Disclaimer: Yet again another one, but since we are nearing the end (sigh)
it will be one of the last. I love my reviewers! (Hint, hint)
Everlasting Road: ch. 27
Voices drifted into Liria's consciousness. She struggled to place them, they seemed familiar. She wondered at why everything was so dark, then realized it must be her eyes. She fought with them to open, and was delighted when they did her bidding. Her blurred vision revealed Legolas kneeling beside her, cradling her form, with Gimli standing beside him, his gruff face as unreadable as ever.
"Hello," said Legolas, "how do you feel?"
Liria closed colorless eyes and opened them again before speaking. "I am just fine," she managed to get out.
"You are not fine," Legolas answered, "you need help."
"I do not," Liria insisted, "I have been helped too much recently."
Legolas paused briefly before continuing, "Can you tell us what happened? Was it the elf-guard?"
"The elf-guard," Liria thought it over, "yes, it was him. He confronted me, telling me that I was causing you nothing but pain and that I should be ashamed for using you so. I ignored him and told him to worry over his own affairs, but he would not leave me alone. When I turned my back on him to walk away, he jumped on me. It was weird, his entire demeanor had changed. He was crazed. He began to pound me with his fists, but I fought back and pushed him off of me. Then I tried to take him down so that I could take him back to Mirkwood myself and report his insanity, but he was stronger than I thought. Next thing I knew, I was on the edge of the trench, and he pushed me in. That is all, until I heard you arguing with him. I tried to come up earlier when I first heard your voice, but I could not get my body to move. I am sorry if I have caused any inconvenience."
Legolas smiled, brushing her hair off of her forehead, "You did not cause anything for us. I am so sorry that I thought to leave you, I had no idea you were in such a state. Believe me, I would have killed that elf right out had I known." Legolas glanced briefly at the elf's still form, "But he is dead now, and the problem appears to be taken care of."
Liria smiled faintly and closed her eyes again. Legolas could not help but notice the many cuts and abrasions upon her, and it made him sick to think that he had been going to leave her. Had they not come, she most certainly would have died, and he might never have even known about it. Such a thought was terrifying.
Legolas looked over at Gimli. "We will make camp here for tonight, and then move out in the morning." Gimli said nothing. He did not even bother to ask the question that was burning him, as to whether or not they would be going back to Mirkwood or to Aragorn. He could imagine which, Liria needed help. Legolas would want to take her back. But for the first time, the thought of Liria interfering with their plans once again did not bring anger into his heart, rather, he felt neutral. He was slightly confused over this, he had no idea what to think. Gimli watched the two elves together, and noticed that Legolas seemed happy. Even though they had just come through a weird, and somewhat perilous, encounter, Legolas was happy with Liria. The previous conflicts were forgotten, he was simply happy to have found Liria in time. And Liria looked content as well. She no longer looked like a conniving she-elf intent on simply ruining any relations Legolas had with anybody else. She seemed happy as well, even in her current condition. This was all a revelation to Gimli.
Night fell with no occurrences, and Gimli wandered off to be by himself. He seriously needed to think. He was no longer sure of his feelings. Liria had been nothing but a conflict for he and Legolas to overcome, and just when Gimli thought she had been overcome, she would show up again. Plus, she had made it clear that there was no love lost between Gimli and herself. Then again, she had just saved his life. Gimli could not deny the fact that without her he would be dead right now.
Then Gimli took a moment to consider Legolas. Legolas had been happiest when all three of them had been traveling together, before there had been any issues. He had been lighthearted and carefree, as free- spirited as any elf. Then Gimli had watched his friend disintegrate with his internal conflicts, caused by Liria and himself. Gimli realized he could no longer blame it all on Liria, it was just as much his fault as hers. Startling, but true thoughts.
Gimli shifted slightly when he heard a noise behind him. He turned, expecting Legolas. Liria stood behind him. "You should not be up and about," he said instantly, standing warily.
