When Dreams Aren't What They Should Be.
A/N: Apparently my author's notes are too long ::glares at Maria/Finnigan:: , so here's a nice short one…
Email comments/tips/whatever to
heven_vs_hell69@hotmail.com -OR- insaneasylumescapee@yahoo.co.uk .
Either that or you can just put it in a review.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed ::hands out cookies:: You've made my day!
Gelia- Erm…I think I got the message…maybe next time you should only say the same thing once repeating yourself isn't always a good thing. Thanx for your review though, I'm gonna have to check how long it actually took the dwarves and Bilbo (from West to East) in The Hobbit, and work it out from there if I need to…
MeShelly- I think Gimli might show up at some point, but it'll be a bit later, cos there's something big coming, and I have to get there first…
Ola- I'm trying to keep it sort of in with the original story…obviously, things need changing, but I'm not gonna overdo it (hopefully). Tell me if I do anything way too 'out there'!
Finnigan- Oh, so you finally got round to it? I'm honoured. That was supposed to be sarcasm, by the way. I don't have much to say to you.
IceFire- I so totally know this isn't anywhere near any of your fics…
NOTE: This chapter's a bit crappy… Kaïra's brother Kaïllum is introduced here…he's not a major part though, just something to talk about.
And, in-case you're wondering, he's called that cos JRR seems to use the same names a lot except with the letters changed, so I thought I might as well do the same.
DISCLAIMER: It's mine! All mine! ::Runs off cackling:: Suckers!
::Chased by a bunch of lawyers:: Okay, okay, anything you might happen to recognise belongs to JRR Tolkien, but the idea, and KaÏra are mine, so deal. :~P
Legolas' thoughts are in //thought//. Italics are in *italics*, and any dream sequences etc will be ::::::dream:::::: What else? I think that's it for now…
Wow, even the shortened version of an author's note took a whole word page to fit into…heh heh
~*~*~*The ONE and ONLY*~*~*~
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _
CHPT 3: Don't Speak.
Legolas didn't think, he didn't want; he just rode faster and faster, feeling the tug of the forest weaken upon his heart, feeling its song fade into nothingness, until all he could hear were the hooves of his horse, as he steadily rode on.
Kaïra rode close behind him, as he became seemingly unaware of her presence. She risked a glance over her shoulder, and saw the thin line of trees vanish in the distance.
Her heart was heavy as she left her home, but at the same time, it leapt inside her at the chance of seeing the world. She almost laughed, *the world*.
It had always seemed so distant and alien to her; all those years of her long life had been spent in Mirkwood, never leaving the safety of its threshold.
Her father, a distant cousin to the sister of the King, had always warned her of the outside world…
"There are dangers of countless sorts, Kaïra," he would say, "There are creatures unimaginable to a young one like you, creatures that would gladly kill an elf merely for breathing."
This was something that Kaïra had never understood, but always accepted as being a simple fact. Her father, being a great influence over her, had educated her in most matters that needed attention, leaving the others to be taken care of by the royal tutors.
Even so, she had always been slightly naïve of the goings-on outside the forest walls, and was eager to meet her first adventure.
She urged her horse on, catching up to Legolas' silvery mare with ease, and riding alongside him.
He glanced at her, remembering for the first time that she had followed him into the open lands.
"Maybe we should set camp for a while." He said, concern in his voice.
"I'm not tired, Legolas." She answered coldly, and overtook him, irritated at being thought of as fragile or weak simply because she was a woman. Eventually, however, she slowed her horse, for fear of riding in the wrong direction, and watched as he approached.
"I know that you aren't tired," he implored, "but I can assure you that you will not be in best condition should we meet a gang of orcs."
"I would be fit enough." She insisted, pouting, and he laughed, recognising that oh-so-familiar stubborn tone that he had used so often when he himself had been younger.
//A different approach, perhaps.// he thought, knowing that to insist would be fruitless.
"I know, but I also know that I could certainly do with a rest. I have no haste in reaching Gondor." He lied, wishing with all his heart that he could get there faster than the pace at which they had been riding since dawn.
"It is a long journey yet, and we will have to rest eventually."
"Well –" she hesitated, "Perhaps a short break will be okay."
He smiled, "Good." and dismounted.
