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)
42.
"What did you say to her?" asked Legolas of Marcus as they left the meeting. Elenath was talking with Mike at the other end of the room.
The young Man shrugged. "I only reminded her of Rebecca, Mike's step daughter. Her mother Diana got really sick while she was pregnant and the doctors told her she should end the pregnancy to save her own life. She didn't do what the doctors said. She trusted God to do what He would, even though she knew that she and her child might both die."
"And we both know how that turned out," said Legolas.
Marcus just smiled and gestured to the other end of the room where Diana had joined her new husband. Elenath stood next to them, holding the child Rebecca in her arms. Becca was kissing Elenath's cheek and playing with the Princess's long auburn curls. "Elenath always says how she can't imagine her life without Diana or Becca. She says their presence in her life is all the proof that she needs that God knows what he's doing."
Legolas watched his wife with the child for a few minutes. It seemed so natural to see her with the little girl. It was as if she was meant to be a mother. He could not imagine his grief should she fall in battle, taking their child with her. He certainly would not survive it, and Mirkwood would lose three royals all in one fell swoop. "It is a rare time that I can say that I am happy that I am not my father. But this is one of those times. I would not make this decision for anything."
"Dude, I don't blame you. It's a tough choice," said Marcus, shaking his head.
***
"How would you resolve this situation?" Legolas asked Elenath when they found a moment alone in the courtyard. Moonlight shone down on the stark shadow of autumn trees and a million stars twinkled in the sky above them. "Do you wish to fight?"
She sat down on a bench and sighed. "Yes and no. I am glad the decision is out of my hands. Do you wish for me to fight?"
Legolas looked at her for a long moment before leaning near to kiss her forehead. "No, Melamin. I do not wish for you to fight. I wish for you to stay here, safe behind palace walls. I could not bear to see you burned by dragon fire, our child dead within you. No. It would kill me."
The two looked up at the stars for a time. Neither noticed Susan and Marcus approaching the courtyard, or saw them linger in the passageway when they noticed the royal couple there. Legolas spoke again. "But I made a promise when we were married."
"What promise was that?" she asked.
He looked at her a little sadly. "You do not yet remember?"
"I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head no. "The sword brings memories of war. Battles and techniques. Perhaps when danger has passed I will be allowed more pleasant memories. What did you promise?"
"I promised never to interfere with your responsibilities as the bearer of the Sword. I've only almost broken that promise once – when Estel first brought the weapon here and I tried to keep him from giving it to you."
She nodded. "So you will stand by whatever decision your father makes."
"Of course. I have no choice. He is my father and my king. And the promise I made at our marriage only makes any objection impossible."
She looked into his worried blue eyes and drew him near for a long kiss. "Do not worry, My Love. I have great peace in my heart regarding this matter. Let it reign in yours as well."
"Amaelamin, you are my everything. How can I not worry?"
She answered his question with one of her own, changing the subject. "What else did we promise on our wedding day, Legolas?"
He smiled. "We promised to love one another, to respect one another, to cherish one another… Here I will tell you." He turned toward her and took her hands in his. "I Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, do promise to love you with all my heart, forsaking all others. I promise to protect you with my life if necessary, to respect you and to cherish each moment that we share. I will support you in trials and celebrate with you on joyous occasions. All that I am is pledged to you and you alone, and all that I have, I give now to you. This bond that we share shall be unbreakable even in death. I shall be forever yours, and you forever mine."
She smiled. "And what did I promise in return?"
He traced a line from her nose to the neckline of her gown. "The very same thing, Melamin."
"I wish I could remember," she sighed. "I've been planning my wedding since I was five. I mean since I was five this time around."
"You will remember," he reassured her.
In the shadows, Marcus and Susan exchanged a meaningful glance and snuck away.
***
Almost every member of Thranduil's Council visited him in his chambers over the next twenty-four hours. Most stayed only a few minutes, but some like Lord Elrond stayed for an hour or more. Legolas did not offer his father any council. He had none to offer aside from "I do not know." He spent the time training with Elenath until a meeting of the entire Kingdom was called and everyone reported to the Great Hall.
Thranduil sat alone on his throne, his face set in stone, not revealing any emotion at all as the Elves filed in. Finally when all were settled, he spoke in a loud, clear voice. "I cannot make this decision."
"What?" asked Elenath. "You must!"
Thranduil shook his head. "It is not for me to decide."
"Then who's supposed to decide?"
"We will let the Sword decide," he answered. "We will get its answer now if you would be so kind, Princess."
The king motioned to the floor at his feet and Elenath rose.
"The one decision that I came to is that the Sword must be wielded in this battle. If when it is put down at my feet, it chooses Elenath, then she will fight in the battle. If it chooses another, then that person will bear Calmakil and the princess will not fight."
With a short prayer, Elenath laid her beautiful sword at King Thranduil's feet and stepped back. The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. For many long minutes, the weapon was silent and they began to wonder if it would ever speak. When it finally did, the room erupted into confusion and surprise. The Sword's decision had seemed to cause more questions than it had answered.
