FOR DISCLAIMER, SEE CHAPTER ONE :)
Chapter Seven: Safe in My Arms
After hearing Legolas' panicked account that night, the four set out for Theoden's palace. It took only Gandalf's words and Legales' enraged expression to have Alatariel released from the prison, where she spent two days, and taken to a real room. Needless to say, Grima was banished from Rohan.
Once again, she had gone unconscious, and had not woken up for days. Legolas sat beside her bruised body, holding her hand and stroking her hair, which still smelled of the foul cell. On the second night since her release, Legolas felt a gentle squeeze on his hand and his dazed figure snapped back to life.
"Legolas?" said her weak voice.
"Alatariel! Yes, it is I, Legolas!" he said joyfully.
She opened her eyes so she could see his face. When she did, she began to weep.
"Milady, what is it?" questioned Legolas, his voice filled with concern.
"You heard my cries that night, did you not?" she asked.
Tears started to well up in his eyes as he responded, "I did, melamin, I did!" and with that, he gently, but swiftly lifted her once again unconscious form from her bed, and held her in his arms. He did not know how long he sat there holding her. While she slept in his arms, he caressed her smooth skin, and spoke to her in his native tongue gentle, lovely words that are far too beautiful to ever repeat.
Legolas was jolted back to reality by the opening of the door. When he turned to look, he saw the tattered form of Eomer standing in the doorway. Legolas kissed Alatariel's brow and lightly set her lifeless body back on the bed. He then approached Eomer. Rage filled his soul as he got closer to the man who had caused harm to his Beloved.
"You filthy Son of Sauron!" he growled, pushing Eomer out the door and slamming him against the opposite wall. "You promised to keep her safe, and now look, she lies there unconscious in a state of torment! It is because of you that she suffered so greatly! Do you not know that when an elf is deprived of light, their souls diminish?! It is a miracle she is still living!"
At that moment, it took all that Legolas had within him not to strangle Eomer. Eomer stood there with tears in his eyes, too afraid to even move. Instead of hurting him further, Legolas walked back into Alatariel's room and closed the door. He closed his eyes, exhaled deeply, and then turned back towards Alatariel. She was not lying peacefully anymore, but instead was thrashing about like the night they had first met. In a swift, fluid motion, Legolas was at her bedside and had swept her into his lap. Like the time before, her thrashing had stopped as soon as the elf touched her.
"Peace, dear friend," he whispered softly in her ear, "you are safe in my arms."
Once again, she fell asleep, her head resting in the crook of his neck, and her hands grasping his silver tunic. Legolas fell into slumber as well.
Legolas was awakened by movement in his arms. His glassy eyes, which he had kept open while he slept, quickly regained their normal, keen sight. He saw that Alatariel was still in his arms, and smiling up at him, their faces mere inches apart.
"You are awake," he said quietly.
"Yes, I am awake," she said with a gentle smile, not distancing herself from him at all. "I knew you would come for me." Her eyes watered as she said this and Legolas drew her closer to him. She could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest, and she felt tears raining down on her that mixed with her own. Legolas looked into her eyes, into the very depths of her soul; then, he took her face in his hands, and gently kissed her lips.
Chapter Seven: Safe in My Arms
After hearing Legolas' panicked account that night, the four set out for Theoden's palace. It took only Gandalf's words and Legales' enraged expression to have Alatariel released from the prison, where she spent two days, and taken to a real room. Needless to say, Grima was banished from Rohan.
Once again, she had gone unconscious, and had not woken up for days. Legolas sat beside her bruised body, holding her hand and stroking her hair, which still smelled of the foul cell. On the second night since her release, Legolas felt a gentle squeeze on his hand and his dazed figure snapped back to life.
"Legolas?" said her weak voice.
"Alatariel! Yes, it is I, Legolas!" he said joyfully.
She opened her eyes so she could see his face. When she did, she began to weep.
"Milady, what is it?" questioned Legolas, his voice filled with concern.
"You heard my cries that night, did you not?" she asked.
Tears started to well up in his eyes as he responded, "I did, melamin, I did!" and with that, he gently, but swiftly lifted her once again unconscious form from her bed, and held her in his arms. He did not know how long he sat there holding her. While she slept in his arms, he caressed her smooth skin, and spoke to her in his native tongue gentle, lovely words that are far too beautiful to ever repeat.
Legolas was jolted back to reality by the opening of the door. When he turned to look, he saw the tattered form of Eomer standing in the doorway. Legolas kissed Alatariel's brow and lightly set her lifeless body back on the bed. He then approached Eomer. Rage filled his soul as he got closer to the man who had caused harm to his Beloved.
"You filthy Son of Sauron!" he growled, pushing Eomer out the door and slamming him against the opposite wall. "You promised to keep her safe, and now look, she lies there unconscious in a state of torment! It is because of you that she suffered so greatly! Do you not know that when an elf is deprived of light, their souls diminish?! It is a miracle she is still living!"
At that moment, it took all that Legolas had within him not to strangle Eomer. Eomer stood there with tears in his eyes, too afraid to even move. Instead of hurting him further, Legolas walked back into Alatariel's room and closed the door. He closed his eyes, exhaled deeply, and then turned back towards Alatariel. She was not lying peacefully anymore, but instead was thrashing about like the night they had first met. In a swift, fluid motion, Legolas was at her bedside and had swept her into his lap. Like the time before, her thrashing had stopped as soon as the elf touched her.
"Peace, dear friend," he whispered softly in her ear, "you are safe in my arms."
Once again, she fell asleep, her head resting in the crook of his neck, and her hands grasping his silver tunic. Legolas fell into slumber as well.
Legolas was awakened by movement in his arms. His glassy eyes, which he had kept open while he slept, quickly regained their normal, keen sight. He saw that Alatariel was still in his arms, and smiling up at him, their faces mere inches apart.
"You are awake," he said quietly.
"Yes, I am awake," she said with a gentle smile, not distancing herself from him at all. "I knew you would come for me." Her eyes watered as she said this and Legolas drew her closer to him. She could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest, and she felt tears raining down on her that mixed with her own. Legolas looked into her eyes, into the very depths of her soul; then, he took her face in his hands, and gently kissed her lips.