Chapter 12
I don't believe it, thought Armena. My last dream came true! Legolas is really gone. He said that he would be back, but how can he return from a bed of liquid fire? It's just not possible! Armena's heart sank. Her one protector was gone, and there was nothing she could do, but wait. You promised that you will come back to me, and I will wait for that day. I will wait for your return, Legolas.
The first day had come, and there was no sign of the warrior elf. Armena sat herself near the edge of the cliff with her head on her right knee and her left leg stretched out on the ground. She stared out in the distance hoping for a miracle. Sorator came by her side and offered her some food, but she refused. "I guess you are not hungry. I will save this for later."
But later was still not a good time. She sat there, in the same position, staring out into the distance. The only thought on her mind was the fact that if Legolas does not return, she will perish with him. Sorator came around with the same dish, but it was late at night, and she still declined. "At least get some rest. You can watch out for him in the morning," he said, but Armena did not budge.
The second day had passed, and Armena still sat there in the same position, with her eyes open, looking out at the distance. Sorator woke up and spotted her sitting by the cliff. "You need to get some rest, Armena. This isn't good for you."
"No," she finally said. "I'm sure you would do the same thing if you were in my position."
"At least have something to eat. I can see you are growing weaker."
"Maybe later."
But she sat there, in the same position. Not even the wind could move her.
The next day, she stood up. She got no sleep, nor had a decent meal, but she still mustered the strength to stand. She peeked over the cliff to see if he was hanging from a branch or a vine, but she saw nothing but jagged rocks. Hours passed, and Sorator woke up again. He saw the sorrow filled girl, standing at the edge of the cliff. There is nothing I can say to get her to rest. She is absolutely fixated on finding this elf.
This night, Sorator stayed up to keep watch on the weak girl. She began to get impatient, and called out his name.
"Legolas!!" she started. Tears rapidly ran down her cheek. "Legolas!!" she called out again. Then she stopped. She sat back down, in the same position, at the same area of the cliff. She still kept herself awake, making sure she caught Legolas the second he returned.
The next morning was the day she finally gave in to her weakness. She got up and began to shout the name, but this time, with little strength.
"Legolas! You need to come back! I've been waiting for you… You… said …that you would…come back…if…I…" She began to fall, but Sorator reached her in time before she could fall to the bottom of the cliff. "You have used all of your strength," said Sorator softly. "You need an awful lot of rest."
Armena lay with her head on the cloak he had given her on the beginning of the trip. He sat by her for the moment, and then he walked over to the edge where Armena had placed herself for the past few days. Legolas, please return, for Armena's sake. Her body has grown weak, and she has not eaten in days. If this continues, there will be a need for two memorial services. Just…return, for Armena.
Armena woke up, still weak from lack of food. "Has he returned? Is he back yet?" She tried to get up, but her head began to spin. Sorator came to her aid and offered the food that she had declined many times before. She took a piece of meat and tried to put it in her mouth, but she was too weak to accomplish that. Sorator took the meat from her hand, and placed it in her mouth, and she chewed slowly.
Sorator fed Armena for the past half hour, until her plate was empty. She began to drift off to sleep, when an arrow flew from out of the bush. It hit Sorator in his left shoulder blade. Armena got up as fast as she could, with the strength she had gained from her meal. "Sorator! Are you okay?" She saw the blood, oozing down his shirt as it reached his leg. "I have to take the arrow out, but it is going to hurt." She broke the end of the arrow, and pushed it out until it came through the other side, like Legolas had done for her.
She set Sorator down to the ground gently, and walked over to the bush to see what had attacked her. The sword lay by Sorator, and I gave a faint glow. Armena peeked over the other side of the bush, but she saw an arrow pointed for her head. She backed up as far as she could until she reached the edge of the cliff. It looks like this is the end of the line.
Just then, the creature dropped dead, face first, and a shadowed figure stood behind, his silhouette in the shape of a man armed with a bow and arrow. He stepped toward her and she instantly recognized who it was.
"Legolas! Your back!" she exclaimed, weakly. She ran toward him, and gave him a kiss that only lasted for moments, but lasted for hours. Legolas put his right hand around her waist, because his left hand carried the bow, and he pulled her closer. That was the most beautiful moment she had shared with him, but it didn't last long because she felt weak and fell in Legolas's arm.
"I have waited for you, night and day, without sleep. I knew you would come back."
Legolas looked at her forehead. "You are pale. Have you not eaten?"
She shook her head and said, "No, but I have waited endlessly for your return. Did you find what you were looking for?"
