Purity
Chapter 5: Pure and Stained
Levicia growled in frustration as she resisted the urge to pummel the Prince into a bloody pulp for his annoyance. He laughed at her embarrasment as she continued to lean forward, away from his chest.
"Be still, Lady," he snickered and fiercely pulled her body towards him again.
"Curse you, you blasted Elf!" she hissed at him.
"Blasted Elf? Is that to be my new name?" he questioned teasingly.
"If I were to rename you it would be the damned man whore of Middle Earth!" she growled. He flinched, pulling Portal to an abrupt halt causing them to jerk forward slightly. "What are you do-" her voice was cut off as he cupped a hand over her mouth and pressed her closely to his chest and leaned forward so that his lips were next to her ear.
"Be still, we're being followed," he whispered before she could protest; her cries, which were muffled by his hand, ceased as she sharpened her hearing to listen for anyt movement.
They had both dismounted Portal and were now looking around, their eyesight sharper than that of an eagle serched for any near being who had been pursuing them. Realizing someone may recognize her and spoil her plan, Levicia covered her face within the shadows of her hood.
"You know not how long I've been searching for you, dear friend," a familiar voice spoke to Legolas. He nodded towards the man who did so in return. Levicia recognized the man to be Aragorn, the one she'd engulfed in battle with a few days earlier.
Barely keeping her rage towards him under control, she slid her slender fingers along the rim of her hood to ensure that it was concealing her facial features well and slowly turned her head away from him. Gripping the handle of her sword firmly, she listed to their conversation intently.
Destroy them! a voice boomed in her mind causing her to jump slightly.
Be patient, my lord, she thought, my plan has not yet reached its peak!
What do you propose you shall do?! Wait until they've discovered you and kill you in your sleep?!
They will lead me to the others and then I will attack, she informed him. She hadn't noticed as of yet, but when the Dark Lord had entered her soul to speak with her, the ring which was bound around her neck began to burn her flesh slowly and lightly. She suddenly became short of breath as she found it difficult to draw in air.
What's wrong? he asked her, noting that she had become reluctant to continue.
I shall speak with you later, she thought, wincing as her chest seemed to tighten. The Dark Lord left her and her stasis returned to normal abruptly causing her to pant heavily.
"My lady," Legolas turned to her and shook her shoulders when he'd gotten no response. Her eyes darted about finding no sign of Aragorn, not noticing when he had departed as she was too ensued with the conversation with the Dark Lord.
Legolas shook her again more fiercely, causing her hood to fall on her shoulders. She gasped and looked up at the tall, blonde elf.
"Is he still here?" she asked, catching her breath.
"Nay, lady. Are you alright? You were having trouble breathing," he said, searching through her eyes with worry.
"It was nothing, I was just... suffocated for a moment," she explained. He nodded and mounted Portal once more, offering her his hand which she declined.
"Something wrong, lady?"
"Nay," she scoffed, shaking her head, "I prefer to walk for now."
Legolas snickered, "still afraid of me?"
"I fear no one," she snapped and turned away from him. He jumped down from the horse and walked at a quickened pace behind her. While catching up to her, he watched as she lifted her hood once more. Graceful was the only word he could think of to describe her actions, even that small motion. He knew that she appeared tough and emotionless, save anger, but she truly was graceful.
"Why do you embark on this journey?" he asked once he'd caught up with her.
"I search for the ring," she said simply, knowing he would understand which ring she spoke of.
"What for?" he inquired.
Levicia sighed and looked to him. Just as she was to respond an arrow flew between them and imbedded itself into the soil beneath the two figures.
"Run," Legolas ordered and towed her along with him. She knew what was attacking them, a fleet of orcs, but she couldn't very well say that she could calm them so she stammered while trying to think of another excuse to return.
"But... but my horse!" she cried.
"You need not worry about it now," he pulled her faster away.
"But she cannot hold her own in battle!" Suddenly, before they knew it or could react much less, a swarm of orc surrounded them. She groaned, now her identity would be revealed for there were too many of them to battle. She did not fear this because she couldn't defeat them, but because if she did so she would arise great suspicion from Legolas. If she did not reveal herself they would be killed.
"We shalt surely die..." he whispered, counting the numerous orc around them.
"My dear elf, you give up too easily," she snickered and took a few steps towards the mob.
