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)
45.
Legolas took Elenath by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Why are you doing this? Do you want to die? Are you not happy here? If you want to leave Mirkwood, you know that I will follow you anywhere. Just name the place."
"Legolas, your words are like curses flung at me. Do not say that I will die. Maybe I will, but I fail to see why God would allow that to happen. Shouldn't you be more worried about my honor guard?"
"Another reason you should abandon this ridiculous plot," he said. "At the first blast of fire from that dragon's mouth, every one of them will go down: Kara, David, Mike, and ten young humans from another world. How could you allow them to do this, Elenath? I thought that you cared for them."
She glared at him. "Let's get one thing straight, okay? I love those kids. Don't you dare ever accuse me of feeling otherwise!"
"If you loved them, you would have sent them back where they came from long ago," said Legolas.
"You don't understand where I'm coming from," she seethed. "You see what you see with your eyes and talk about the spiritual realm as if it was far away from you, out of reach and uncaring about the affairs of living beings. Well, that's a load of tripe, Legolas! To understand where I'm coming from, you need to understand that my God knows what he's doing when he does things. Even when he does crazy things and things that don't make sense and cannot be explained. He rescues the unreachable and saves those for whom all hope has been lost. You think that I'm going to die and that no one can rescue me? My God can! My God has!"
The poor Elf was taken aback by his wife's tirade. He looked at her with eyes full of confusion and exclaimed. "Elenath, I know almost nothing of this God! How am I supposed to trust him with the safety of my wife and child? If you think that I will, then you must not understand how much I love you, how much I need you, how much I love our baby."
Her expression softened a bit. "Legolas, Amin mela lle! I love you more than I love my own life! And the child in my womb is more precious to me than anything else in this whole world. But the Sword has spoken that I must fight with the ten from the other side of Andotempla at my side. Over and over again, the Blade has spoken the words of my God to me, and I trust that it is an instrument to help us find God's will here in Middle Earth. There is a purpose for all this. If I live or if I die; if we win or if we lose, there is a purpose far greater than you or I or even our little baby could ever fathom."
"You truly believe this," he said. It was a statement, and not a question, for his wife had shown by her actions again and again that she believed it.
"Yes I believe it! Where God leads I choose to follow, even if it seems crazy."
"And if I did chain you up?" he asked.
"I'd like to see you try," she replied with a mischievous grin.
He laughed. "I would not be so bold, My Lady. I do have one request, however."
"And what is that?"
He knelt before her as the ten warrior Elves had done in the Great hall. "Let me ride with you, Elenath. I will make the fourteenth member of your honor guard and will gladly protect you with bow and life if necessary."
She looked at him with wide eyes. "But… you're the Prince! You should be riding into battle with your own honor guard!"
"Just as you should have done fifty years ago when you chose to ride in my honor guard. Melamin, you died for me. I am willing to do the same for you, if only I can be by your side."
Doubts crept into her mind, but she subdued them. What he said made sense. "Then yes, if it pleases your father, I will grant your request."
***
King Thranduil did grant Legolas' request after two hours of debate with his son. The king was not pleased with the idea, but he knew Legolas well enough to know that he would find a way to fight at Elenath's side regardless of what anyone else said.
"I just hope this is not the death of you, Son," he said.
Legolas lowered his eyes, unwilling to let his father see the worry in them. "If Elenath dies, Father, then I am as good as dead myself. It only makes sense for me to guard her. I am more than willing to die if it means she will live and bring forth Mirkwood's new heir."
The king sighed. "Oh that she had returned to us in a time of peace, Legolas. She is confused and overwhelmed enough just by being here, though she slowly remembers. But now… we require her to fight as well. It seems a cruel punishment for one undeserving of anything but honor."
"She will rise to the occasion," replied Legolas, "just as she always does. Noble Elf that she is, she would never consider doing any less. But when this is over… when the dragon and the orcs are defeated, she will never have to lift a weapon in war again if I have any say in the matter."
"I felt the same about your mother," replied the King. "Now go, whip that honor guard into shape as best you can. Your wife's very life depends on it."
With a nod he retreated from the Great Hall and went in search of the ragtag group that had vowed to ride into battle with Elenath.
