A lot of decision-making went into this chapter…
Hope you like it!
The giant silver beast huffed as he galloped across the fields of tall grass.
They had been traveling for hours and even the great stallion, Shadowfax, was beginning to show signs of wear and exhaustion.
Legolas could feel the horses heaving chest gasp great breaths of air with every stride of his thunderous hooves. The elf prince knew that they could not travel at such pace for long.
Wrapping his strong arm tighter around Leali's fading figure, Legolas pulled Shadowfax to a slow trot.
The huge stallion snorted his disapproval and started off into gallop, once again. Legolas smiled at the Mearas (1) determination and will, but again pulled him back.
"Friend, your heart is plenty, but we must bide our strength" The beast calmed and settled at a smooth flowing trot, its muscular flank stained with sweat.
They had far still to travel and Leali's body grew fainter with every hour. The elven-girl's blood seeped through the drenched bandages, which were wrapped tightly around each shoulder.
Legolas brought his hand from the rein, giving the horse his head, and touched his palm to Leali's cheek.
The coldness stung him and he pulled back.
Worry flooded his mind, as he wrapped his elven cloak tighter around his chilled passenger. Having his strength return, Shadowfax quickened to a steady canter, each stride rocking the two elves on his back.
They traveled as such for another few hours, slowly hastening the pace.
As the Ardeniel (2) came into view, Legolas gave a sigh of relief. Rivendell was but an hours ride.
Feeling safe in familiar lands, he allowed his heavy eyelids close as he sat back to breath a gulp of the crisp night air. The flowing stride of the stallion and the worry lifting as they neared the white city sent Legolas into a hushed slumber.
It was the uneven steps of his mount and a shill squeal that brought the prince back into consciousness.
His hazed eyes took a second to recover and spot the cause of their sudden stop. Leali's fair hand was tightly gripped around the reins, steadily holding the horse at a halt.
Shadowfax gave another squeal and scooted forwards, attempting to resume their course to the elven city.
A determined jolt on his mouth brought the mount to a steady halt, though his muscles remained tense and ready.
Confusion streaked across Legolas's face and he tried to loosen Leali's grip on the reins. She looked over her shoulder to her elven prince, weakly shook her head and tightened her grip, causing her knuckles to inflame.
"Rivendell is but a short time pass, we will arrive before the sun rises" He looked in to Leali's eyes "No, I will not"
Leali, with the last of her strength, pushed herself away from the silver horse and dismounted. Her feet gave under her as she touched the ground and she clasped.
Legolas swung himself to the ground beside her and helped her to her feet.
The surrounding area was covered with lush greens and wise ancient willows. A small waterfall trickled nearby, its crystal waters settling in a shallow pool then flowing down a stream riddled with smooth white stones.
Leali smiled as her eyes examined every tree and stone.
Legolas picked her up and began to remount Shadowfax, but Leali squirmed out of his grasp and landed on her knees.
"Legolas, no" she looked deep into his eyes and hugged him around the waist.
Legolas's mind filled with horror.
"Go! Go to Rivendell get aid! Make haste" the order reached Shadowfax's keen ears instantaneously and the stallion gave an excited shriek as he reared and burst into a rapid gallop, dodging trees effortlessly, in the direction of Rivendell.
Legolas followed the creature with his gaze as it disappeared from site then turned back to Leali, who to his surprise had moved and was now seated on an outcrop, her hand dipped into the cool waters of the stream.
Legolas followed a trail of crimson blood and seated himself lightly beside Leali. "Elrond will be here soon, then we can rest in the great halls of Rivendell. They will hold a great feast in our honour and you will have the finest dress that elven hands could ever sew"
Legolas cast a loving look upon the elf-girl hoping desperately for the answer his heart longed.
"The finest dress nor the beauty of the halls will lure me hither" Leali smiled and brushed a tear from her love's eye.
