Note: All unknown are my characters! Takes place about a day and a half
after 'The Grip Of Death'. It's a little before the sunset, ok? Just wanted
to clear that up.
Silver On The Tree
Part 9
*****************************
In An Unknown Location
*****************************
Motarasu smirked at the Hobbits, who struggled in their ankle chains.
He thought that they were mere children, so he did not consider them a genuine threat.
Gandalf and Gimli were chained hand and foot, however. The dwarf and wizard glared at Motarasu.
All of their weapons had been removed, however.
Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin cringed as Motarasu sneered down at them.
"Mere children were part of the Fellowship?" Motarasu said, snickering. "It's amazing that they actually succeeded in destroying the Ring."
Gimli growled just low enough so that neither Motarasu nor his minions heard him.
"If he so much as touches one of the Hobbits, I'm taking him out," Gimli grumbled, as he exchanged a worried look with Gandalf.
"Calmly, son of Gloin. He has no reason to hurt them, for he does not know that they are not children. That will work to our advantage, for Motarasu will not expect them to be able to aid us. Therefore, the Hobbits will be less guarded than we are," Gandalf said in a low voice.
Gimli nodded reluctantly.
Both tensed as they saw the massive creature that Motarasu had summoned coming their way again.
Merry and Pippin gasped in horror, as did Frodo and Sam.
They could see that a body was being held by the creature, and the Hobbits thought that it was Legolas.
"You've returned, Kokushibyou. What of the elf?" Motarasu questioned.
The evil creation walked over to Motarasu, where he stood beside the Hobbits.
He unceremoniously dropped the body of the red-haired elf in front of Frodo.
"One escaped," Kokushibyou hissed. "This one kept me from pursuing him…" His voice sent shivers down Frodo's spine.
Motarasu knelt down, and wiped some blood off of the elf's face.
"It is Seiren, damn it," Motarasu snarled. "He aided Legolas in escaping me once more."
Legolas's friends were relieved to know that it wasn't him lying there, looking…dead.
"I need to rest…" Kokushibyou's voice was drawn out and hissed. "This elf hurt me. He is stronger than I would have thought, given that my own power weakens that of Light."
"He had Mikomi's assistance. I mean Legolas's," Motarasu snapped. He focused his own Dark magic, and Kokushibyou vanished from sight.
Motarasu struck the potentially dead elf across the face. "Are you alive or dead?" he muttered. "For I need you alive, for either you or Legolas will cast the spell to plunge this world into chaos."
He scowled and looked troubled.
Nekura knew her duty when Motarasu was troubled. She walked over to him and knelt before him.
"Do what you will, my king," she whispered, cruelty gleaming in her eyes.
Motarasu smiled, which repulsed the Hobbits. He reached out and pulled Nekura to her feet. The two strode off into the tent together.
Frodo and the Hobbits immediately began doing a much more gentle inspection of the elf who lay in front of them.
"What's his name, I wonder?" Merry asked.
"Seiren," Frodo told him. "Didn't you hear Motarasu? He's one of Legolas's friends."
"I was busy cowering from the creature," Merry said with a shudder.
Frodo placed his hand above Seiren's mouth, as Sam tried to see if the elf had a heartbeat.
Faint breath brushed Frodo's hand.
"He's alive, at least, but I do not think he will live if they hurt him anymore," Frodo murmured.
Sam nodded. "At least Legolas is safe."
"Is the elf alive?" Gandalf inquired, as low as he could so as not to attract unwanted attention, yet loud enough so that the hobbits could hear him.
"Yes," Pippin told the wizard. "But he looks bad."
The Hobbits looked up as the Kokuei who were assigned to guard them and feed them came over.
The Kokuei gave each Hobbit some food, as well as a small bag of water, before walking away.
The Hobbits had been punished once for trying to feed Gandalf and Gimli their food, and that had been enough of a warning.
Motarasu was strange to understand, for he rarely hurt the Hobbits, while he constantly struck the dwarf and wizard. Then again, he did believe that they were only children.
Sam tore a piece of his shirt and dipped it in his water. He used it to clean off Seiren's face, and the elf moaned softly in Elvish.
'Legolas…'
****************************************************************************
*****************************
Lothlorien
*****************************
Legolas sat silently before Aragorn as they rode Seiren's Elven horse into Lothlorien.
Lady Galadrial stood there at the border, waiting for them.
When they reached her, the elf and human dismounted.
Grief, sorrow, and anger was written all over Legolas's pale and bruised face.
Aragorn gripped his arm, as he led Legolas over to Lady Galadrial.
'What has happened?' Galadrial asked gently in Elvish, feeling sadness and despair from Legolas, as well as pain and loss.
'Seiren is gone,' Legolas whispered, using Elvish as well.
Galadrial paled slightly. 'He is dead?'
'We believe so,' Aragorn said, entering the conversation.
'How did it happen, Legolas?' Galadrial questioned gently.
