Purity
Chapter 6: Threats
Aragorn entered into the cave, Gimli not far behind, with a gust of wind. Approaching Legolas, he hadn't spotted the motionless form lying behind him. They both dropped their belongings on the floor and approached Legolas who seemed to be keeping a watchful eye over something.
Aragorn was about to greet him when he saw the object of his attention. He immediately sheathed his sword and prepared to attack the body, which was in a troubled sleep, or trance.
"Are you mad, Legolas?!" Aragorn glared at Levicia who did not seem bothered by the noise around her.
"No," he whispered softly, not bothering to turn his head to look at them.
"That is the Dark Lordess of Mordor! She must be destroyed!" He moved to attack her, but was quickly stopped by Legolas.
"No, I know her she is, you mustn't!" he grasped his arm firmly. Aragorn wrenched out of his friend's grasp and glared hatefully at Levicia.
"I must do away with her now, while she sleeps!" he abruptly swung his sword down to slice her head right off her shoulders.
Just millimeters before he struck her, a bright flash filled the cave, sending Aragorn crashing to the floor and his blade even further, imbedding itself into the stone. He looked back, shock and confusion plastered onto his face.
"I told you," Legolas helped him to his feet.
"What was that, elf?" Gimli asked, perplexed just as Aragorn was. Legolas merely nodded towards the girl who was now sleeping soundly, her chest rising and falling with every breath. She almost looked angelic when the light returned to her, revealing the silver band hanging from about her neck... almost looked angelic... almost.
"Is that--"
"The Purity Ring," Legolas finished Aragorn's sentence with affirmation.
"But how has it come to her?" Gimli motioned to her with disgust.
"Because her heart is pure," he said and looked back towards her.
"But how can this... monster possess a pure heart?" Aragorn spoke more to himself than the others as he advanced on her, bending down to look at her more closely.
Levicia could hear voices all around her. Two she recognized, but the other was gruff and much deeper than the rest. She couldn't make out what they were discussing for she was still in a half asleep state.
Finally coming to her senses, she felt a presence looming over her. Peeking an eye open she recognized it to be Aragorn, the cursed man who had robbed her. She gripped the handle of her dagger with a glove-covered hand. She twisted around and slashed at the man who was above her.
Aragorn let out a pain filled cry, holding onto his now wounded arm and backed away from the vicious being.
"Cursed wench!" he spat at her while trying to stop his arm from bleeding. Levicia pulled herself up from the rock she laid on and walked towards him menacingly, holding her dagger at a dangerous angle.
Legolas came up from behind her and grabbed her roughly, pinning her arms to her side and causing her to drop the blade.
"Let go of me, Legs," she said threateningly.
"You said no harm would come to us!" he reminded her, struggling to keep a grip on her forceful body.
"I said no harm would come to you!" she growled and wrenched herself away from him.
"You gave me your word," he glared at her. She turned around and smirked evilly.
"And I keep true, I shant kill him," she turned back to Aragorn, picking up her blade on the way, "I'll only maim him a little."
"Levicia!" Legolas shouted as she jumped at Aragorn. She jutted her dagger at his side and pulled it back, her cross chain hanging on the blade.
"I believe this belongs to me," she cocked an eyebrow and sashayed back to the large rock and sat down. Legolas let out an exasperated sigh and crossed his arms.
"She's joining us on the journey," he said softly. Aragorn and Gimli looked up at him with surprise.
"He really had gone mad," Gimli stated.
"Don't tell me you trust that... that thing!?" he pointed towards Levicia. She pouted mockingly and snickered.
"No worries, I'll be a good girl," she winked at them and chuckled evilly as she began to dig into the rock roughly with her dagger.
"I don't believe her," Gimli glared at her only to receive one from her in return along with a hiss with the flick of her tongue.
"Do you doubt my judgment?" Legolas asked them both in a hushed whisper. Not receiving a reply he growled and made his way towards Levicia.
