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)
37.
Legolas did not keep his promise to return that day. As the sun sank below the horizon, Elenath grew worried. She should have gone with him; should have insisted on doing so. Here behind palace walls she could do nothing but pray with David, Kara, and Pastor Mike and those who had arrived with him that day. She wanted to be at her husband's side, whatever the peril he faced, and she knew that he had to be in some kind of peril or he would be with her now.
Elenath would not eat and refused to go to bed. Instead, she sat up with Marcus, Susan, Pastor Mike and his new wife Diana as the five of them continued to pray. Now and then some of the other teens would join them for a few minutes before stumbling back to bed.
Finally, Lord Elrond approached the group and set a plate of food in front of Elenath.
"I'm not hungry, Grandfather," she said. "I'm too worried to eat."
He sat down next to her on the floor. "Your friends," he said, gesturing to them, "have the right attitude, it seems. They pray fervently just as this book says to do." He set Elenath's Bible down in front of her. "They do what they can, but they do not fret about what they cannot change."
"I can't stand the thought of him hurt somewhere with no one to help him. Would you be so calm if it was me instead of him?"
"You really love this Legolas guy, don't you?" asked Marcus, stumbling a little over the prince's name. "I never seen you so worried."
"Yes I love him," she said. "Of course I love him. Somewhere in here," she knocked on her head, "are a thousand years of memories. A thousand years I have loved him! And my heart remembers every second. If he's not back by morning, I'm going out after him."
"Elenath," said Elrond, "Do not be foolish."
"What? What is foolish? They can't hurt me. I'm pregnant."
"Elenath, it is true that the orcs would not be able to harm you, but make no mistake, they could hurt you. Pain is not always harmful to the body. If they captured you they would torture you horribly until you wished for death."
"Like they're probably torturing Legolas now? How can you expect me to just sit here? I cannot!" Tears welled up in her eyes and Mike placed a comforting hand on her arm.
"You do not know that the orcs have him. There could be many reasons he has not yet returned."
"Such as? He gave me his word, Mike."
After a time, Elrond finally convinced her to eat a little bit, but the plate was by no means empty when it was taken away from the room. Hours later, finally giving in to her weariness, she leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes, slipping into a light slumber plagued with nightmares.
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)
37.
Legolas did not keep his promise to return that day. As the sun sank below the horizon, Elenath grew worried. She should have gone with him; should have insisted on doing so. Here behind palace walls she could do nothing but pray with David, Kara, and Pastor Mike and those who had arrived with him that day. She wanted to be at her husband's side, whatever the peril he faced, and she knew that he had to be in some kind of peril or he would be with her now.
Elenath would not eat and refused to go to bed. Instead, she sat up with Marcus, Susan, Pastor Mike and his new wife Diana as the five of them continued to pray. Now and then some of the other teens would join them for a few minutes before stumbling back to bed.
Finally, Lord Elrond approached the group and set a plate of food in front of Elenath.
"I'm not hungry, Grandfather," she said. "I'm too worried to eat."
He sat down next to her on the floor. "Your friends," he said, gesturing to them, "have the right attitude, it seems. They pray fervently just as this book says to do." He set Elenath's Bible down in front of her. "They do what they can, but they do not fret about what they cannot change."
"I can't stand the thought of him hurt somewhere with no one to help him. Would you be so calm if it was me instead of him?"
"You really love this Legolas guy, don't you?" asked Marcus, stumbling a little over the prince's name. "I never seen you so worried."
"Yes I love him," she said. "Of course I love him. Somewhere in here," she knocked on her head, "are a thousand years of memories. A thousand years I have loved him! And my heart remembers every second. If he's not back by morning, I'm going out after him."
"Elenath," said Elrond, "Do not be foolish."
"What? What is foolish? They can't hurt me. I'm pregnant."
"Elenath, it is true that the orcs would not be able to harm you, but make no mistake, they could hurt you. Pain is not always harmful to the body. If they captured you they would torture you horribly until you wished for death."
"Like they're probably torturing Legolas now? How can you expect me to just sit here? I cannot!" Tears welled up in her eyes and Mike placed a comforting hand on her arm.
"You do not know that the orcs have him. There could be many reasons he has not yet returned."
"Such as? He gave me his word, Mike."
After a time, Elrond finally convinced her to eat a little bit, but the plate was by no means empty when it was taken away from the room. Hours later, finally giving in to her weariness, she leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes, slipping into a light slumber plagued with nightmares.