RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
36.
Elenath tried to explain to her young friends everything that she had learned about herself, but was quickly called away for practice with the guards. Fortunately, Kara showed up about that time, and after another emotional reunion, filled them in on everything from Elenath's Elven blood and Royal birth to her history with Legolas, while the preparations for battle went on around them. She left out the part about impending battle, unsure if they could deal with it. They had been upset enough when she told them that no, there was no electricity in Middle Earth.
For a while after Kara fell silent, the newcomers watched Elenath train with the warriors of Mirkwood, shouting encouragement and saying things like, "Look at that wicked sword!" and "Man, this is freakin' awesome!"
"No, this is not 'freakin' awesome,'" said Elenath, sitting out for a few moments to catch her breath. "This is freakin' for real. "
"What do you mean?" asked Marcus.
The princess sighed. "Sit down. I've got something important to tell you."
They gathered in a tight circle as the Elves looked on curiously and Elenath caught her breath.
"I've never lied to you," said the princess at last, looking each of them in the eye in turn, "and I don't intend to start doing so now."
"That bad, eh?" said Marcus. "We're in trouble aren't we?"
"Yeah," said Elenath. "Big trouble. Guys, it sounds to me like you prayed yourselves right into Mirkwood, and God would not have allowed you to come here without a good reason. But I have to say that I'm worried about all of you."
"What are you talking about?" asked Susan, "Sum- I mean Elenath, this is us, remember? The ones who hit the drug houses and shine light into the darkness. We're cool. We can take care of ourselves."
"You don't understand," said the Princess, "You've been dropped right in the middle of a war zone. This palace is secure, and the surrounding kingdom is relatively safe, but we are under siege, surrounded by the enemy and cut off from our allies."
The kids did grow sober then. "You mean that we are all going to die."
"I don't know," said Elenath. "Nobody knows. The creatures that surround us are orcs - the most hideous beasts that you could ever imagine. They are stupid but they fight with skill and some coat their blades and arrows with deadly poison. But the Eagles have been able to notify our allies – the Elves of Rivendell where I was born, and the Elves of Lorien. In about a month there will be a battle. Anything could happen then." She looked at the ground, opening herself to the young men and women around her. "I fear for my people and their way of life. I know that probably sounds crazy to you since I haven't been here that long, but it is true. This place has truly become my home and the Elves here are my family, though a day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought of you."
The teens gathered closer around her, some of them lying comforting hands on her. Marcus patted her on the arm. "You shouldn't fear. That was one of the first things you taught us, remember? No fear. You're a child of God. A princess not only here, but in the heavenly realms. You became one when you accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross."
Susan nodded. "Romans eight fifteen. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received a spirit of sonship. Jah looks at you as His daughter, Elenath. And He's one powerful Daddy."
Elenath smiled at Susan's familiar reference to God. "Jah," a shortened form of Jehovah, was the name that they most often called Him.
Another of the kids spoke up. "God is perfect love. First John four eighteen says there is no fear in love and perfect love drives out fear."
Then to the Princess' delight, they began to shout in powerful voices:
"O Lord," said the guys, and the ladies repeated it.
"How many are my foes!" they shouted together.
"How many rise up against me (rise up against me)!
Many are saying of me,
'God will not deliver him.'
But You are a shield (a mighty shield) around me, O Lord;
You bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
To the Lord (To Jah) I cry aloud,
And He answers me from His holy hill.
I lie down and sleep (a peaceful sleep);
I wake again for the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear (no, I will not fear) the tens of thousands
Drawn up against me on every side!"
They stood up, raising their fists into the air and stomping their feet.
"Arise O Lord!
Deliver us, O my God!
Strike all our enemies on the jaw;
Break the teeth of the wicked.
From the Lord comes deliverance.
May Your blessing (AWESOME BLESSING) be on your people!"
Everyone on the field had turned to look when they started chanting, including Prince Legolas. He saw a change come over his wife as her friends shouted those words. Her posture changed from afraid to confident. The worried expression on her face changed to a self-assured smile and he was suddenly very glad that they had come. Legolas sighed, just drinking in the beauty of his wife. She was like a flower against the black-clothed background of her young friends.