"What are you d--" her voice was interrupted as a gasp escaped her lips when he pulled her head to the side by her hair. He took the dagger from her grasp and held it at her neck.
"Legolas?" Aragorn looked at him with worry as he advanced on him, pushing Levicia along as well. Confusion plagued his mind; he could not understand why Legolas was now merely a movement away from slitting her throat, but he had been the one who was defending her.
"Is this not what you wish to see?" he pulled her hair harder, jerking her head back. She let out a whimper as a trickle of blood made its way from her scalp down her pale cheek.
"Stop this, Legolas," she warned him as she began to breathe heavily.
"Be still," he turned the dagger at a life-threatening angle.
"Free me," she said slowly and lethally, swallowing hard.
"Don't do it, elf, you were just saying how good and pure she was!" Gimli cried.
"Do as you wish, I'd rather kill her with my own hands," Aragorn glared at her.
"Let go!" Levicia yelled.
"Elf!"
"Do it!" Aragorn shouted. Legolas growled and sliced into the skin just above her collarbone, earning a short cry of pain from her as she reached up and grasped his wrist, which held the blade fiercely. He tossed her to the ground as she held onto her wound and looked up at him, her breaths ragged and sharp, with murderous eyes.
"Damn you to hell, you blasted elf," she raced out of the cave with elven speed. Legolas watched her figure disappear, knowing she wouldn't run far as he glanced back at Aragorn.
"Did you enjoy it?" he asked.
"No…" he answered truthfully, he had felt sympathy and regret when he'd provoked Legolas to cut her.
"Then she shalt join us on our journey," he said and walked past them to find Levicia.
She knelt down in front of a near by river and splashed her face with the deliciously cold water. She inhaled sharply and shut her eyes tightly as trickles of blood flowed down her cheeks in replace of salty tears. She clenched her fists, grabbing a hand full of sand as well. She threw the sand into the river in a swift motion as she let out a growl of frustration.
"Blasted elf…" she tried to keep her sobbing under control. She was crying, reducing herself to feel such emotions, not because she felt sorrow, but because she had allowed herself to be injured by an inferior. She could defend herself against orcs, dwarves, men, and even the Ringwraiths, but she had let her defenses down as she had begun to trust the elven prince.
A hand pressed down on her wound to stop the bleeding. She jumped slightly as she had not been paying attention and never noticed when the elf had approached her.
"I'm sorry," he apologized and crouched down next to her. She jerked away from him upon his gingerly touch. He glanced at her and noticed the streams of red that had trailed down her pale face.
"Stay away from me," she glared at him, pushing more rivers of red down her cheeks.
"Levicia, what's wrong with your eyes?" he reached out to wipe the blood away.
"Nothing!" she batted his hand away. "Are you so shocked to see that the great Dark Lordess is weeping? Instead of lamenting crystalline tears I grieve with the blood from the innocents I have taken," she sniffed and wiped the blood with the back of her glove fiercely. She looked away from him, her bloody tears ceased, but the red liquid from her neck trailed down her chest.
"Why do you weep?" he asked, cleaning the blood before it dripped too low for him to reach. She pulled back away from him and glared at him with murderous eyes.
"Because I'm beginning to become weak and am overcome with a sense of insecurity and helplessness!" she snapped and turned to walk away from him.
Not knowing how else to reply he placed a hand on her shoulder, "I suggest that you do not grieve a great deal for now that you are elven, you may die."
"Foolish elves…" she crossed her arms as the bleeding ceased, but a stinging, throbbing sensation began, "too many incantations isn't always a good thing."
"What do you mean?" he asked with puzzlement.
"I'm not sure myself," she admitted.
"Come, we shalt begin our journey," he said and walked back towards the cave where Aragorn and Gimli waited patiently for them. Levicia reluctantly followed him and stood a short distance away from the three comrades.