"Do not try to fool me that you care of my state. Besides, I am not broken, merely scratched," she replied. Liria stepped closer to Gimli, who watched her carefully, ready to jump into action if need be. Liria stopped at a safe distance. "We need to talk."
"I was thinking the same thing," he replied before he knew what he was saying.
Liria walked past Gimli to a small log and sat down. Gimli followed her. There were a few moments of silence before Liria turned to look at Gimli. Her eyes were a deep blue, a neutral color. "You love Legolas, do you not?"
Gimli was slightly taken aback by the question. He answered carefully, "He is my most dear friend, and I would do anything for him, of course I love him."
Liria nodded and looked away, "As I knew." She shrugged slightly, "I love him as well. And I think it is safe to say that he loves both of us, so what is to be done? We have been treating him cruelly with our disputes. If he was as dear as we both think, than he does not deserve such treatment. Do you agree?"
Gimli nodded woodenly, wondering what this was getting at.
Liria continued, as if Gimli were not really there at all. "He should not have to tear his heart in two to be able to live. An elf's heart is especially fragile. He has not been the same, and there is a possible cure." Liria turned to Gimli again, looking him straight in the eye, "You and I, dwarf, need to learn to live peaceably. For the sake of Legolas if none else."
Gimli took a breath before replying. "Well said, but easier that than actually done. There has been much harm done to us, by both sides."
"I am aware of that," Liria picked up, "but I believe we can make it work. You may choose not to believe me, but I was appalled by what I had done to you when I physically harmed you. That was an alert, to say the least. But I believe that I may have made that up to you, whether you think so or no. And if we can draw even on this affair, we can start afresh, and try to remain neutral."
"My lady," Gimli answered, "you have made up for your deed. And I am surprised to hear that you were sorry for your actions. That makes this a lot easier. So for the sake of Legolas, we will coexist in a tolerable fashion, at least for the time being."
Liria grinned slightly, her eyes lightening in their color. She rose to go back, "So be it, master dwarf."
Gimli watched her walk away. If possible, he was now more confused than ever, but there was also a calmness inside of him that he had not had for quite some time.
Everlasting Road: ch. 27
Voices drifted into Liria's consciousness. She struggled to place them, they seemed familiar. She wondered at why everything was so dark, then realized it must be her eyes. She fought with them to open, and was delighted when they did her bidding. Her blurred vision revealed Legolas kneeling beside her, cradling her form, with Gimli standing beside him, his gruff face as unreadable as ever.
"Hello," said Legolas, "how do you feel?"
Liria closed colorless eyes and opened them again before speaking. "I am just fine," she managed to get out.
"You are not fine," Legolas answered, "you need help."
"I do not," Liria insisted, "I have been helped too much recently."
Legolas paused briefly before continuing, "Can you tell us what happened? Was it the elf-guard?"
"The elf-guard," Liria thought it over, "yes, it was him. He confronted me, telling me that I was causing you nothing but pain and that I should be ashamed for using you so. I ignored him and told him to worry over his own affairs, but he would not leave me alone. When I turned my back on him to walk away, he jumped on me. It was weird, his entire demeanor had changed. He was crazed. He began to pound me with his fists, but I fought back and pushed him off of me. Then I tried to take him down so that I could take him back to Mirkwood myself and report his insanity, but he was stronger than I thought. Next thing I knew, I was on the edge of the trench, and he pushed me in. That is all, until I heard you arguing with him. I tried to come up earlier when I first heard your voice, but I could not get my body to move. I am sorry if I have caused any inconvenience."
Legolas smiled, brushing her hair off of her forehead, "You did not cause anything for us. I am so sorry that I thought to leave you, I had no idea you were in such a state. Believe me, I would have killed that elf right out had I known." Legolas glanced briefly at the elf's still form, "But he is dead now, and the problem appears to be taken care of."
Liria smiled faintly and closed her eyes again. Legolas could not help but notice the many cuts and abrasions upon her, and it made him sick to think that he had been going to leave her. Had they not come, she most certainly would have died, and he might never have even known about it. Such a thought was terrifying.