"You all are such a blessing," she was saying to them. "Thank you so much."
"Hey," said Marcus. "You've been there for us in countless dark times when nobody else would even give us the time of day. We love you, El. We're here for you, and you know that none of us is afraid to die."
"We wouldn't be here if we were," laughed Susan.
"Whatever you need," continued Marcus, "Just let us know. Maybe we're not warriors in the same way all of these guys are." He gestured to the Elves around them, "But anything we can do to help with this battle… Just let us know, a'ight?"
Elenath regarded them with pride in her eyes. "Alright," she said, "You can pray. Pray like you've never prayed before."
Legolas witnessed the whole scene from a distance, amazed at Elenath's simple request and her friends' willingness to help. He was about to approach them when Thorondil appeared at his side, riding one horse and leading another.
"Your Highness," said the Captain of the Guard, "Am I right in assuming that you've grown restless within the walls of the palace?"
He nodded. "You know me well, Thorondil. I long to ride through the forest but my father forbids it."
"He has given me leave to scout the West Road and permission for you to come with me if you wish."
Legolas was not about to miss such an opportunity. He had missed his freedom and mounted the horse at once. "Let me tell my wife."
Thorondil just nodded, nudging his horse to follow Legolas' toward the group of young humans.
Elenath was preparing to return to her practice when he came up beside her. Her smile when she turned toward him was brilliant and he could not help but return it. "Thorondil has requested my presence on a scouting mission," he said to her.
Her smile faded. "Give me a moment and I will join you."
Legolas reached out to lightly caress her cheek. "No. Stay here, my love. It has done you much good to see these old friends. I can see the change it has brought to you." He looked up and nodded to them, and then returned his gaze to Elenath. "I will return before the day fades into night."
"Promise?" she asked.
"Of course." With that, he bent low to kiss her. "Practice hard. The Elves of Mirkwood look up to you for strength and encouragement."
"As you wish, Legolas, though I know that it is you they really look at for inspiration."
The two of them exchanged smiles as he turned his horse and began to ride away.
"My heart goes with you," she said to him.
He turned his head to look at her again. "As always, my heart remains wherever you are."
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
36.
Elenath tried to explain to her young friends everything that she had learned about herself, but was quickly called away for practice with the guards. Fortunately, Kara showed up about that time, and after another emotional reunion, filled them in on everything from Elenath's Elven blood and Royal birth to her history with Legolas, while the preparations for battle went on around them. She left out the part about impending battle, unsure if they could deal with it. They had been upset enough when she told them that no, there was no electricity in Middle Earth.
For a while after Kara fell silent, the newcomers watched Elenath train with the warriors of Mirkwood, shouting encouragement and saying things like, "Look at that wicked sword!" and "Man, this is freakin' awesome!"
"No, this is not 'freakin' awesome,'" said Elenath, sitting out for a few moments to catch her breath. "This is freakin' for real. "
"What do you mean?" asked Marcus.
The princess sighed. "Sit down. I've got something important to tell you."
They gathered in a tight circle as the Elves looked on curiously and Elenath caught her breath.
"I've never lied to you," said the princess at last, looking each of them in the eye in turn, "and I don't intend to start doing so now."
"That bad, eh?" said Marcus. "We're in trouble aren't we?"
"Yeah," said Elenath. "Big trouble. Guys, it sounds to me like you prayed yourselves right into Mirkwood, and God would not have allowed you to come here without a good reason. But I have to say that I'm worried about all of you."
"What are you talking about?" asked Susan, "Sum- I mean Elenath, this is us, remember? The ones who hit the drug houses and shine light into the darkness. We're cool. We can take care of ourselves."
"You don't understand," said the Princess, "You've been dropped right in the middle of a war zone. This palace is secure, and the surrounding kingdom is relatively safe, but we are under siege, surrounded by the enemy and cut off from our allies."
The kids did grow sober then. "You mean that we are all going to die."
"I don't know," said Elenath. "Nobody knows. The creatures that surround us are orcs - the most hideous beasts that you could ever imagine. They are stupid but they fight with skill and some coat their blades and arrows with deadly poison. But the Eagles have been able to notify our allies – the Elves of Rivendell where I was born, and the Elves of Lorien. In about a month there will be a battle. Anything could happen then." She looked at the ground, opening herself to the young men and women around her. "I fear for my people and their way of life. I know that probably sounds crazy to you since I haven't been here that long, but it is true. This place has truly become my home and the Elves here are my family, though a day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought of you."