Legolas took out the diamond-stoned anklet off of his right wrist and put it on Armena's left ankle. Her strength returned to her, and she rose up from Legolas's arms. "Sorator has been badly injured. He needs medical care now."
They both rushed over to the hurt Sorator, but his wound was still open, and blood had come from the open cut. Sorator was dying from loss of blood. Legolas tore off a piece of the cloak that Armena used and wrapped it around his wound, though blood was still seeping through the cloth, but slower. This prolonged Sorator's life, but only for a few minutes.
The pendant became detached from Armena's neck and turned into the little fairy. She kissed Armena's upper lip and told her to give it to Sorator. Then, she gave Sorator a kiss on his lips, and slowly, the blood disappeared, and Sorator regained his strength.
He looked at Legolas, and all he could do was smile. "The mighty Legolas has returned, and saved the life of his beloved," he said.
Armena turned sharply at Sorator when she had heard the word beloved. "You are not still mad about he and I?" she asked, confused.
Sorator just shook his head and smiled back. "I can see that you and Legolas were made for each other. My purpose is to accompany you two, to make sure you are both safe, but it seems that Legolas has been doing that for me." Legolas and Armena took a glance at each other and smiled, then grabbed both his arms; Armena took the right arm and Legolas took the left. They re-entered the woods and pressed on their journey.
After a few more hours, they set up camp in a remote part of the woods. Sorator was asleep, and Legolas and Armena sat across from each other with the fire in between them. They both stared at each other, until Armena finally spoke.
"How did you survive?" she said.
"I heard your voice. Your thoughts were racing in my mind, and I just could not let them be lost." He stopped, stared at the ground, and continued. "I heard one of your thoughts saying that you would die if I never returned. I just couldn't let you do that. I love you too much to see you die for my sake."
"Legolas, if you haven't returned, I would have died in your stead. I practically starved myself, knowing you were going to come back. My eyes stayed on that bed of fire until I lost my energy."
Legolas got up and sat next to her. He looked at her and said these last words before he kissed her goodnight. "Your presence is what keeps me alive, and what will keep me alive. I live to protect you."
Armena lay down further from the fire than from where she was sitting. Legolas gave her one last good night and he kept watch over Both Sorator and Armena.
I don't believe it, thought Armena. My last dream came true! Legolas is really gone. He said that he would be back, but how can he return from a bed of liquid fire? It's just not possible! Armena's heart sank. Her one protector was gone, and there was nothing she could do, but wait. You promised that you will come back to me, and I will wait for that day. I will wait for your return, Legolas.
The first day had come, and there was no sign of the warrior elf. Armena sat herself near the edge of the cliff with her head on her right knee and her left leg stretched out on the ground. She stared out in the distance hoping for a miracle. Sorator came by her side and offered her some food, but she refused. "I guess you are not hungry. I will save this for later."
But later was still not a good time. She sat there, in the same position, staring out into the distance. The only thought on her mind was the fact that if Legolas does not return, she will perish with him. Sorator came around with the same dish, but it was late at night, and she still declined. "At least get some rest. You can watch out for him in the morning," he said, but Armena did not budge.
The second day had passed, and Armena still sat there in the same position, with her eyes open, looking out at the distance. Sorator woke up and spotted her sitting by the cliff. "You need to get some rest, Armena. This isn't good for you."
"No," she finally said. "I'm sure you would do the same thing if you were in my position."
"At least have something to eat. I can see you are growing weaker."
"Maybe later."
But she sat there, in the same position. Not even the wind could move her.
The next day, she stood up. She got no sleep, nor had a decent meal, but she still mustered the strength to stand. She peeked over the cliff to see if he was hanging from a branch or a vine, but she saw nothing but jagged rocks. Hours passed, and Sorator woke up again. He saw the sorrow filled girl, standing at the edge of the cliff. There is nothing I can say to get her to rest. She is absolutely fixated on finding this elf.
This night, Sorator stayed up to keep watch on the weak girl. She began to get impatient, and called out his name.
"Legolas!!" she started. Tears rapidly ran down her cheek. "Legolas!!" she called out again. Then she stopped. She sat back down, in the same position, at the same area of the cliff. She still kept herself awake, making sure she caught Legolas the second he returned.
The next morning was the day she finally gave in to her weakness. She got up and began to shout the name, but this time, with little strength.
"Legolas! You need to come back! I've been waiting for you… You… said …that you would…come back…if…I…" She began to fall, but Sorator reached her in time before she could fall to the bottom of the cliff. "You have used all of your strength," said Sorator softly. "You need an awful lot of rest."
