why?' Elenath asked herself. 'Why can't I not kill the man I love…for once?'
'No…'
The words of the voice echoed in her mind. It had known her heart even better than she does. It wasn't as though she had not gotten over such heartaches. This was the last elf she had to kill. The last elf she had to slain before she could be rid of the curse.
Can she? Can she bear to kill Legolas? Why not? She barely knew him for a week. To put it truthfully, they are just acquaintances, nothing more.
She did not even have the chance to push him away, to push him in a safer zone. A zone away from her wrath and her blade. Her last kill was barely ten days ago, and now, she had to kill again. Her hands clenched tightly into fists. Each time her heart would be torn to bits, leaving for another man to piece them back together again, only to have it torn again. It's a vicious cycle, one that she cannot control.
Yet all her life she had wished to be rid of the curse that haunted her every move. There was a reason why she hated stars. She needs the stars to live, to survive. She needed seven particular stars in the entire universe to live: the *Northern Crux.
Being a half-elf born on the day when thirteen galaxies were in one straight line, Elenath was brought into the world with a gift and a curse. A gift that allows Elenath to predict the future using the art of astrology. If she should really use her skills in astrology, she had been told that she could change the future by changing the positions of the stars. But she had not tried it before, thus she never knew if she truly possessed the gift.
Yet everything came with a price. Her gift at astrology required needed her blood to be exposed to the light of the stars. Her life was bounded to the seven most special stars in the sky, the Northern Crux. These seven stars controls the life force for her to live, for her to survive, for her to continue breathing. On nights when these stars cannot be seen, Elenath would become so weak that she could hardly even walk. On nights when these stars are the brightest, Elenath would feel power within her, threatening to burst out of her body. It was then she would feel the urge to kill, the urge to use her powers. For if she does not, the consequences would be disastrous.
Her name meant the stars, but to her, it only reminded her of the bind she had with the stars.
* * *
Legolas looked around for the familiar raven-haired lady. It was three nights ago since he had kissed her, and for three days, she had locked herself in her room, only admitting Ethuil to her room. Other than that, she remained shy from the rest of the elves.
He sat down on the field and lied down with a sigh. It was fairly overcast that night, so there were only limited stars that could be seen. For some reason, Legolas does not really feel the mood for stargazing. But looking at the stars distracted him from another person with the similar name.
He cannot understand why he was feeling such. Each time her face floats up in his mind, his heart would beat faster and he would feel a warm sensation at his cheeks.
Legolas knew from Aragorn's description of his encounter with Arwen that this was love. But, does Legolas really love Elenath the way Aragorn loved Arwen? The deep love Aragorn had for Arwen was something that Legolas admired deeply. Not more than once had he wished he could also have the happiness Aragorn experienced. He had wished for someone to care about, someone to love for, and to be loved back.
Yet, what is love anyway? He certainly loved Ethuil, he also loved Aduial, and of course his elder brothers and his father, but… is there a difference from the familial and fraternal love than the love between a male and a female?
Why can't love be as clear as the stars against the dark sky? Why must love be so obscured, so shadowed, and so vague?
He knew it was irrational of him to fall in love with a lady whose backgrounds were nothing more than a mystery, but when was love ever rational? If loving his family had been resulted in him being rational, he wouldn't have allowed that monkey of a sister of his to drag him about for sparring practices. If he had been rational enough with his sister, he wouldn't have put up with the heart stopping tricks she played onto him since birth. If he had been rational enough with Aduial, he would not have taken that arrow for Aduial that fateful day.
Love can make people think irrational thoughts, even familial and fraternal love. That was something Legolas knew, and something Legolas treasured. The more irrational his actions were, the more he treasured the love he has for his family and friends.
Again, it was illogical.
For once, Legolas would just like to have the eyes in his heart to sharpen, just so he could see and understand what he really feels. What his heart really wants. What he really wants.
* * *
One can really say that only a woman can drive anyone nuts, even the two most patient men in Mirkwood. One of which is Legolas, the other, Aduial. Legolas caught Ethuil and Aduial sitting alone in the training grounds one day while he passed the area. Apparently, the former was not in a good mood, and the latter was trying his best to make Ethuil smile.
Although Legolas knew better than to disturb the both of them, his common sense told him to help his best friend. Ethuil's temper was famous in Mirkwood for being hard and unreasonable, if she really wants to. Her record for being angry at other elves on Mirkwood was almost a few years. Her record for staying mad at Legolas was one hour. Thus, when Ethuil ever threw any tempers, most of the elves would leave Legolas to deal with her.
Since their birth, King Thranduil and the royal family and resigned to the fate that their youngest members were, though sharing the same birth date, shared different personalities.
Being earlier than Ethuil by a few minutes, Legolas possessed the personality of the water; calm and gentile. He believed that haste makes waste, but do not be tricked by his peaceful appearance. When required, the peaceful water can rage into a treacherous wave, engulfing all in its path.
Ethuil, being the last of Thranduil's children, and being the only rose among the thorns, had been pampered since birth. This had resulted in her fiery like personality. When provoked, she would flare up as though one had thrown a dry log into a fire. Sparks would fly and the flames would swallow up all in its way. Yet a fire can be extinguished as easily as it was started. Once you left it alone enough for the flames to die down, without any more addition of wood, the fire would not relight again. It was the same with Ethuil. Her temper may rise very quickly, but if given the time to cool down, she would be appeased and would not even put the matter in mind.