Kaïra followed suit, and they found a reasonably sheltered place in which in which to set camp.
"Tell me about orcs." She said, and he made a face at her in reply.
"What do you want to know about orcs for?" he asked.
"I'm just curious. My father never told me much about things like that, and I've never even *been* outside of Mirkwood before…"
He thought for a moment.
"Surely you must have seen them in the forest before, they always come in large numbers and spoil the land."
She shook her head. "My father…he will not allow me to be told of such things. He expects me to stay under his watch and be raised and cultivated into wearing long dresses and having no ideas of my own."
At these words, Legolas noticed for the first time that Kaïra was not, in fact, wearing the customary robes for a female elf of her stature, but wore a striking green shirt with tan leggins and a matching dark green tunic.
Noting the slightly surprised expression on Legolas' face, she continued.
"As you can see, I do not willingly follow my father's commands."
He looked her over. "But where did you get the clothes?" he asked, and her answer was chirpy and sincere.
"I made them myself!" she jumped up from the boulder she had been sitting on
(A/N: "I like that boulder, that is a *nice* boulder"…sorry…Shrek obsession...just ignore me.)
and did a twirl, allowing him to appraise her custom-made clothes.
"Do you like them? I got the materials from some of Kaïllum's old things and--" she paused, "You remember Kaïllum, don't you?"
"Your brother?" she nodded, "Yes, I think I met him a few summers ago…how is he?"
"Well, you know," she shrugged, "The usual. He becomes more like father every day."
Legolas smiled softly, knowing that Kaïra's relationship with *her* father was much like his own. "Well, just promise me that if *I* start acting like my father, you'll tell me."
She laughed, "Agreed!"
In the following hour, Legolas told Kaïra about Middle-Earth and all its beauty. He described the rivers, the mountains, the forests, and the caves…
Vivid accounts of the Fellowship of the Ring's voyage were given to her, and she gasped as he described seeing the Argonath of Gondor in all their glory.
He spoke of the Fellowship itself, of Gimli and Gandalf, of the hobbits, and of the Men. Kaïra listened thoughtfully to every word, every story, every wistful detail of his account, and smiled sadly when he described his close friendship with the King of Men.
"Why do you speak so sadly of him?" she asked softly, as night fell, he looked up from where he had been kneeling, tending to their small campfire.
"What?" he said, frowning.
"I can see that you were close…" He nodded, "but I think there's something that you're not telling me…it was a happy ending for both of you, was it not?"
"Of course." It was her turn to frown.
"Hmmmm…and his Queen?"
He shrugged, "Arwen."
There was something there, she knew, but he wouldn't let her put her finger on it.
She narrowed her eyes, "Don't worry, Legolas, I'll figure you out. You can count on it."
And with that, she rolled onto her side, and fell asleep, allowing Legolas to take the first watch of the night.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _
A/N: So, chapter 3…this was just a transition chapter (I'm dying to get them to Gondor), but since there's gonna have to be at least one more before they get there, I'm trying to make the best of it and put links in with the rest of the story.
By the way, if they keep on riding really fast, how long do y'all think it would actually take them to get to Minas Tirith…come to think of it, now that The War of the Ring's over, and Minas Morgul isn't the "Tower of Sorcery", should Minas Tirith become Minas Arnor again? Same goes to Minas Ithil.
(Argh! All these names! Thank God, I've only got one! Oh wait…I have six. Blast.
I'm not as bad as Aragorn though – Estel, Isildur's Heir, Strider, Longshanks, Wingfoot, Son of Arathorn, Dúnadan, Elendil's Heir, Elessar, Elfstone, Lord Elfstone, King of Gondor, the Renewer, Telcontar, Thorongil…the list goes on!).
I got all those names from the Appendixes, by the way, I'm not so totally sad that I'd remember them all…I'm just so totally sad that I'd look them all up one by one…
Oh well. I'm just trying to finish this page off. Erm…
Everyone has to go and read:
#1 Middle-Earth Insanity (by IceFire)
#2 The Taming of the Hobbits (by Finnigan)
#3 Hermione Who? (by sparkleygem)
BUT DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW FIRST COS YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!! (not when you don't review though…I don't like you *then*)…
~*~*~*The ONE and ONLY*~*~*~
A/N: Apparently my author's notes are too long ::glares at Maria/Finnigan:: , so here's a nice short one…
Email comments/tips/whatever to
heven_vs_hell69@hotmail.com -OR- insaneasylumescapee@yahoo.co.uk .