"This is all my fault…I caused you so much pain and suffering. It 'twas me who the arrow was meant…" Legolas's voice lowered to a whisper "and 'twas me who shot the white-"
Leali brought her finger to his mouth and spoke sternly "And I would gladly do it again. You are no sorcerer. It was my will to do what I did. And you did what you had to do. Destiny runs in strange paths, Legolas, it is our job to clear them"
Leali moved her hand and cupped his pale cheek.
Orange light painted the sky as the sun began to edge its way over the horizon. Leali's face shone as the first streams of sunlight cut their was through the thick canopy.
Leaning her back against the cool face of a rock, which extruded from the flat platform, Leali sighed.
Legolas watched her silently for a second before laying his head gently in her lap. Seeing her smiling as the first birds began to sweetly chirp in the branches, made him forget all of his doubts.
"Never had I seen such beauty" Leali gazed dreamily around the forest.
"This place is called Lorrith" Legolas began "It is the most beautiful forest I have ever seen" The prince followed her gaze, and smiled.
"I am happy. The happiest I have ever been" A tear of joy flowed freely from her sparkling eyes and she leaned over and kissed Legolas's forehead.
Legolas also began to cry, "I love you," he whispered into her ear. "And I you" Leali sat back up and winced as her tender flesh hit the cold rock face.
Legolas then noticed a pool of blood surrounded the elf maid, soaking her clothes and staining her cloak, dark red.
Swiftly he sat up and moved himself to sit beside her, letting her head rest on his chest. "I will never leave you"
Next chapter will be the last :(
1. Mearas = Mearas are wonderful and magical horses. All Mearas are said to be descendants of Felarof, Father of horses. They can understand the speech of man and needed no bridle or saddle.
Shadowfax is a Meara.
2. (I made this up; I just thought it sounded cool)
Ardeniel = A giant statue of a mounted elf which stands untouched guarding the boarder of Rivendell. It has no wear from rain or sword and looks as it did the day that it was made. It was placed there to discourage attacks and to express the power that guards the lands of Rivendell.
Hope you like it!
The giant silver beast huffed as he galloped across the fields of tall grass.
They had been traveling for hours and even the great stallion, Shadowfax, was beginning to show signs of wear and exhaustion.
Legolas could feel the horses heaving chest gasp great breaths of air with every stride of his thunderous hooves. The elf prince knew that they could not travel at such pace for long.
Wrapping his strong arm tighter around Leali's fading figure, Legolas pulled Shadowfax to a slow trot.
The huge stallion snorted his disapproval and started off into gallop, once again. Legolas smiled at the Mearas (1) determination and will, but again pulled him back.
"Friend, your heart is plenty, but we must bide our strength" The beast calmed and settled at a smooth flowing trot, its muscular flank stained with sweat.
They had far still to travel and Leali's body grew fainter with every hour. The elven-girl's blood seeped through the drenched bandages, which were wrapped tightly around each shoulder.
Legolas brought his hand from the rein, giving the horse his head, and touched his palm to Leali's cheek.
The coldness stung him and he pulled back.
Worry flooded his mind, as he wrapped his elven cloak tighter around his chilled passenger. Having his strength return, Shadowfax quickened to a steady canter, each stride rocking the two elves on his back.
They traveled as such for another few hours, slowly hastening the pace.
As the Ardeniel (2) came into view, Legolas gave a sigh of relief. Rivendell was but an hours ride.
Feeling safe in familiar lands, he allowed his heavy eyelids close as he sat back to breath a gulp of the crisp night air. The flowing stride of the stallion and the worry lifting as they neared the white city sent Legolas into a hushed slumber.
It was the uneven steps of his mount and a shill squeal that brought the prince back into consciousness.
His hazed eyes took a second to recover and spot the cause of their sudden stop. Leali's fair hand was tightly gripped around the reins, steadily holding the horse at a halt.
Shadowfax gave another squeal and scooted forwards, attempting to resume their course to the elven city.
