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)
38.
A thick and heavy mist had rolled into Mirkwood during the night, obscuring the princess's vision, but Elenath's bay mare seemed to know where they were going. Elenath had risen at dawn's first light and snuck out of the underground palace to the stables where she used her royal status to secure a horse and provisions. She would find Legolas. Even if it meant being horribly tortured for a thousand years, she would find her husband and would not leave his side ever again.
Elenath leaned forward slightly in her saddle and whispered gently in the mare's ear, just as Legolas had taught her. "Quickly now. We must find Legolas and Thorondil." She had already lost her father, and her mother had gone shortly after his death to recover her strength at Rivendell. How could she possibly face the rest of her long life without her husband and uncle by her side?
Her mare cantered steadily forward, picking a path easily through trees and over rivers while Elenath lifted heartfelt prayers heavenward for the safety of her loved ones and her ability to find them. She stopped mid- sentence, however, as the fog began to lift, revealing a horrific scene that seemed to freeze time. Her heart skipped a few beats and her eyes would not focus on the two Elves who lay face down next to their slain horses in the fallen autumn leaves. One dark-haired; the other, fair. Elenath's heart sank.
"No," she whispered as she dismounted and walked toward them. "No, please no…" Tears welled in her eyes and fell down her cheeks as she reached out to touch the fair-haired Elf's shoulder. Already weeping bitterly, she gently turned him over, her gaze meeting the cold, lifeless blue eyes of Legolas. A piercing wail echoed though the wood, and only moments later did she realize that it came from herself. "No!" she screamed, pulling his body close to herself, wishing that she could die right there. Maybe the orcs would come for her. Why bother with life anymore?
"Melamin, what is it?"
The voice pierced her consciousness and she looked with hope at the Elf in her arms. He remained lifeless. She scanned the forest around her and saw nothing. But she felt the warmth of living arms around her. Am I hallucinating? she thought.
"Amaelamin, come back to me…" It was definitely Legolas' voice, but that was impossible. Legolas was dead. She held his body in her arms.
"Oh, Legolas," she wept, closing her eyes tightly against the pain that overwhelmed her heart. "Oh, God, why? Why did I ever let him go?" Loud sobs wracked her. "Forgive me, My Love," she begged, "Please forgive me."
"Elenath, My Love, open your eyes."
There was his voice again, along with the warmth of his breath on her cheek and the velvet touch of his lips upon hers. Maybe it was his spirit, calling her to follow. "Tula, Melamin. Come back to me, My Love. Open your eyes."
She heard movement in the wood around her and smelled the same putrid scent that had permeated Legolas' room when the orcs had attacked there. "Let death come quickly," she prayed. "Please, Father, let it come quickly."
"Open your eyes!" came the reply, and she did at last, her gaze meeting the blue living warmth of her husband's.
Elenath felt her body jump and stiffen in Legolas' arms. The dim light of early morning was shining timidly through the skylight of the great hall of the underground palace, many concerned faces gathered around, including that of Thorondil. Her arms flew around her husband at once and she realized that she was still weeping.
"Shhh…" he whispered to her. "You had a bad dream. That is all. You are safe now."
"I… I've never experienced a dream so real." She clung to him, trying to regain her composure. "It was as if I was really there."
"I know," he whispered. "I know, Melamin."
She leaned her head against his shoulder and took deep breaths trying to calm herself. Elenath concentrated on the comforting circles that the prince was tracing on her back with the tips of his fingers and gradually began to breathe normally again. "Where have you been? I've been praying all night long."
"I felt your prayers and those of your friends," he replied. "I could hear them, Elenath. They saved our lives, I am sure of it. Thank you."
"It's what I was put here for," she replied, "But where were you? What happened?"
He shook his head, unwilling to answer. "We both need sleep and neither of us will want to after I tell you where I have been. So I will tell you after we wake up."
"But Legolas-"
"Melamin, I'm sorry. I cannot bear to repeat it just now. Please… just come to bed and get some rest." He looked around at the crowd that had gathered and whispered to her in Elvish, "Please, Elenath. Come to bed with me. Not an hour ago I feared I would never see you again. Now I just need you to stay close to me."
She sighed and managed a weak smile. "As you wish, My Prince."