Either that or you can just put it in a review.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed ::hands out cookies:: You've made my day!
Gelia- Erm…I think I got the message…maybe next time you should only say the same thing once repeating yourself isn't always a good thing. Thanx for your review though, I'm gonna have to check how long it actually took the dwarves and Bilbo (from West to East) in The Hobbit, and work it out from there if I need to…
MeShelly- I think Gimli might show up at some point, but it'll be a bit later, cos there's something big coming, and I have to get there first…
Ola- I'm trying to keep it sort of in with the original story…obviously, things need changing, but I'm not gonna overdo it (hopefully). Tell me if I do anything way too 'out there'!
Finnigan- Oh, so you finally got round to it? I'm honoured. That was supposed to be sarcasm, by the way. I don't have much to say to you.
IceFire- I so totally know this isn't anywhere near any of your fics…
NOTE: This chapter's a bit crappy… Kaïra's brother Kaïllum is introduced here…he's not a major part though, just something to talk about.
And, in-case you're wondering, he's called that cos JRR seems to use the same names a lot except with the letters changed, so I thought I might as well do the same.
DISCLAIMER: It's mine! All mine! ::Runs off cackling:: Suckers!
::Chased by a bunch of lawyers:: Okay, okay, anything you might happen to recognise belongs to JRR Tolkien, but the idea, and KaÏra are mine, so deal. :~P
Legolas' thoughts are in //thought//. Italics are in *italics*, and any dream sequences etc will be ::::::dream:::::: What else? I think that's it for now…
Wow, even the shortened version of an author's note took a whole word page to fit into…heh heh
~*~*~*The ONE and ONLY*~*~*~
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _
CHPT 3: Don't Speak.
Legolas didn't think, he didn't want; he just rode faster and faster, feeling the tug of the forest weaken upon his heart, feeling its song fade into nothingness, until all he could hear were the hooves of his horse, as he steadily rode on.
Kaïra rode close behind him, as he became seemingly unaware of her presence. She risked a glance over her shoulder, and saw the thin line of trees vanish in the distance.
Her heart was heavy as she left her home, but at the same time, it leapt inside her at the chance of seeing the world. She almost laughed, *the world*.
It had always seemed so distant and alien to her; all those years of her long life had been spent in Mirkwood, never leaving the safety of its threshold.
Her father, a distant cousin to the sister of the King, had always warned her of the outside world…
"There are dangers of countless sorts, Kaïra," he would say, "There are creatures unimaginable to a young one like you, creatures that would gladly kill an elf merely for breathing."
This was something that Kaïra had never understood, but always accepted as being a simple fact. Her father, being a great influence over her, had educated her in most matters that needed attention, leaving the others to be taken care of by the royal tutors.
Even so, she had always been slightly naïve of the goings-on outside the forest walls, and was eager to meet her first adventure.
She urged her horse on, catching up to Legolas' silvery mare with ease, and riding alongside him.
He glanced at her, remembering for the first time that she had followed him into the open lands.
"Maybe we should set camp for a while." He said, concern in his voice.
"I'm not tired, Legolas." She answered coldly, and overtook him, irritated at being thought of as fragile or weak simply because she was a woman. Eventually, however, she slowed her horse, for fear of riding in the wrong direction, and watched as he approached.
"I know that you aren't tired," he implored, "but I can assure you that you will not be in best condition should we meet a gang of orcs."
"I would be fit enough." She insisted, pouting, and he laughed, recognising that oh-so-familiar stubborn tone that he had used so often when he himself had been younger.
//A different approach, perhaps.// he thought, knowing that to insist would be fruitless.
"I know, but I also know that I could certainly do with a rest. I have no haste in reaching Gondor." He lied, wishing with all his heart that he could get there faster than the pace at which they had been riding since dawn.
"It is a long journey yet, and we will have to rest eventually."
"Well –" she hesitated, "Perhaps a short break will be okay."
He smiled, "Good." and dismounted.
