Chapter 9
Legolas looked around his home. Home at last, or at least my second home he thought. This place looks like it has grown even more magnificent than when I last saw it. He came to a clearing and found Sorator. He sat there and looked as sorrowful as the moment he saw Armena.
"Sorator, we need to speak," said Legolas. He sat down next to him, avoiding physical contact.
"You should be proud of yourself, Legolas. You have won over Armena's heart. There is no need to talk to me about your victory."
"This has nothing to do with victory, Sorator. This is just about you and me." Legolas began again. "What is your problem with me? Do you think I am trying to take her away from you?"
Sorator didn't answer the question.
"She hasn't chosen anyone yet, nor does she have a need to choose. This journey won't be over for quite a while. Until then, maybe not even then, you need not worry."
Sorator lifted his face from his hands and turned towards him. "Don't you think I know that? It's not you I'm worried about! It is she that I am concerned for. I'm afraid that all of this will eventually lead her to her grave, way beyond her time." He was lying and Legolas knew it.
"We all are worried about Armena, but I don't think she is the only one you are worried about. I know you don't like the sight of me coming to her rescue, that is why Armena told you how she was saved instead of me."
"How did you save her from being killed?" replied Sorator.
"I… kissed her. It was the only way to save her." Legolas looked neither ashamed, nor embarrassed about what he had said, or done.
Sorator got up and walked towards the fountain. "I think you shouldn't travel with us anymore. You are putting her life in jeopardy and I will not stand for it anymore."
Legolas stood, hesitantly, and walked over to the fountain, a few feet next to Sorator. They were both staring at the fountain. "If that is what you wish," he started, "I will stay here with my people." He began to walk back to his room. "You should be happy, for you finally won." Legolas didn't want to say that last comment, but he felt it was what Sorator wanted to hear. Sorator just stood next to the fountain and stared at his reflection in the water. Was this the wisest decision? he thought to himself.
Armena was changed up in her regular clothes and was still talking to Armena, when Frodo entered the room.
"Miss Armena, Arwen, your meal is ready," he said.
"Very well, thank you, Frodo," said Arwen.
Two very stout elves came in with a most delicious meal, which was unidentified by Armena. There was meat that looked like pork, and an orange flower next to it. The only food she could recognize was the apple sitting on the side of the tray.
"Arwen," started Armena, "what is this orange flower?"
Arwen looked over on Armena's plate. "It is a delicacy that our people just discovered. It tasted like a vegetable, but inside, it has the sweetest nectar, inside and out this city." Armena tried to touch it, but sparks flew over to her finger. "You have to let it set to get the sparks out of it."
"What are these cakes?"
"Those are lembas. They give you energy, especially when your exhausted."
As they were eating, Frodo entered the room. "Arwen, Elrond wished to see you. He says it's of great importance."
Arwen got up and left the food on the table by the bed. "Enjoy your meal, Armena," she said as she left the room.
Frodo entered the room and sat on the bed next to her. "How is your meal?"
Armena swallowed before she could answer. "Delicious!" she never bothered to ask where it came from. All she knew was that as soon as she was finished, she would definitely ask for seconds."
"So, did you find out anything about Sorator?" asked Frodo.
This made Armena stop eating. "Actually, I did. He was a great boy in my tribe, but he was the only half-breed in it. In fact, he is the only half breed of anything I know."
"Isn't Elrond a half breed?"
"Oh, right."
"Don't half breeds have unimaginable magic?"
"Not to my recollection. I still don't know anything about my tribe, or my people."
"Why don't you go talk to Legolas about it?"
"Actually, that sounds like a very good idea. Where does Legolas sleep?"
"Down the hall to the left."
"Thank you." Armena got up from her seat and left the remainder of her food on the bed. When she left the room and turned out of sight from the bed, Frodo picked up the remainder of her food. Armena came back, peeked through the door, and said, "Put the food down, Frodo." Frodo put the plate down, folded his hands together, and gave an innocent little smile.