"Stop," he whispered harshly to her only to receive a wave of her hand in dismissal.
"Stand down," she demanded them and pulled her hood down, "by order of the Dark Lordess!"
Legolas looked at her with shock and fear, he had been in the company of Levicia without any knowledge of who she was. She could have easily killed him, but chose not to, why? She had attempted many times before, but never finished the job. These thoughts ran through his mind in bewilderment, confusin him even further.
The orcs surround them stopped advancing, but looked at each other in confusion not quite sure if this indeed was the Dark Lordess. A few orcs stepped forward as if challenging her, earning a smirk from her dark lips.
Levicia glanced at Legolas before covering her own ears, arching her back and letting out a blood curling scream resembling that of a terrible lizard that shook the ground around them. The orcs cowered away in fear, feeling their very souls being tossed about from the cry. Legolas threw his hands up and covered his ears wincing. If he'd been a second too late, he could swear he would feel his ear drums explode and blood drip down, killing him.
The silver band hanging loosely on her chest began to glow a soft white as a whispy hand reached up and wrapped its long fingers about her neck, cutting off her voice. The only one who had noticed this was Legolas and Levicia herself.
She looked back down at the orcs and hissed at them and spoke in a language that he did not understand. "Return from whence you came you ignorant beasts for I have not summoned you!" She sheathed her sword and rammed it into the nearest orc. "Hesitate on my orders again and you will suffer a fate much worse than death! Leave me to my mission and do not return until I have asked for your worthless rotting carcasses to aid me!"
Once all the orc had retreated, she turned to face Legolas who glared at her with malevolence, aiming his arrow towards her with deadly accuracy. She let out a disgusted sigh and grasped the end of the arrow and pushed it towards her chest.
"Do it," she provoked him, "kill me and be over with it."
He swallowed hard as he stared at her chest where a trickle of blood was now making its way down her shirt. He retreated his bow and sighed, if she hadn't killed him yet than he must be woven into her plan somehow.
"I thought so," she snickered and wiped the blood from her chest and licking it off her fingers. "Relax, I told you, your time has not come yet, you'll know when it has. Trust me."
"Trust you? You are absolute evil bent on the death and you wish me to trust you?" he growled.
"As I recall, you have killed more than I in the last few days," she snickered. She approached him and traced along his jaw line. "Don't fret, no harm shall come to you for quite some time," she chuckled and stood behind him.
"Come, there is a coven not far from here. Strider will bring Gimli and meet us there shortly," he grasped her wrist and pulled her along with him.
"Strider, I know not who this is," she glanced ahead of them to see Portal was waiting for them to return.
"He is also called Aragorn, the man to whom I was speaking with earlier," he explained and tightened his grip on her wrist.
"Aragorn," she growled at his name and wrenched herself out of his grasp.
"You quarrel with him?" he turned around and frowned at her.
"The bastard stole my necklace," she narrowed her eyes at him. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at her chest.
"But you are wearing a necklace," he said.
"I found this ring in the river after my battle with him," she hissed.
"You engaged in battle with him... I suggest you act as a lady would when he arrives as we do not wish to be in tension on our journey," he turned back around and continued to walk towards the steed.
"As soon as my chain is returned I'll be as much a lady as those disgusting elves in your kingdom," she snickered and followed him.
Legolas let out a frustrated sigh and mounted Portal, but did not give her his hand this time. "I thought you prefered to walk."
"You shalt allow me on my steed lest I order her to deliver you deep into Mordor," she clenched her fists as he jumped down from the horse. He picked her up and placed her onto the saddle earning a gasp from her as she did not expect this treatment.
"Anger yourself no further lest you hurt yourself, Levie," he teased her and wrapped his arms around her as to hold the reigns. She glared at him knocked her elbow into his side earning a grunt from him.
"You need not worry about me... Legs," she smirked as she heard him growl from the lack of respect she showed him. When they had arrived in the cave, they tied Portal to a near by tree and walked inside. Levicia leaned against a stone wall and looked away from Legolas.
"I do not understand you," he said.
"I am not one to be understood," she whispered simply.
"You are evil, but elven and yet not an orc," he elaborated on his first statement.
"I am not Elven, tis a spell. A cursed spell that has disabled one of my powers and therefore prolonging my journey in the quest of the ring," she snarled.