A determined jolt on his mouth brought the mount to a steady halt, though his muscles remained tense and ready.
Confusion streaked across Legolas's face and he tried to loosen Leali's grip on the reins. She looked over her shoulder to her elven prince, weakly shook her head and tightened her grip, causing her knuckles to inflame.
"Rivendell is but a short time pass, we will arrive before the sun rises" He looked in to Leali's eyes "No, I will not"
Leali, with the last of her strength, pushed herself away from the silver horse and dismounted. Her feet gave under her as she touched the ground and she clasped.
Legolas swung himself to the ground beside her and helped her to her feet.
The surrounding area was covered with lush greens and wise ancient willows. A small waterfall trickled nearby, its crystal waters settling in a shallow pool then flowing down a stream riddled with smooth white stones.
Leali smiled as her eyes examined every tree and stone.
Legolas picked her up and began to remount Shadowfax, but Leali squirmed out of his grasp and landed on her knees.
"Legolas, no" she looked deep into his eyes and hugged him around the waist.
Legolas's mind filled with horror.
"Go! Go to Rivendell get aid! Make haste" the order reached Shadowfax's keen ears instantaneously and the stallion gave an excited shriek as he reared and burst into a rapid gallop, dodging trees effortlessly, in the direction of Rivendell.
Legolas followed the creature with his gaze as it disappeared from site then turned back to Leali, who to his surprise had moved and was now seated on an outcrop, her hand dipped into the cool waters of the stream.
Legolas followed a trail of crimson blood and seated himself lightly beside Leali. "Elrond will be here soon, then we can rest in the great halls of Rivendell. They will hold a great feast in our honour and you will have the finest dress that elven hands could ever sew"
Legolas cast a loving look upon the elf-girl hoping desperately for the answer his heart longed.
"The finest dress nor the beauty of the halls will lure me hither" Leali smiled and brushed a tear from her love's eye.
"This is all my fault…I caused you so much pain and suffering. It 'twas me who the arrow was meant…" Legolas's voice lowered to a whisper "and 'twas me who shot the white-"
Leali brought her finger to his mouth and spoke sternly "And I would gladly do it again. You are no sorcerer. It was my will to do what I did. And you did what you had to do. Destiny runs in strange paths, Legolas, it is our job to clear them"
Leali moved her hand and cupped his pale cheek.
Orange light painted the sky as the sun began to edge its way over the horizon. Leali's face shone as the first streams of sunlight cut their was through the thick canopy.
Leaning her back against the cool face of a rock, which extruded from the flat platform, Leali sighed.
Legolas watched her silently for a second before laying his head gently in her lap. Seeing her smiling as the first birds began to sweetly chirp in the branches, made him forget all of his doubts.
"Never had I seen such beauty" Leali gazed dreamily around the forest.
"This place is called Lorrith" Legolas began "It is the most beautiful forest I have ever seen" The prince followed her gaze, and smiled.
"I am happy. The happiest I have ever been" A tear of joy flowed freely from her sparkling eyes and she leaned over and kissed Legolas's forehead.
Legolas also began to cry, "I love you," he whispered into her ear. "And I you" Leali sat back up and winced as her tender flesh hit the cold rock face.
Legolas then noticed a pool of blood surrounded the elf maid, soaking her clothes and staining her cloak, dark red.
Swiftly he sat up and moved himself to sit beside her, letting her head rest on his chest. "I will never leave you"
Next chapter will be the last :(
1. Mearas = Mearas are wonderful and magical horses. All Mearas are said to be descendants of Felarof, Father of horses. They can understand the speech of man and needed no bridle or saddle.
Shadowfax is a Meara.
2. (I made this up; I just thought it sounded cool)
Ardeniel = A giant statue of a mounted elf which stands untouched guarding the boarder of Rivendell. It has no wear from rain or sword and looks as it did the day that it was made. It was placed there to discourage attacks and to express the power that guards the lands of Rivendell.