It was funny how Legolas was like water, and Ethuil like fire. Of all the things that could extinguish fire, water was the best. Of all the people that could appease Ethuil, Legolas was the best. Perhaps it's because of their personality traits, or perhaps it's because of their inborn twin-telepathy. Ethuil would only listen to Legolas. Even Thranduil, the King of Mirkwood, cannot control his youngest daughter totally.
"What's wrong?" Legolas asked quietly, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had swallowed up the atmosphere. Aduial looked relieved to see him, but Ethuil stood up and changed her position.
"Aduial?" Legolas eyed his friend, who shrugged helplessly. "Ethuil?"
An obstinate shake of the head…
With the familiar sensation of a growing headache, Legolas stepped closer to Ethuil. He placed his hands on her slim shoulders and he used the gentle tone specially reserved for extinguishing fires.
"Who offended the princess of Mirkwood?" Legolas crooned, as though coaxing a young child. "Tell me, and I'll punish that person."
Ethuil just shook her head haughtily, sweeping her long dark blond tresses into Legolas' face.
A sense of walking to fire overcame Legolas' mind. He sighed. "Ethuil…"
"Legolas! This does not concern you! Just leave me alone!" Ethuil finally spoke and started pushing Legolas away.
"Ethuil… What's wrong?" Legolas raised his voice and grabbed the pair of hands that were beating his chest.
"No…Nothing!" Ethuil tried to hide the cough that choked her words temporarily.
Legolas' ears were not trained for nothing. His eyes narrowed as he brought Ethuil closer to him. "What's wrong?"
"I said nothing's wrong! Now will you just leave me alone?" Ethuil screamed in frustration. Then she pointed her wrath at Aduial. "You especially! Just. Get. Out!"
Her last word echoed in the closed training grounds. Legolas waited for her to stop screaming and take another breath. Soon after, she stopped. Aduial and Legolas watched her pant heavily for a couple of seconds before looking at them again.
Then, she collapsed.
* * *
It sauntered in the darkness of the woods, seeking the quiet evil that strolls about the hidden shadows. There it is!
It knelt down and touched the dry soil. Not too long ago, this patch of soil was freshly wet with her blood. The blood of the stars. It leant down on the soil and licked on the mud. The delightful taste of metallic liquid encompassed its tongue and sending thrills of delight up its back.
This was not enough. It needs more… More elvish blood! More of the star blood! That day will come soon. Very, very soon.
"Elenath… you poor, poor, fool…"
* * *
She could see Legolas' face tensed with pain. Her heart softened at his expression as she stood on the doorway, holding a tray.
"Legolas," she called out quietly.
Legolas jumped and turned. A faint smile touched his lips as Elenath stepped into the room. "Hey…"
"How is she?" Elenath asked, referring to the motionless figure on the bed. Legolas turned back sadly to face his unconscious twin.
"Still the same…" Legolas replied with slight despair in his tone. "I don't understand…how could it happen?"
"Where's Aduial?" Elenath looked about for the head troublemaker. "Shouldn't he be here?"
Legolas' eyes flared at the sound of his name. "He disappeared, right after I brought her back here." He clenched his fist tightly and Elenath could hear the slight cracking of his knuckles. "He better watch out."
Elenath was confused. How could Aduial be the one who did this to Ethuil? From her quiet observations these past days, Aduial couldn't wait to marry Ethuil. How could he even bear to hurt Ethuil?
Legolas was not aware of Elenath's thoughts. All that occupied his mind now was his sister. His only twin sister.
Elenath was struck. As the dark star lights seeped into the window and bounced off his face, she saw something only she could see. The intense care and concern he had for Ethuil was written all over his face, but there was something beneath.
She saw him… Legolas was just like Lome… So much like him. Even the stars that night agreed.
Elenath looked down at her fingers, which were bathed in silvery moonlight as she stood in the path of the moon. She could see the stains of the elvish blood that she spilled. She could hear their cries in her mind, and their tears in her eyes.
'Lome…'
She cannot kill Legolas… She cannot kill Lome again. Once was enough. There is no need to kill a person the second time round. If she was destined to live with the curse for the rest of her life, so be it. So be it…
She cannot kill Legolas…
* * *
Hihi again! Just popped up to say a few words. One: there is a Southern Crux, but no Northern Crux. I created that… =P Two: Lome is a word I found in a Quenya translator, which means 'sky'. But in some other websites, Lome is called 'dusk'… So… I'll stick with the translator, and thus a new character (minor) is born, named 'Sky'! [Lame… =P] Anyway, Lome and Elenath have this 'tiny' relationship… which will be revealed in the next chapter. Just by looking at their names you should know, right? Well, continue guessing the relationship between the Sky and the Stars. =P (I actually wanted to use moon in replace of sky, but moon sounds too 'femalish' so I changed it to Sky. Sun? erm… not very appropriate.)
In this chapter, Elenath was trying to decide if she should choose an un-cursed life and guilt filled life, or a cursed life, but guilt free life. Here, I just have a tiny question to ask all readers… ^_^ If YOU were Elenath, which one would you choose? (Do not consider Legolas the hot elf in this. Just consider the choices.) If everyone considers Legolas, I'm 100% sure that everyone would choose a cursed life. =P Who would want our dearly beloved elf to die, right? But please, do not consider Leggy. _^
Eagerly awaits your answers!
Androme