Portal slowly trotted towards his one and only rider as she whispered hushed words to him before watching the steed gallop swiftly away.
"Let's go," she said and began to walk towards Lorien.
~*~
The four figures walked wearily through the thick forest, climbing over fallen trees and branches. They had to prevent Levicia from slaying a few animals that had been creeping about in the trees above.
Suddenly, the two elves stopped as they heard rustling in the bushes about them. Levicia had begun to sheath her sword when Legolas placed an arm around her shoulders and pressed her against him, hiding her face. He grabbed her sword and held it out to defend them.
"What are you doing?" her muffled whisper growled.
"Conceal your face," he whispered into her ear. They were surrounded by elves as they found themselves staring at several arrows pointed at them. Lord Elrond broke through the elves to face the three familiar faces.
"You've returned to Lorien," he said with a smile and noticed the female Legolas had pressed against his body protectively. "Legolas, have you finally found a maiden of your choice?" he asked teasingly.
"Yes, I am to wed her at dawn," he said in a teasing manner. Levicia pulled away from him, forgetting to raise her hood to conceal her face.
"What?!" she shouted and glared at him. Gasps surrounded them and they backed away slowly.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Lord Elrond shouted.
"Please understand, sire, she is not whom she appears to be!" Aragorn stated, receiving a quizzical look from Levicia at his lack of malevolence.
"This is not the Dark Lordess Levicia Silverleaf?" he asked, his voice full of rage.
"Like hell I am," she smirked. He raised an eyebrow with confusion, not knowing if she was or not considering her choice of words.
"Indeed she is, but behold she possesses the Purity Ring," Legolas pointed to the chain about her neck holding the ring. Lord Elrond's eyes widened, shock overcame him as he stared at the silver band.
"We wish to speak with Galandriel," Levicia said. "Don't worry, I shant harm her… yet."
Lord Elrond hesitated, glaring at the girl, "very well…"
As they all entered Lorien, Levicia slowed her pace causing Legolas to bump into her from behind.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's… beautiful."
Chapter 6: Threats
Aragorn entered into the cave, Gimli not far behind, with a gust of wind. Approaching Legolas, he hadn't spotted the motionless form lying behind him. They both dropped their belongings on the floor and approached Legolas who seemed to be keeping a watchful eye over something.
Aragorn was about to greet him when he saw the object of his attention. He immediately sheathed his sword and prepared to attack the body, which was in a troubled sleep, or trance.
"Are you mad, Legolas?!" Aragorn glared at Levicia who did not seem bothered by the noise around her.
"No," he whispered softly, not bothering to turn his head to look at them.
"That is the Dark Lordess of Mordor! She must be destroyed!" He moved to attack her, but was quickly stopped by Legolas.
"No, I know her she is, you mustn't!" he grasped his arm firmly. Aragorn wrenched out of his friend's grasp and glared hatefully at Levicia.
"I must do away with her now, while she sleeps!" he abruptly swung his sword down to slice her head right off her shoulders.
Just millimeters before he struck her, a bright flash filled the cave, sending Aragorn crashing to the floor and his blade even further, imbedding itself into the stone. He looked back, shock and confusion plastered onto his face.
"I told you," Legolas helped him to his feet.
"What was that, elf?" Gimli asked, perplexed just as Aragorn was. Legolas merely nodded towards the girl who was now sleeping soundly, her chest rising and falling with every breath. She almost looked angelic when the light returned to her, revealing the silver band hanging from about her neck... almost looked angelic... almost.
"Is that--"
"The Purity Ring," Legolas finished Aragorn's sentence with affirmation.
"But how has it come to her?" Gimli motioned to her with disgust.
"Because her heart is pure," he said and looked back towards her.
"But how can this... monster possess a pure heart?" Aragorn spoke more to himself than the others as he advanced on her, bending down to look at her more closely.
Levicia could hear voices all around her. Two she recognized, but the other was gruff and much deeper than the rest. She couldn't make out what they were discussing for she was still in a half asleep state.