***
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)
45.
Legolas took Elenath by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Why are you doing this? Do you want to die? Are you not happy here? If you want to leave Mirkwood, you know that I will follow you anywhere. Just name the place."
"Legolas, your words are like curses flung at me. Do not say that I will die. Maybe I will, but I fail to see why God would allow that to happen. Shouldn't you be more worried about my honor guard?"
"Another reason you should abandon this ridiculous plot," he said. "At the first blast of fire from that dragon's mouth, every one of them will go down: Kara, David, Mike, and ten young humans from another world. How could you allow them to do this, Elenath? I thought that you cared for them."
She glared at him. "Let's get one thing straight, okay? I love those kids. Don't you dare ever accuse me of feeling otherwise!"
"If you loved them, you would have sent them back where they came from long ago," said Legolas.
"You don't understand where I'm coming from," she seethed. "You see what you see with your eyes and talk about the spiritual realm as if it was far away from you, out of reach and uncaring about the affairs of living beings. Well, that's a load of tripe, Legolas! To understand where I'm coming from, you need to understand that my God knows what he's doing when he does things. Even when he does crazy things and things that don't make sense and cannot be explained. He rescues the unreachable and saves those for whom all hope has been lost. You think that I'm going to die and that no one can rescue me? My God can! My God has!"
The poor Elf was taken aback by his wife's tirade. He looked at her with eyes full of confusion and exclaimed. "Elenath, I know almost nothing of this God! How am I supposed to trust him with the safety of my wife and child? If you think that I will, then you must not understand how much I love you, how much I need you, how much I love our baby."
Her expression softened a bit. "Legolas, Amin mela lle! I love you more than I love my own life! And the child in my womb is more precious to me than anything else in this whole world. But the Sword has spoken that I must fight with the ten from the other side of Andotempla at my side. Over and over again, the Blade has spoken the words of my God to me, and I trust that it is an instrument to help us find God's will here in Middle Earth. There is a purpose for all this. If I live or if I die; if we win or if we lose, there is a purpose far greater than you or I or even our little baby could ever fathom."
"You truly believe this," he said. It was a statement, and not a question, for his wife had shown by her actions again and again that she believed it.
"Yes I believe it! Where God leads I choose to follow, even if it seems crazy."
"And if I did chain you up?" he asked.
"I'd like to see you try," she replied with a mischievous grin.
He laughed. "I would not be so bold, My Lady. I do have one request, however."
"And what is that?"
He knelt before her as the ten warrior Elves had done in the Great hall. "Let me ride with you, Elenath. I will make the fourteenth member of your honor guard and will gladly protect you with bow and life if necessary."
She looked at him with wide eyes. "But… you're the Prince! You should be riding into battle with your own honor guard!"
"Just as you should have done fifty years ago when you chose to ride in my honor guard. Melamin, you died for me. I am willing to do the same for you, if only I can be by your side."
Doubts crept into her mind, but she subdued them. What he said made sense. "Then yes, if it pleases your father, I will grant your request."
***
King Thranduil did grant Legolas' request after two hours of debate with his son. The king was not pleased with the idea, but he knew Legolas well enough to know that he would find a way to fight at Elenath's side regardless of what anyone else said.
"I just hope this is not the death of you, Son," he said.
Legolas lowered his eyes, unwilling to let his father see the worry in them. "If Elenath dies, Father, then I am as good as dead myself. It only makes sense for me to guard her. I am more than willing to die if it means she will live and bring forth Mirkwood's new heir."
The king sighed. "Oh that she had returned to us in a time of peace, Legolas. She is confused and overwhelmed enough just by being here, though she slowly remembers. But now… we require her to fight as well. It seems a cruel punishment for one undeserving of anything but honor."
"She will rise to the occasion," replied Legolas, "just as she always does. Noble Elf that she is, she would never consider doing any less. But when this is over… when the dragon and the orcs are defeated, she will never have to lift a weapon in war again if I have any say in the matter."
"I felt the same about your mother," replied the King. "Now go, whip that honor guard into shape as best you can. Your wife's very life depends on it."
With a nod he retreated from the Great Hall and went in search of the ragtag group that had vowed to ride into battle with Elenath.
***