"A spell, are you sure?"
"As soon as I entered Mirkwood I transformed with Elven traits, it cannot be anything but a spell!" she snapped at him.
"I agree it could be a spell, but perhaps not in the way you think," he knitted his brows together in concentration.
"Whatever it is or has done, I will find that ring and destroy it before it causes any more damage to my empire," she crossed her arms. Legolas glanced at the ring about her neck again and remembered when he'd seen the hand reach up to strangle her, it had emitted from the ring.
"Levicia, I believe you already have possession of the ring," he said, glancing down at it and then back up to her eyes. She fingered the chain and looked back up at him.
"It can't be the ring..." she whispered.
"Why not? Because it is pure and you are not?" he questioned.
"Precisely! I am the first in command to the Dark Lord making me the Dark Lordess! The ring should have rejected me and caused me harm when I first touched it. I am stained and evil not pure!" she snapped. "It has yet to cause me... harm..."
"What is it?" he looked at her as her speech slowed.
"When I was talking with the Dark Lord... he entered in my soul and the ring burned my chest and my breath grew short, but that means..." she panted, trying to understand what was happening.
"You are not evil, only guilty by association with the Dark Lord," he finished for her.
"No! It can't be," she drew away from him, "all I've ever known to be as been diminished because of this cursed ring and its power. It defies what I was raised to become, my very being. It has chosen the wrong bearer," she began to try and rip it off, "I am not pure, I am stained!"
Legolas approached her as she frantically tried to rid herself of the ring about her neck as if it were a serpent tightening about her neck. "Lady, be still."
"No! This blasted ring won't come off and its slowly destroying me and forming a new, good Levicia. A pure Levicia and that is not what I choose to be and--" her speech was cut short as she inhaled sharply, panting as she closed her eyes and collapsed. Legolas ran to her side and caught her falling body before she hit the ground.
"Levicia, awake," he shook her lightly. Receiving no reply, he carried her over to a large boulder and placed her gently across it as if it were a bed.
"The voices," she whispered, her voice full of fear, "I can't..."
Thousands of forgotten memories swarmed through her mind as she tried to comprehend them and piece them together. She was lost in a sea of memories.
Chapter 5: Pure and Stained
Levicia growled in frustration as she resisted the urge to pummel the Prince into a bloody pulp for his annoyance. He laughed at her embarrasment as she continued to lean forward, away from his chest.
"Be still, Lady," he snickered and fiercely pulled her body towards him again.
"Curse you, you blasted Elf!" she hissed at him.
"Blasted Elf? Is that to be my new name?" he questioned teasingly.
"If I were to rename you it would be the damned man whore of Middle Earth!" she growled. He flinched, pulling Portal to an abrupt halt causing them to jerk forward slightly. "What are you do-" her voice was cut off as he cupped a hand over her mouth and pressed her closely to his chest and leaned forward so that his lips were next to her ear.
"Be still, we're being followed," he whispered before she could protest; her cries, which were muffled by his hand, ceased as she sharpened her hearing to listen for anyt movement.
They had both dismounted Portal and were now looking around, their eyesight sharper than that of an eagle serched for any near being who had been pursuing them. Realizing someone may recognize her and spoil her plan, Levicia covered her face within the shadows of her hood.
"You know not how long I've been searching for you, dear friend," a familiar voice spoke to Legolas. He nodded towards the man who did so in return. Levicia recognized the man to be Aragorn, the one she'd engulfed in battle with a few days earlier.
Barely keeping her rage towards him under control, she slid her slender fingers along the rim of her hood to ensure that it was concealing her facial features well and slowly turned her head away from him. Gripping the handle of her sword firmly, she listed to their conversation intently.
Destroy them! a voice boomed in her mind causing her to jump slightly.
Be patient, my lord, she thought, my plan has not yet reached its peak!
What do you propose you shall do?! Wait until they've discovered you and kill you in your sleep?!
They will lead me to the others and then I will attack, she informed him. She hadn't noticed as of yet, but when the Dark Lord had entered her soul to speak with her, the ring which was bound around her neck began to burn her flesh slowly and lightly. She suddenly became short of breath as she found it difficult to draw in air.
What's wrong? he asked her, noting that she had become reluctant to continue.
I shall speak with you later, she thought, wincing as her chest seemed to tighten. The Dark Lord left her and her stasis returned to normal abruptly causing her to pant heavily.