Kaïra followed suit, and they found a reasonably sheltered place in which in which to set camp.
"Tell me about orcs." She said, and he made a face at her in reply.
"What do you want to know about orcs for?" he asked.
"I'm just curious. My father never told me much about things like that, and I've never even *been* outside of Mirkwood before…"
He thought for a moment.
"Surely you must have seen them in the forest before, they always come in large numbers and spoil the land."
She shook her head. "My father…he will not allow me to be told of such things. He expects me to stay under his watch and be raised and cultivated into wearing long dresses and having no ideas of my own."
At these words, Legolas noticed for the first time that Kaïra was not, in fact, wearing the customary robes for a female elf of her stature, but wore a striking green shirt with tan leggins and a matching dark green tunic.
Noting the slightly surprised expression on Legolas' face, she continued.
"As you can see, I do not willingly follow my father's commands."
He looked her over. "But where did you get the clothes?" he asked, and her answer was chirpy and sincere.
"I made them myself!" she jumped up from the boulder she had been sitting on
(A/N: "I like that boulder, that is a *nice* boulder"…sorry…Shrek obsession...just ignore me.)
and did a twirl, allowing him to appraise her custom-made clothes.
"Do you like them? I got the materials from some of Kaïllum's old things and--" she paused, "You remember Kaïllum, don't you?"
"Your brother?" she nodded, "Yes, I think I met him a few summers ago…how is he?"
"Well, you know," she shrugged, "The usual. He becomes more like father every day."
Legolas smiled softly, knowing that Kaïra's relationship with *her* father was much like his own. "Well, just promise me that if *I* start acting like my father, you'll tell me."
She laughed, "Agreed!"
In the following hour, Legolas told Kaïra about Middle-Earth and all its beauty. He described the rivers, the mountains, the forests, and the caves…
Vivid accounts of the Fellowship of the Ring's voyage were given to her, and she gasped as he described seeing the Argonath of Gondor in all their glory.
He spoke of the Fellowship itself, of Gimli and Gandalf, of the hobbits, and of the Men. Kaïra listened thoughtfully to every word, every story, every wistful detail of his account, and smiled sadly when he described his close friendship with the King of Men.
"Why do you speak so sadly of him?" she asked softly, as night fell, he looked up from where he had been kneeling, tending to their small campfire.
"What?" he said, frowning.
"I can see that you were close…" He nodded, "but I think there's something that you're not telling me…it was a happy ending for both of you, was it not?"
"Of course." It was her turn to frown.
"Hmmmm…and his Queen?"
He shrugged, "Arwen."
There was something there, she knew, but he wouldn't let her put her finger on it.
She narrowed her eyes, "Don't worry, Legolas, I'll figure you out. You can count on it."
And with that, she rolled onto her side, and fell asleep, allowing Legolas to take the first watch of the night.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _
A/N: So, chapter 3…this was just a transition chapter (I'm dying to get them to Gondor), but since there's gonna have to be at least one more before they get there, I'm trying to make the best of it and put links in with the rest of the story.
By the way, if they keep on riding really fast, how long do y'all think it would actually take them to get to Minas Tirith…come to think of it, now that The War of the Ring's over, and Minas Morgul isn't the "Tower of Sorcery", should Minas Tirith become Minas Arnor again? Same goes to Minas Ithil.
(Argh! All these names! Thank God, I've only got one! Oh wait…I have six. Blast.
I'm not as bad as Aragorn though – Estel, Isildur's Heir, Strider, Longshanks, Wingfoot, Son of Arathorn, Dúnadan, Elendil's Heir, Elessar, Elfstone, Lord Elfstone, King of Gondor, the Renewer, Telcontar, Thorongil…the list goes on!).
I got all those names from the Appendixes, by the way, I'm not so totally sad that I'd remember them all…I'm just so totally sad that I'd look them all up one by one…
Oh well. I'm just trying to finish this page off. Erm…
Everyone has to go and read:
#1 Middle-Earth Insanity (by IceFire)
#2 The Taming of the Hobbits (by Finnigan)
#3 Hermione Who? (by sparkleygem)
BUT DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW FIRST COS YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!! (not when you don't review though…I don't like you *then*)…
~*~*~*The ONE and ONLY*~*~*~