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)
42.
"What did you say to her?" asked Legolas of Marcus as they left the meeting. Elenath was talking with Mike at the other end of the room.
The young Man shrugged. "I only reminded her of Rebecca, Mike's step daughter. Her mother Diana got really sick while she was pregnant and the doctors told her she should end the pregnancy to save her own life. She didn't do what the doctors said. She trusted God to do what He would, even though she knew that she and her child might both die."
"And we both know how that turned out," said Legolas.
Marcus just smiled and gestured to the other end of the room where Diana had joined her new husband. Elenath stood next to them, holding the child Rebecca in her arms. Becca was kissing Elenath's cheek and playing with the Princess's long auburn curls. "Elenath always says how she can't imagine her life without Diana or Becca. She says their presence in her life is all the proof that she needs that God knows what he's doing."
Legolas watched his wife with the child for a few minutes. It seemed so natural to see her with the little girl. It was as if she was meant to be a mother. He could not imagine his grief should she fall in battle, taking their child with her. He certainly would not survive it, and Mirkwood would lose three royals all in one fell swoop. "It is a rare time that I can say that I am happy that I am not my father. But this is one of those times. I would not make this decision for anything."
"Dude, I don't blame you. It's a tough choice," said Marcus, shaking his head.
***
"How would you resolve this situation?" Legolas asked Elenath when they found a moment alone in the courtyard. Moonlight shone down on the stark shadow of autumn trees and a million stars twinkled in the sky above them. "Do you wish to fight?"
She sat down on a bench and sighed. "Yes and no. I am glad the decision is out of my hands. Do you wish for me to fight?"
Legolas looked at her for a long moment before leaning near to kiss her forehead. "No, Melamin. I do not wish for you to fight. I wish for you to stay here, safe behind palace walls. I could not bear to see you burned by dragon fire, our child dead within you. No. It would kill me."
The two looked up at the stars for a time. Neither noticed Susan and Marcus approaching the courtyard, or saw them linger in the passageway when they noticed the royal couple there. Legolas spoke again. "But I made a promise when we were married."
"What promise was that?" she asked.
He looked at her a little sadly. "You do not yet remember?"
"I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head no. "The sword brings memories of war. Battles and techniques. Perhaps when danger has passed I will be allowed more pleasant memories. What did you promise?"
"I promised never to interfere with your responsibilities as the bearer of the Sword. I've only almost broken that promise once – when Estel first brought the weapon here and I tried to keep him from giving it to you."
She nodded. "So you will stand by whatever decision your father makes."
"Of course. I have no choice. He is my father and my king. And the promise I made at our marriage only makes any objection impossible."
She looked into his worried blue eyes and drew him near for a long kiss. "Do not worry, My Love. I have great peace in my heart regarding this matter. Let it reign in yours as well."
"Amaelamin, you are my everything. How can I not worry?"
She answered his question with one of her own, changing the subject. "What else did we promise on our wedding day, Legolas?"
He smiled. "We promised to love one another, to respect one another, to cherish one another… Here I will tell you." He turned toward her and took her hands in his. "I Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, do promise to love you with all my heart, forsaking all others. I promise to protect you with my life if necessary, to respect you and to cherish each moment that we share. I will support you in trials and celebrate with you on joyous occasions. All that I am is pledged to you and you alone, and all that I have, I give now to you. This bond that we share shall be unbreakable even in death. I shall be forever yours, and you forever mine."
She smiled. "And what did I promise in return?"
He traced a line from her nose to the neckline of her gown. "The very same thing, Melamin."
"I wish I could remember," she sighed. "I've been planning my wedding since I was five. I mean since I was five this time around."
"You will remember," he reassured her.
In the shadows, Marcus and Susan exchanged a meaningful glance and snuck away.
***
Almost every member of Thranduil's Council visited him in his chambers over the next twenty-four hours. Most stayed only a few minutes, but some like Lord Elrond stayed for an hour or more. Legolas did not offer his father any council. He had none to offer aside from "I do not know." He spent the time training with Elenath until a meeting of the entire Kingdom was called and everyone reported to the Great Hall.
Thranduil sat alone on his throne, his face set in stone, not revealing any emotion at all as the Elves filed in. Finally when all were settled, he spoke in a loud, clear voice. "I cannot make this decision."
"What?" asked Elenath. "You must!"
Thranduil shook his head. "It is not for me to decide."
"Then who's supposed to decide?"
"We will let the Sword decide," he answered. "We will get its answer now if you would be so kind, Princess."
The king motioned to the floor at his feet and Elenath rose.
"The one decision that I came to is that the Sword must be wielded in this battle. If when it is put down at my feet, it chooses Elenath, then she will fight in the battle. If it chooses another, then that person will bear Calmakil and the princess will not fight."
With a short prayer, Elenath laid her beautiful sword at King Thranduil's feet and stepped back. The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. For many long minutes, the weapon was silent and they began to wonder if it would ever speak. When it finally did, the room erupted into confusion and surprise. The Sword's decision had seemed to cause more questions than it had answered.