"My lady," Legolas turned to her and shook her shoulders when he'd gotten no response. Her eyes darted about finding no sign of Aragorn, not noticing when he had departed as she was too ensued with the conversation with the Dark Lord.
Legolas shook her again more fiercely, causing her hood to fall on her shoulders. She gasped and looked up at the tall, blonde elf.
"Is he still here?" she asked, catching her breath.
"Nay, lady. Are you alright? You were having trouble breathing," he said, searching through her eyes with worry.
"It was nothing, I was just... suffocated for a moment," she explained. He nodded and mounted Portal once more, offering her his hand which she declined.
"Something wrong, lady?"
"Nay," she scoffed, shaking her head, "I prefer to walk for now."
Legolas snickered, "still afraid of me?"
"I fear no one," she snapped and turned away from him. He jumped down from the horse and walked at a quickened pace behind her. While catching up to her, he watched as she lifted her hood once more. Graceful was the only word he could think of to describe her actions, even that small motion. He knew that she appeared tough and emotionless, save anger, but she truly was graceful.
"Why do you embark on this journey?" he asked once he'd caught up with her.
"I search for the ring," she said simply, knowing he would understand which ring she spoke of.
"What for?" he inquired.
Levicia sighed and looked to him. Just as she was to respond an arrow flew between them and imbedded itself into the soil beneath the two figures.
"Run," Legolas ordered and towed her along with him. She knew what was attacking them, a fleet of orcs, but she couldn't very well say that she could calm them so she stammered while trying to think of another excuse to return.
"But... but my horse!" she cried.
"You need not worry about it now," he pulled her faster away.
"But she cannot hold her own in battle!" Suddenly, before they knew it or could react much less, a swarm of orc surrounded them. She groaned, now her identity would be revealed for there were too many of them to battle. She did not fear this because she couldn't defeat them, but because if she did so she would arise great suspicion from Legolas. If she did not reveal herself they would be killed.
"We shalt surely die..." he whispered, counting the numerous orc around them.
"My dear elf, you give up too easily," she snickered and took a few steps towards the mob.
"Stop," he whispered harshly to her only to receive a wave of her hand in dismissal.
"Stand down," she demanded them and pulled her hood down, "by order of the Dark Lordess!"
Legolas looked at her with shock and fear, he had been in the company of Levicia without any knowledge of who she was. She could have easily killed him, but chose not to, why? She had attempted many times before, but never finished the job. These thoughts ran through his mind in bewilderment, confusin him even further.
The orcs surround them stopped advancing, but looked at each other in confusion not quite sure if this indeed was the Dark Lordess. A few orcs stepped forward as if challenging her, earning a smirk from her dark lips.
Levicia glanced at Legolas before covering her own ears, arching her back and letting out a blood curling scream resembling that of a terrible lizard that shook the ground around them. The orcs cowered away in fear, feeling their very souls being tossed about from the cry. Legolas threw his hands up and covered his ears wincing. If he'd been a second too late, he could swear he would feel his ear drums explode and blood drip down, killing him.
The silver band hanging loosely on her chest began to glow a soft white as a whispy hand reached up and wrapped its long fingers about her neck, cutting off her voice. The only one who had noticed this was Legolas and Levicia herself.
She looked back down at the orcs and hissed at them and spoke in a language that he did not understand. "Return from whence you came you ignorant beasts for I have not summoned you!" She sheathed her sword and rammed it into the nearest orc. "Hesitate on my orders again and you will suffer a fate much worse than death! Leave me to my mission and do not return until I have asked for your worthless rotting carcasses to aid me!"
Once all the orc had retreated, she turned to face Legolas who glared at her with malevolence, aiming his arrow towards her with deadly accuracy. She let out a disgusted sigh and grasped the end of the arrow and pushed it towards her chest.
"Do it," she provoked him, "kill me and be over with it."
He swallowed hard as he stared at her chest where a trickle of blood was now making its way down her shirt. He retreated his bow and sighed, if she hadn't killed him yet than he must be woven into her plan somehow.
"I thought so," she snickered and wiped the blood from her chest and licking it off her fingers. "Relax, I told you, your time has not come yet, you'll know when it has. Trust me."