At this time, it seemed that time had been flowing swiftly. It was already nightfall and the stars were shining brightly. Armena walked down the hall, which didn't look anything like a hall, but an overgrown balcony. She passed by many statues, and then came across the statue that held a broken sword. Legolas left his room, and was headed for the council of elves to tell of his return, when he saw her, holding the sword. "That, my friend, was the sword that the Dark Lord was slain with," Armena turned around with the start, "and all he did was cut the ring off his finger."
Armena's heart began to race in her chest. "O, Legolas," she said, "you startled me. Can you tell me about my tribe again? There are still some things I don't understand."
Legolas walked up to her and put his hands on his shoulders. "First, I need to talk to you about something. Will you come with me to the fountain?" Armena nodded. They walked down the 'hall' and down to the fountain, which seemed to be the longest walk that both of them had ever taken.
Legolas took Armena by the hands gently, and led her to her seat on the bench. He buried his head in his hands for a moment, then lifted it up to smooth his hair back with his hands. "It seems I can no longer travel with you." He took a quick moment to think and said, "The council wants me to return to my position. I am not sure why, but I figure it would be best if I should stay, where I belong."
Armena's face seemed to grow dark. Her eyes began to fill with tears. "I'm sure it is because of Sorator. He has persuaded you to stay here, hasn't he?"
Legolas lied, but Armena was too upset to notice this time. "It's not like that. Sorator was happy that I came along. I just needed time to regroup with my homeland." He took his hand and rubbed the tears that were coming down her face. "Don't cry, Armena. You should be able to take care of yourself. I'll teach you how to become an archer, and Sorator how to use a sword. Everything will be okay."
Armena still knew that Sorator forced Legolas to leave, but she was still upset at what she heard. "You can't leave the group, you just can't. You are the only one with the memory to lead us along the path to take."
"I will guide you through your mission in heart, I promise."
Armena forces Legolas's hand off her face and ran, crying. She cried, until she came across her room. She threw herself on the bed, face first, and cried some more. No one else came in her room that night, and her crying made her drift off to sleep.
Sorator came in the room and saw her asleep, with the look of sorrow on her face. Why is she so sad? I know I should let Legolas back in, but…I just can't. This would make things even more difficult for the both of us.
Legolas looked around his home. Home at last, or at least my second home he thought. This place looks like it has grown even more magnificent than when I last saw it. He came to a clearing and found Sorator. He sat there and looked as sorrowful as the moment he saw Armena.
"Sorator, we need to speak," said Legolas. He sat down next to him, avoiding physical contact.
"You should be proud of yourself, Legolas. You have won over Armena's heart. There is no need to talk to me about your victory."
"This has nothing to do with victory, Sorator. This is just about you and me." Legolas began again. "What is your problem with me? Do you think I am trying to take her away from you?"
Sorator didn't answer the question.
"She hasn't chosen anyone yet, nor does she have a need to choose. This journey won't be over for quite a while. Until then, maybe not even then, you need not worry."
Sorator lifted his face from his hands and turned towards him. "Don't you think I know that? It's not you I'm worried about! It is she that I am concerned for. I'm afraid that all of this will eventually lead her to her grave, way beyond her time." He was lying and Legolas knew it.
"We all are worried about Armena, but I don't think she is the only one you are worried about. I know you don't like the sight of me coming to her rescue, that is why Armena told you how she was saved instead of me."
"How did you save her from being killed?" replied Sorator.
"I… kissed her. It was the only way to save her." Legolas looked neither ashamed, nor embarrassed about what he had said, or done.
Sorator got up and walked towards the fountain. "I think you shouldn't travel with us anymore. You are putting her life in jeopardy and I will not stand for it anymore."
Legolas stood, hesitantly, and walked over to the fountain, a few feet next to Sorator. They were both staring at the fountain. "If that is what you wish," he started, "I will stay here with my people." He began to walk back to his room. "You should be happy, for you finally won." Legolas didn't want to say that last comment, but he felt it was what Sorator wanted to hear. Sorator just stood next to the fountain and stared at his reflection in the water. Was this the wisest decision? he thought to himself.
Armena was changed up in her regular clothes and was still talking to Armena, when Frodo entered the room.
"Miss Armena, Arwen, your meal is ready," he said.