Armena lay with her head on the cloak he had given her on the beginning of the trip. He sat by her for the moment, and then he walked over to the edge where Armena had placed herself for the past few days. Legolas, please return, for Armena's sake. Her body has grown weak, and she has not eaten in days. If this continues, there will be a need for two memorial services. Just…return, for Armena.
Armena woke up, still weak from lack of food. "Has he returned? Is he back yet?" She tried to get up, but her head began to spin. Sorator came to her aid and offered the food that she had declined many times before. She took a piece of meat and tried to put it in her mouth, but she was too weak to accomplish that. Sorator took the meat from her hand, and placed it in her mouth, and she chewed slowly.
Sorator fed Armena for the past half hour, until her plate was empty. She began to drift off to sleep, when an arrow flew from out of the bush. It hit Sorator in his left shoulder blade. Armena got up as fast as she could, with the strength she had gained from her meal. "Sorator! Are you okay?" She saw the blood, oozing down his shirt as it reached his leg. "I have to take the arrow out, but it is going to hurt." She broke the end of the arrow, and pushed it out until it came through the other side, like Legolas had done for her.
She set Sorator down to the ground gently, and walked over to the bush to see what had attacked her. The sword lay by Sorator, and I gave a faint glow. Armena peeked over the other side of the bush, but she saw an arrow pointed for her head. She backed up as far as she could until she reached the edge of the cliff. It looks like this is the end of the line.
Just then, the creature dropped dead, face first, and a shadowed figure stood behind, his silhouette in the shape of a man armed with a bow and arrow. He stepped toward her and she instantly recognized who it was.
"Legolas! Your back!" she exclaimed, weakly. She ran toward him, and gave him a kiss that only lasted for moments, but lasted for hours. Legolas put his right hand around her waist, because his left hand carried the bow, and he pulled her closer. That was the most beautiful moment she had shared with him, but it didn't last long because she felt weak and fell in Legolas's arm.
"I have waited for you, night and day, without sleep. I knew you would come back."
Legolas looked at her forehead. "You are pale. Have you not eaten?"
She shook her head and said, "No, but I have waited endlessly for your return. Did you find what you were looking for?"
Legolas took out the diamond-stoned anklet off of his right wrist and put it on Armena's left ankle. Her strength returned to her, and she rose up from Legolas's arms. "Sorator has been badly injured. He needs medical care now."
They both rushed over to the hurt Sorator, but his wound was still open, and blood had come from the open cut. Sorator was dying from loss of blood. Legolas tore off a piece of the cloak that Armena used and wrapped it around his wound, though blood was still seeping through the cloth, but slower. This prolonged Sorator's life, but only for a few minutes.
The pendant became detached from Armena's neck and turned into the little fairy. She kissed Armena's upper lip and told her to give it to Sorator. Then, she gave Sorator a kiss on his lips, and slowly, the blood disappeared, and Sorator regained his strength.
He looked at Legolas, and all he could do was smile. "The mighty Legolas has returned, and saved the life of his beloved," he said.
Armena turned sharply at Sorator when she had heard the word beloved. "You are not still mad about he and I?" she asked, confused.
Sorator just shook his head and smiled back. "I can see that you and Legolas were made for each other. My purpose is to accompany you two, to make sure you are both safe, but it seems that Legolas has been doing that for me." Legolas and Armena took a glance at each other and smiled, then grabbed both his arms; Armena took the right arm and Legolas took the left. They re-entered the woods and pressed on their journey.
After a few more hours, they set up camp in a remote part of the woods. Sorator was asleep, and Legolas and Armena sat across from each other with the fire in between them. They both stared at each other, until Armena finally spoke.
"How did you survive?" she said.
"I heard your voice. Your thoughts were racing in my mind, and I just could not let them be lost." He stopped, stared at the ground, and continued. "I heard one of your thoughts saying that you would die if I never returned. I just couldn't let you do that. I love you too much to see you die for my sake."
"Legolas, if you haven't returned, I would have died in your stead. I practically starved myself, knowing you were going to come back. My eyes stayed on that bed of fire until I lost my energy."
Legolas got up and sat next to her. He looked at her and said these last words before he kissed her goodnight. "Your presence is what keeps me alive, and what will keep me alive. I live to protect you."
Armena lay down further from the fire than from where she was sitting. Legolas gave her one last good night and he kept watch over Both Sorator and Armena.