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)
38.
A thick and heavy mist had rolled into Mirkwood during the night, obscuring the princess's vision, but Elenath's bay mare seemed to know where they were going. Elenath had risen at dawn's first light and snuck out of the underground palace to the stables where she used her royal status to secure a horse and provisions. She would find Legolas. Even if it meant being horribly tortured for a thousand years, she would find her husband and would not leave his side ever again.
Elenath leaned forward slightly in her saddle and whispered gently in the mare's ear, just as Legolas had taught her. "Quickly now. We must find Legolas and Thorondil." She had already lost her father, and her mother had gone shortly after his death to recover her strength at Rivendell. How could she possibly face the rest of her long life without her husband and uncle by her side?
Her mare cantered steadily forward, picking a path easily through trees and over rivers while Elenath lifted heartfelt prayers heavenward for the safety of her loved ones and her ability to find them. She stopped mid- sentence, however, as the fog began to lift, revealing a horrific scene that seemed to freeze time. Her heart skipped a few beats and her eyes would not focus on the two Elves who lay face down next to their slain horses in the fallen autumn leaves. One dark-haired; the other, fair. Elenath's heart sank.
"No," she whispered as she dismounted and walked toward them. "No, please no…" Tears welled in her eyes and fell down her cheeks as she reached out to touch the fair-haired Elf's shoulder. Already weeping bitterly, she gently turned him over, her gaze meeting the cold, lifeless blue eyes of Legolas. A piercing wail echoed though the wood, and only moments later did she realize that it came from herself. "No!" she screamed, pulling his body close to herself, wishing that she could die right there. Maybe the orcs would come for her. Why bother with life anymore?
"Melamin, what is it?"
The voice pierced her consciousness and she looked with hope at the Elf in her arms. He remained lifeless. She scanned the forest around her and saw nothing. But she felt the warmth of living arms around her. Am I hallucinating? she thought.
"Amaelamin, come back to me…" It was definitely Legolas' voice, but that was impossible. Legolas was dead. She held his body in her arms.
"Oh, Legolas," she wept, closing her eyes tightly against the pain that overwhelmed her heart. "Oh, God, why? Why did I ever let him go?" Loud sobs wracked her. "Forgive me, My Love," she begged, "Please forgive me."
"Elenath, My Love, open your eyes."
There was his voice again, along with the warmth of his breath on her cheek and the velvet touch of his lips upon hers. Maybe it was his spirit, calling her to follow. "Tula, Melamin. Come back to me, My Love. Open your eyes."
She heard movement in the wood around her and smelled the same putrid scent that had permeated Legolas' room when the orcs had attacked there. "Let death come quickly," she prayed. "Please, Father, let it come quickly."
"Open your eyes!" came the reply, and she did at last, her gaze meeting the blue living warmth of her husband's.
Elenath felt her body jump and stiffen in Legolas' arms. The dim light of early morning was shining timidly through the skylight of the great hall of the underground palace, many concerned faces gathered around, including that of Thorondil. Her arms flew around her husband at once and she realized that she was still weeping.
"Shhh…" he whispered to her. "You had a bad dream. That is all. You are safe now."
"I… I've never experienced a dream so real." She clung to him, trying to regain her composure. "It was as if I was really there."
"I know," he whispered. "I know, Melamin."
She leaned her head against his shoulder and took deep breaths trying to calm herself. Elenath concentrated on the comforting circles that the prince was tracing on her back with the tips of his fingers and gradually began to breathe normally again. "Where have you been? I've been praying all night long."
"I felt your prayers and those of your friends," he replied. "I could hear them, Elenath. They saved our lives, I am sure of it. Thank you."
"It's what I was put here for," she replied, "But where were you? What happened?"
He shook his head, unwilling to answer. "We both need sleep and neither of us will want to after I tell you where I have been. So I will tell you after we wake up."
"But Legolas-"
"Melamin, I'm sorry. I cannot bear to repeat it just now. Please… just come to bed and get some rest." He looked around at the crowd that had gathered and whispered to her in Elvish, "Please, Elenath. Come to bed with me. Not an hour ago I feared I would never see you again. Now I just need you to stay close to me."
She sighed and managed a weak smile. "As you wish, My Prince."