The teens gathered closer around her, some of them lying comforting hands on her. Marcus patted her on the arm. "You shouldn't fear. That was one of the first things you taught us, remember? No fear. You're a child of God. A princess not only here, but in the heavenly realms. You became one when you accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross."
Susan nodded. "Romans eight fifteen. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received a spirit of sonship. Jah looks at you as His daughter, Elenath. And He's one powerful Daddy."
Elenath smiled at Susan's familiar reference to God. "Jah," a shortened form of Jehovah, was the name that they most often called Him.
Another of the kids spoke up. "God is perfect love. First John four eighteen says there is no fear in love and perfect love drives out fear."
Then to the Princess' delight, they began to shout in powerful voices:
"O Lord," said the guys, and the ladies repeated it.
"How many are my foes!" they shouted together.
"How many rise up against me (rise up against me)!
Many are saying of me,
'God will not deliver him.'
But You are a shield (a mighty shield) around me, O Lord;
You bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
To the Lord (To Jah) I cry aloud,
And He answers me from His holy hill.
I lie down and sleep (a peaceful sleep);
I wake again for the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear (no, I will not fear) the tens of thousands
Drawn up against me on every side!"
They stood up, raising their fists into the air and stomping their feet.
"Arise O Lord!
Deliver us, O my God!
Strike all our enemies on the jaw;
Break the teeth of the wicked.
From the Lord comes deliverance.
May Your blessing (AWESOME BLESSING) be on your people!"
Everyone on the field had turned to look when they started chanting, including Prince Legolas. He saw a change come over his wife as her friends shouted those words. Her posture changed from afraid to confident. The worried expression on her face changed to a self-assured smile and he was suddenly very glad that they had come. Legolas sighed, just drinking in the beauty of his wife. She was like a flower against the black-clothed background of her young friends.
"You all are such a blessing," she was saying to them. "Thank you so much."
"Hey," said Marcus. "You've been there for us in countless dark times when nobody else would even give us the time of day. We love you, El. We're here for you, and you know that none of us is afraid to die."
"We wouldn't be here if we were," laughed Susan.
"Whatever you need," continued Marcus, "Just let us know. Maybe we're not warriors in the same way all of these guys are." He gestured to the Elves around them, "But anything we can do to help with this battle… Just let us know, a'ight?"
Elenath regarded them with pride in her eyes. "Alright," she said, "You can pray. Pray like you've never prayed before."
Legolas witnessed the whole scene from a distance, amazed at Elenath's simple request and her friends' willingness to help. He was about to approach them when Thorondil appeared at his side, riding one horse and leading another.
"Your Highness," said the Captain of the Guard, "Am I right in assuming that you've grown restless within the walls of the palace?"
He nodded. "You know me well, Thorondil. I long to ride through the forest but my father forbids it."
"He has given me leave to scout the West Road and permission for you to come with me if you wish."
Legolas was not about to miss such an opportunity. He had missed his freedom and mounted the horse at once. "Let me tell my wife."
Thorondil just nodded, nudging his horse to follow Legolas' toward the group of young humans.
Elenath was preparing to return to her practice when he came up beside her. Her smile when she turned toward him was brilliant and he could not help but return it. "Thorondil has requested my presence on a scouting mission," he said to her.
Her smile faded. "Give me a moment and I will join you."
Legolas reached out to lightly caress her cheek. "No. Stay here, my love. It has done you much good to see these old friends. I can see the change it has brought to you." He looked up and nodded to them, and then returned his gaze to Elenath. "I will return before the day fades into night."
"Promise?" she asked.
"Of course." With that, he bent low to kiss her. "Practice hard. The Elves of Mirkwood look up to you for strength and encouragement."
"As you wish, Legolas, though I know that it is you they really look at for inspiration."
The two of them exchanged smiles as he turned his horse and began to ride away.
"My heart goes with you," she said to him.
He turned his head to look at her again. "As always, my heart remains wherever you are."