"Very well, thank you, Frodo," said Arwen.
Two very stout elves came in with a most delicious meal, which was unidentified by Armena. There was meat that looked like pork, and an orange flower next to it. The only food she could recognize was the apple sitting on the side of the tray.
"Arwen," started Armena, "what is this orange flower?"
Arwen looked over on Armena's plate. "It is a delicacy that our people just discovered. It tasted like a vegetable, but inside, it has the sweetest nectar, inside and out this city." Armena tried to touch it, but sparks flew over to her finger. "You have to let it set to get the sparks out of it."
"What are these cakes?"
"Those are lembas. They give you energy, especially when your exhausted."
As they were eating, Frodo entered the room. "Arwen, Elrond wished to see you. He says it's of great importance."
Arwen got up and left the food on the table by the bed. "Enjoy your meal, Armena," she said as she left the room.
Frodo entered the room and sat on the bed next to her. "How is your meal?"
Armena swallowed before she could answer. "Delicious!" she never bothered to ask where it came from. All she knew was that as soon as she was finished, she would definitely ask for seconds."
"So, did you find out anything about Sorator?" asked Frodo.
This made Armena stop eating. "Actually, I did. He was a great boy in my tribe, but he was the only half-breed in it. In fact, he is the only half breed of anything I know."
"Isn't Elrond a half breed?"
"Oh, right."
"Don't half breeds have unimaginable magic?"
"Not to my recollection. I still don't know anything about my tribe, or my people."
"Why don't you go talk to Legolas about it?"
"Actually, that sounds like a very good idea. Where does Legolas sleep?"
"Down the hall to the left."
"Thank you." Armena got up from her seat and left the remainder of her food on the bed. When she left the room and turned out of sight from the bed, Frodo picked up the remainder of her food. Armena came back, peeked through the door, and said, "Put the food down, Frodo." Frodo put the plate down, folded his hands together, and gave an innocent little smile.
At this time, it seemed that time had been flowing swiftly. It was already nightfall and the stars were shining brightly. Armena walked down the hall, which didn't look anything like a hall, but an overgrown balcony. She passed by many statues, and then came across the statue that held a broken sword. Legolas left his room, and was headed for the council of elves to tell of his return, when he saw her, holding the sword. "That, my friend, was the sword that the Dark Lord was slain with," Armena turned around with the start, "and all he did was cut the ring off his finger."
Armena's heart began to race in her chest. "O, Legolas," she said, "you startled me. Can you tell me about my tribe again? There are still some things I don't understand."
Legolas walked up to her and put his hands on his shoulders. "First, I need to talk to you about something. Will you come with me to the fountain?" Armena nodded. They walked down the 'hall' and down to the fountain, which seemed to be the longest walk that both of them had ever taken.
Legolas took Armena by the hands gently, and led her to her seat on the bench. He buried his head in his hands for a moment, then lifted it up to smooth his hair back with his hands. "It seems I can no longer travel with you." He took a quick moment to think and said, "The council wants me to return to my position. I am not sure why, but I figure it would be best if I should stay, where I belong."
Armena's face seemed to grow dark. Her eyes began to fill with tears. "I'm sure it is because of Sorator. He has persuaded you to stay here, hasn't he?"
Legolas lied, but Armena was too upset to notice this time. "It's not like that. Sorator was happy that I came along. I just needed time to regroup with my homeland." He took his hand and rubbed the tears that were coming down her face. "Don't cry, Armena. You should be able to take care of yourself. I'll teach you how to become an archer, and Sorator how to use a sword. Everything will be okay."
Armena still knew that Sorator forced Legolas to leave, but she was still upset at what she heard. "You can't leave the group, you just can't. You are the only one with the memory to lead us along the path to take."
"I will guide you through your mission in heart, I promise."
Armena forces Legolas's hand off her face and ran, crying. She cried, until she came across her room. She threw herself on the bed, face first, and cried some more. No one else came in her room that night, and her crying made her drift off to sleep.
Sorator came in the room and saw her asleep, with the look of sorrow on her face. Why is she so sad? I know I should let Legolas back in, but…I just can't. This would make things even more difficult for the both of us.