Finally coming to her senses, she felt a presence looming over her. Peeking an eye open she recognized it to be Aragorn, the cursed man who had robbed her. She gripped the handle of her dagger with a glove-covered hand. She twisted around and slashed at the man who was above her.
Aragorn let out a pain filled cry, holding onto his now wounded arm and backed away from the vicious being.
"Cursed wench!" he spat at her while trying to stop his arm from bleeding. Levicia pulled herself up from the rock she laid on and walked towards him menacingly, holding her dagger at a dangerous angle.
Legolas came up from behind her and grabbed her roughly, pinning her arms to her side and causing her to drop the blade.
"Let go of me, Legs," she said threateningly.
"You said no harm would come to us!" he reminded her, struggling to keep a grip on her forceful body.
"I said no harm would come to you!" she growled and wrenched herself away from him.
"You gave me your word," he glared at her. She turned around and smirked evilly.
"And I keep true, I shant kill him," she turned back to Aragorn, picking up her blade on the way, "I'll only maim him a little."
"Levicia!" Legolas shouted as she jumped at Aragorn. She jutted her dagger at his side and pulled it back, her cross chain hanging on the blade.
"I believe this belongs to me," she cocked an eyebrow and sashayed back to the large rock and sat down. Legolas let out an exasperated sigh and crossed his arms.
"She's joining us on the journey," he said softly. Aragorn and Gimli looked up at him with surprise.
"He really had gone mad," Gimli stated.
"Don't tell me you trust that... that thing!?" he pointed towards Levicia. She pouted mockingly and snickered.
"No worries, I'll be a good girl," she winked at them and chuckled evilly as she began to dig into the rock roughly with her dagger.
"I don't believe her," Gimli glared at her only to receive one from her in return along with a hiss with the flick of her tongue.
"Do you doubt my judgment?" Legolas asked them both in a hushed whisper. Not receiving a reply he growled and made his way towards Levicia.
"What are you d--" her voice was interrupted as a gasp escaped her lips when he pulled her head to the side by her hair. He took the dagger from her grasp and held it at her neck.
"Legolas?" Aragorn looked at him with worry as he advanced on him, pushing Levicia along as well. Confusion plagued his mind; he could not understand why Legolas was now merely a movement away from slitting her throat, but he had been the one who was defending her.
"Is this not what you wish to see?" he pulled her hair harder, jerking her head back. She let out a whimper as a trickle of blood made its way from her scalp down her pale cheek.
"Stop this, Legolas," she warned him as she began to breathe heavily.
"Be still," he turned the dagger at a life-threatening angle.
"Free me," she said slowly and lethally, swallowing hard.
"Don't do it, elf, you were just saying how good and pure she was!" Gimli cried.
"Do as you wish, I'd rather kill her with my own hands," Aragorn glared at her.
"Let go!" Levicia yelled.
"Elf!"
"Do it!" Aragorn shouted. Legolas growled and sliced into the skin just above her collarbone, earning a short cry of pain from her as she reached up and grasped his wrist, which held the blade fiercely. He tossed her to the ground as she held onto her wound and looked up at him, her breaths ragged and sharp, with murderous eyes.
"Damn you to hell, you blasted elf," she raced out of the cave with elven speed. Legolas watched her figure disappear, knowing she wouldn't run far as he glanced back at Aragorn.
"Did you enjoy it?" he asked.
"No…" he answered truthfully, he had felt sympathy and regret when he'd provoked Legolas to cut her.
"Then she shalt join us on our journey," he said and walked past them to find Levicia.
She knelt down in front of a near by river and splashed her face with the deliciously cold water. She inhaled sharply and shut her eyes tightly as trickles of blood flowed down her cheeks in replace of salty tears. She clenched her fists, grabbing a hand full of sand as well. She threw the sand into the river in a swift motion as she let out a growl of frustration.