Legolas looked over at Gimli. "We will make camp here for tonight, and then move out in the morning." Gimli said nothing. He did not even bother to ask the question that was burning him, as to whether or not they would be going back to Mirkwood or to Aragorn. He could imagine which, Liria needed help. Legolas would want to take her back. But for the first time, the thought of Liria interfering with their plans once again did not bring anger into his heart, rather, he felt neutral. He was slightly confused over this, he had no idea what to think. Gimli watched the two elves together, and noticed that Legolas seemed happy. Even though they had just come through a weird, and somewhat perilous, encounter, Legolas was happy with Liria. The previous conflicts were forgotten, he was simply happy to have found Liria in time. And Liria looked content as well. She no longer looked like a conniving she-elf intent on simply ruining any relations Legolas had with anybody else. She seemed happy as well, even in her current condition. This was all a revelation to Gimli.
Night fell with no occurrences, and Gimli wandered off to be by himself. He seriously needed to think. He was no longer sure of his feelings. Liria had been nothing but a conflict for he and Legolas to overcome, and just when Gimli thought she had been overcome, she would show up again. Plus, she had made it clear that there was no love lost between Gimli and herself. Then again, she had just saved his life. Gimli could not deny the fact that without her he would be dead right now.
Then Gimli took a moment to consider Legolas. Legolas had been happiest when all three of them had been traveling together, before there had been any issues. He had been lighthearted and carefree, as free- spirited as any elf. Then Gimli had watched his friend disintegrate with his internal conflicts, caused by Liria and himself. Gimli realized he could no longer blame it all on Liria, it was just as much his fault as hers. Startling, but true thoughts.
Gimli shifted slightly when he heard a noise behind him. He turned, expecting Legolas. Liria stood behind him. "You should not be up and about," he said instantly, standing warily.
"Do not try to fool me that you care of my state. Besides, I am not broken, merely scratched," she replied. Liria stepped closer to Gimli, who watched her carefully, ready to jump into action if need be. Liria stopped at a safe distance. "We need to talk."
"I was thinking the same thing," he replied before he knew what he was saying.
Liria walked past Gimli to a small log and sat down. Gimli followed her. There were a few moments of silence before Liria turned to look at Gimli. Her eyes were a deep blue, a neutral color. "You love Legolas, do you not?"
Gimli was slightly taken aback by the question. He answered carefully, "He is my most dear friend, and I would do anything for him, of course I love him."
Liria nodded and looked away, "As I knew." She shrugged slightly, "I love him as well. And I think it is safe to say that he loves both of us, so what is to be done? We have been treating him cruelly with our disputes. If he was as dear as we both think, than he does not deserve such treatment. Do you agree?"
Gimli nodded woodenly, wondering what this was getting at.
Liria continued, as if Gimli were not really there at all. "He should not have to tear his heart in two to be able to live. An elf's heart is especially fragile. He has not been the same, and there is a possible cure." Liria turned to Gimli again, looking him straight in the eye, "You and I, dwarf, need to learn to live peaceably. For the sake of Legolas if none else."
Gimli took a breath before replying. "Well said, but easier that than actually done. There has been much harm done to us, by both sides."
"I am aware of that," Liria picked up, "but I believe we can make it work. You may choose not to believe me, but I was appalled by what I had done to you when I physically harmed you. That was an alert, to say the least. But I believe that I may have made that up to you, whether you think so or no. And if we can draw even on this affair, we can start afresh, and try to remain neutral."
"My lady," Gimli answered, "you have made up for your deed. And I am surprised to hear that you were sorry for your actions. That makes this a lot easier. So for the sake of Legolas, we will coexist in a tolerable fashion, at least for the time being."
Liria grinned slightly, her eyes lightening in their color. She rose to go back, "So be it, master dwarf."
Gimli watched her walk away. If possible, he was now more confused than ever, but there was also a calmness inside of him that he had not had for quite some time.