'Motarasu Makkura awoke Kokushibyou. Seiren knocked me out, and Aragorn took me away while Seiren fought with the monster,' Legolas told the Elven lady.
Her face paled further, for what Galadrial had feared the most had occurred. Galadrial then turned to Aragorn. 'You did well to come here, Elessar. I have two things to give you that may be of value.'
Legolas was angry with himself.
"How many more!" he shouted, surprising Aragorn. "How many more friends will I lose to Motarasu!" He unconsciously reached out with his magic, and shattered all of the glass objects nearby.
'Stop, King of Mirkwood,' Galadrial said, not unkindly. 'You must not use the Light with anger, lest you become corrupted.'
The Elven lady took a deep breath. 'If you would follow me, please,' she beckoned, as she led the way to an inner courtyard.
Legolas snapped out of his anger when Aragorn squeezed his arm hard.
The two followed Galadrial, as she continued to lead them to yet another courtyard.
A tree stood in the middle of this courtyard. Shining silver blossoms were upon it.
Galadrial walked over and touched the tree. 'Seiren himself planted this tree here, Legolas,' she told the distraught elf. 'He said it was a symbol of hope. It is connected to his life force, Legolas, and it will cease to exist only on the day he dies.'
Legolas walked over to the tree and touched it. 'Then Seiren is alive?' he asked in disbelief.
Galadrial nodded slowly. 'But he is very near to death. See how the blossoms wilt before your eyes?'
Legolas gasped softly, as he found a tiny bud, which opened when the elf gently touched it.
Aragorn was in awe, for he had never seen a tree like this.
Galadrial spoke to them, before she turned and walked away silently. 'Rest here for a while, for you are weary and need rest. This is a magical place, so be at ease. No-one else is allowed here.'
The lovers nodded slowly.
After Galadrial had gone, Aragorn turned to Legolas, who turned to face him.
They stood there looking at each other, as twilight began to give way to darkness.
He walked over to his lover and took him in his arms.
Legolas returned the embrace, letting go of the blossom he held.
'Thank you, Estel,' Legolas whispered in Elvish, as he pressed his face against Aragorn's chest.
'For what?' Aragorn asked gently, enjoying the feel of the elf in his arms.
'For understanding that I needed time to grieve for my lost best friend, even if it now appears that there is hope,' Legolas told him. 'I did not mean to push you away.'
In response, Aragorn kissed Legolas gently, using his hands to tilt Legolas's face up towards him.
Legolas brought his hands under Aragorn's shirt, letting his sorrow and pain fade away as the one he loved comforted him this night.
To be continued
Silver On The Tree
Part 9
*****************************
In An Unknown Location
*****************************
Motarasu smirked at the Hobbits, who struggled in their ankle chains.
He thought that they were mere children, so he did not consider them a genuine threat.
Gandalf and Gimli were chained hand and foot, however. The dwarf and wizard glared at Motarasu.
All of their weapons had been removed, however.
Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin cringed as Motarasu sneered down at them.
"Mere children were part of the Fellowship?" Motarasu said, snickering. "It's amazing that they actually succeeded in destroying the Ring."
Gimli growled just low enough so that neither Motarasu nor his minions heard him.
"If he so much as touches one of the Hobbits, I'm taking him out," Gimli grumbled, as he exchanged a worried look with Gandalf.
"Calmly, son of Gloin. He has no reason to hurt them, for he does not know that they are not children. That will work to our advantage, for Motarasu will not expect them to be able to aid us. Therefore, the Hobbits will be less guarded than we are," Gandalf said in a low voice.
Gimli nodded reluctantly.
Both tensed as they saw the massive creature that Motarasu had summoned coming their way again.
Merry and Pippin gasped in horror, as did Frodo and Sam.
They could see that a body was being held by the creature, and the Hobbits thought that it was Legolas.
"You've returned, Kokushibyou. What of the elf?" Motarasu questioned.
The evil creation walked over to Motarasu, where he stood beside the Hobbits.
He unceremoniously dropped the body of the red-haired elf in front of Frodo.
"One escaped," Kokushibyou hissed. "This one kept me from pursuing him…" His voice sent shivers down Frodo's spine.
Motarasu knelt down, and wiped some blood off of the elf's face.
"It is Seiren, damn it," Motarasu snarled. "He aided Legolas in escaping me once more."
Legolas's friends were relieved to know that it wasn't him lying there, looking…dead.
"I need to rest…" Kokushibyou's voice was drawn out and hissed. "This elf hurt me. He is stronger than I would have thought, given that my own power weakens that of Light."
"He had Mikomi's assistance. I mean Legolas's," Motarasu snapped. He focused his own Dark magic, and Kokushibyou vanished from sight.
Motarasu struck the potentially dead elf across the face. "Are you alive or dead?" he muttered. "For I need you alive, for either you or Legolas will cast the spell to plunge this world into chaos."
He scowled and looked troubled.
Nekura knew her duty when Motarasu was troubled. She walked over to him and knelt before him.