"Blasted elf…" she tried to keep her sobbing under control. She was crying, reducing herself to feel such emotions, not because she felt sorrow, but because she had allowed herself to be injured by an inferior. She could defend herself against orcs, dwarves, men, and even the Ringwraiths, but she had let her defenses down as she had begun to trust the elven prince.
A hand pressed down on her wound to stop the bleeding. She jumped slightly as she had not been paying attention and never noticed when the elf had approached her.
"I'm sorry," he apologized and crouched down next to her. She jerked away from him upon his gingerly touch. He glanced at her and noticed the streams of red that had trailed down her pale face.
"Stay away from me," she glared at him, pushing more rivers of red down her cheeks.
"Levicia, what's wrong with your eyes?" he reached out to wipe the blood away.
"Nothing!" she batted his hand away. "Are you so shocked to see that the great Dark Lordess is weeping? Instead of lamenting crystalline tears I grieve with the blood from the innocents I have taken," she sniffed and wiped the blood with the back of her glove fiercely. She looked away from him, her bloody tears ceased, but the red liquid from her neck trailed down her chest.
"Why do you weep?" he asked, cleaning the blood before it dripped too low for him to reach. She pulled back away from him and glared at him with murderous eyes.
"Because I'm beginning to become weak and am overcome with a sense of insecurity and helplessness!" she snapped and turned to walk away from him.
Not knowing how else to reply he placed a hand on her shoulder, "I suggest that you do not grieve a great deal for now that you are elven, you may die."
"Foolish elves…" she crossed her arms as the bleeding ceased, but a stinging, throbbing sensation began, "too many incantations isn't always a good thing."
"What do you mean?" he asked with puzzlement.
"I'm not sure myself," she admitted.
"Come, we shalt begin our journey," he said and walked back towards the cave where Aragorn and Gimli waited patiently for them. Levicia reluctantly followed him and stood a short distance away from the three comrades.
Portal slowly trotted towards his one and only rider as she whispered hushed words to him before watching the steed gallop swiftly away.
"Let's go," she said and began to walk towards Lorien.
~*~
The four figures walked wearily through the thick forest, climbing over fallen trees and branches. They had to prevent Levicia from slaying a few animals that had been creeping about in the trees above.
Suddenly, the two elves stopped as they heard rustling in the bushes about them. Levicia had begun to sheath her sword when Legolas placed an arm around her shoulders and pressed her against him, hiding her face. He grabbed her sword and held it out to defend them.
"What are you doing?" her muffled whisper growled.
"Conceal your face," he whispered into her ear. They were surrounded by elves as they found themselves staring at several arrows pointed at them. Lord Elrond broke through the elves to face the three familiar faces.
"You've returned to Lorien," he said with a smile and noticed the female Legolas had pressed against his body protectively. "Legolas, have you finally found a maiden of your choice?" he asked teasingly.
"Yes, I am to wed her at dawn," he said in a teasing manner. Levicia pulled away from him, forgetting to raise her hood to conceal her face.
"What?!" she shouted and glared at him. Gasps surrounded them and they backed away slowly.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Lord Elrond shouted.
"Please understand, sire, she is not whom she appears to be!" Aragorn stated, receiving a quizzical look from Levicia at his lack of malevolence.
"This is not the Dark Lordess Levicia Silverleaf?" he asked, his voice full of rage.
"Like hell I am," she smirked. He raised an eyebrow with confusion, not knowing if she was or not considering her choice of words.
"Indeed she is, but behold she possesses the Purity Ring," Legolas pointed to the chain about her neck holding the ring. Lord Elrond's eyes widened, shock overcame him as he stared at the silver band.
"We wish to speak with Galandriel," Levicia said. "Don't worry, I shant harm her… yet."
Lord Elrond hesitated, glaring at the girl, "very well…"
As they all entered Lorien, Levicia slowed her pace causing Legolas to bump into her from behind.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's… beautiful."