"Trust you? You are absolute evil bent on the death and you wish me to trust you?" he growled.
"As I recall, you have killed more than I in the last few days," she snickered. She approached him and traced along his jaw line. "Don't fret, no harm shall come to you for quite some time," she chuckled and stood behind him.
"Come, there is a coven not far from here. Strider will bring Gimli and meet us there shortly," he grasped her wrist and pulled her along with him.
"Strider, I know not who this is," she glanced ahead of them to see Portal was waiting for them to return.
"He is also called Aragorn, the man to whom I was speaking with earlier," he explained and tightened his grip on her wrist.
"Aragorn," she growled at his name and wrenched herself out of his grasp.
"You quarrel with him?" he turned around and frowned at her.
"The bastard stole my necklace," she narrowed her eyes at him. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at her chest.
"But you are wearing a necklace," he said.
"I found this ring in the river after my battle with him," she hissed.
"You engaged in battle with him... I suggest you act as a lady would when he arrives as we do not wish to be in tension on our journey," he turned back around and continued to walk towards the steed.
"As soon as my chain is returned I'll be as much a lady as those disgusting elves in your kingdom," she snickered and followed him.
Legolas let out a frustrated sigh and mounted Portal, but did not give her his hand this time. "I thought you prefered to walk."
"You shalt allow me on my steed lest I order her to deliver you deep into Mordor," she clenched her fists as he jumped down from the horse. He picked her up and placed her onto the saddle earning a gasp from her as she did not expect this treatment.
"Anger yourself no further lest you hurt yourself, Levie," he teased her and wrapped his arms around her as to hold the reigns. She glared at him knocked her elbow into his side earning a grunt from him.
"You need not worry about me... Legs," she smirked as she heard him growl from the lack of respect she showed him. When they had arrived in the cave, they tied Portal to a near by tree and walked inside. Levicia leaned against a stone wall and looked away from Legolas.
"I do not understand you," he said.
"I am not one to be understood," she whispered simply.
"You are evil, but elven and yet not an orc," he elaborated on his first statement.
"I am not Elven, tis a spell. A cursed spell that has disabled one of my powers and therefore prolonging my journey in the quest of the ring," she snarled.
"A spell, are you sure?"
"As soon as I entered Mirkwood I transformed with Elven traits, it cannot be anything but a spell!" she snapped at him.
"I agree it could be a spell, but perhaps not in the way you think," he knitted his brows together in concentration.
"Whatever it is or has done, I will find that ring and destroy it before it causes any more damage to my empire," she crossed her arms. Legolas glanced at the ring about her neck again and remembered when he'd seen the hand reach up to strangle her, it had emitted from the ring.
"Levicia, I believe you already have possession of the ring," he said, glancing down at it and then back up to her eyes. She fingered the chain and looked back up at him.
"It can't be the ring..." she whispered.
"Why not? Because it is pure and you are not?" he questioned.
"Precisely! I am the first in command to the Dark Lord making me the Dark Lordess! The ring should have rejected me and caused me harm when I first touched it. I am stained and evil not pure!" she snapped. "It has yet to cause me... harm..."
"What is it?" he looked at her as her speech slowed.
"When I was talking with the Dark Lord... he entered in my soul and the ring burned my chest and my breath grew short, but that means..." she panted, trying to understand what was happening.
"You are not evil, only guilty by association with the Dark Lord," he finished for her.
"No! It can't be," she drew away from him, "all I've ever known to be as been diminished because of this cursed ring and its power. It defies what I was raised to become, my very being. It has chosen the wrong bearer," she began to try and rip it off, "I am not pure, I am stained!"
Legolas approached her as she frantically tried to rid herself of the ring about her neck as if it were a serpent tightening about her neck. "Lady, be still."
"No! This blasted ring won't come off and its slowly destroying me and forming a new, good Levicia. A pure Levicia and that is not what I choose to be and--" her speech was cut short as she inhaled sharply, panting as she closed her eyes and collapsed. Legolas ran to her side and caught her falling body before she hit the ground.
"Levicia, awake," he shook her lightly. Receiving no reply, he carried her over to a large boulder and placed her gently across it as if it were a bed.
"The voices," she whispered, her voice full of fear, "I can't..."
Thousands of forgotten memories swarmed through her mind as she tried to comprehend them and piece them together. She was lost in a sea of memories.