"Do what you will, my king," she whispered, cruelty gleaming in her eyes.
Motarasu smiled, which repulsed the Hobbits. He reached out and pulled Nekura to her feet. The two strode off into the tent together.
Frodo and the Hobbits immediately began doing a much more gentle inspection of the elf who lay in front of them.
"What's his name, I wonder?" Merry asked.
"Seiren," Frodo told him. "Didn't you hear Motarasu? He's one of Legolas's friends."
"I was busy cowering from the creature," Merry said with a shudder.
Frodo placed his hand above Seiren's mouth, as Sam tried to see if the elf had a heartbeat.
Faint breath brushed Frodo's hand.
"He's alive, at least, but I do not think he will live if they hurt him anymore," Frodo murmured.
Sam nodded. "At least Legolas is safe."
"Is the elf alive?" Gandalf inquired, as low as he could so as not to attract unwanted attention, yet loud enough so that the hobbits could hear him.
"Yes," Pippin told the wizard. "But he looks bad."
The Hobbits looked up as the Kokuei who were assigned to guard them and feed them came over.
The Kokuei gave each Hobbit some food, as well as a small bag of water, before walking away.
The Hobbits had been punished once for trying to feed Gandalf and Gimli their food, and that had been enough of a warning.
Motarasu was strange to understand, for he rarely hurt the Hobbits, while he constantly struck the dwarf and wizard. Then again, he did believe that they were only children.
Sam tore a piece of his shirt and dipped it in his water. He used it to clean off Seiren's face, and the elf moaned softly in Elvish.
'Legolas…'
****************************************************************************
*****************************
Lothlorien
*****************************
Legolas sat silently before Aragorn as they rode Seiren's Elven horse into Lothlorien.
Lady Galadrial stood there at the border, waiting for them.
When they reached her, the elf and human dismounted.
Grief, sorrow, and anger was written all over Legolas's pale and bruised face.
Aragorn gripped his arm, as he led Legolas over to Lady Galadrial.
'What has happened?' Galadrial asked gently in Elvish, feeling sadness and despair from Legolas, as well as pain and loss.
'Seiren is gone,' Legolas whispered, using Elvish as well.
Galadrial paled slightly. 'He is dead?'
'We believe so,' Aragorn said, entering the conversation.
'How did it happen, Legolas?' Galadrial questioned gently.
'Motarasu Makkura awoke Kokushibyou. Seiren knocked me out, and Aragorn took me away while Seiren fought with the monster,' Legolas told the Elven lady.
Her face paled further, for what Galadrial had feared the most had occurred. Galadrial then turned to Aragorn. 'You did well to come here, Elessar. I have two things to give you that may be of value.'
Legolas was angry with himself.
"How many more!" he shouted, surprising Aragorn. "How many more friends will I lose to Motarasu!" He unconsciously reached out with his magic, and shattered all of the glass objects nearby.
'Stop, King of Mirkwood,' Galadrial said, not unkindly. 'You must not use the Light with anger, lest you become corrupted.'
The Elven lady took a deep breath. 'If you would follow me, please,' she beckoned, as she led the way to an inner courtyard.
Legolas snapped out of his anger when Aragorn squeezed his arm hard.
The two followed Galadrial, as she continued to lead them to yet another courtyard.
A tree stood in the middle of this courtyard. Shining silver blossoms were upon it.
Galadrial walked over and touched the tree. 'Seiren himself planted this tree here, Legolas,' she told the distraught elf. 'He said it was a symbol of hope. It is connected to his life force, Legolas, and it will cease to exist only on the day he dies.'
Legolas walked over to the tree and touched it. 'Then Seiren is alive?' he asked in disbelief.
Galadrial nodded slowly. 'But he is very near to death. See how the blossoms wilt before your eyes?'
Legolas gasped softly, as he found a tiny bud, which opened when the elf gently touched it.
Aragorn was in awe, for he had never seen a tree like this.
Galadrial spoke to them, before she turned and walked away silently. 'Rest here for a while, for you are weary and need rest. This is a magical place, so be at ease. No-one else is allowed here.'
The lovers nodded slowly.
After Galadrial had gone, Aragorn turned to Legolas, who turned to face him.
They stood there looking at each other, as twilight began to give way to darkness.
He walked over to his lover and took him in his arms.
Legolas returned the embrace, letting go of the blossom he held.
'Thank you, Estel,' Legolas whispered in Elvish, as he pressed his face against Aragorn's chest.
'For what?' Aragorn asked gently, enjoying the feel of the elf in his arms.
'For understanding that I needed time to grieve for my lost best friend, even if it now appears that there is hope,' Legolas told him. 'I did not mean to push you away.'
In response, Aragorn kissed Legolas gently, using his hands to tilt Legolas's face up towards him.
Legolas brought his hands under Aragorn's shirt, letting his sorrow and pain fade away as the one he loved comforted him this night.
To be continued