RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
9.
Llilwen's shriek could be heard throughout the house of Elrond and in the garden where Merethiel leapt to her feet and echoed it. Wild-eyed, she looked toward her cousin's bedchamber. "Excuse me, Your Highness," she said to Legolas. Her eyes were suddenly deep pools of grief "I… I must go!"
"Of course," he said, reaching out to catch her hand in his. "I shall be here… should you need me."
She nodded her thanks and fled into the house, down the hall and up the stairway to Elenath's room where she stopped short. Her eyes must be deceiving her, for her cousin was alive and well, sitting upright in her bed and talking to those who had gathered! Before she could stop herself, she issued a joyful scream and launched herself onto the bed. "Elenath! Elenath! You're alive!"
"Indeed I am, cousin!" she laughed and hugged her close. "I saw Iluvitar, the Creator of all. And I traveled the halls of Valinor and spoke with the Valar. It was… amazing, Merethiel!"
"What? What did they say to you?"
"Alas, I cannot remember. But I do remember their faces and the grandeur of their halls! I wish that you could have seen it."
Moments later, Legolas appeared in the doorway, an arrow nocked to his bowstring, pointed downward. All turned to him when he arrived and he nodded his respect. "I heard Lady Merethiel cry out. Is all well?" Then he looked to see his future wife embracing and laughing with the one who had been so close to death only moments before. "By the sea and stars! Rivendell *is* a magical place!"
***
*Ah, so the wench has finally died,* thought Dimnarion as frenzied screams echoed through the courtyard. *Stupid chit. How dare she presume to take up the Sword when it should have come to me? But I took care of it, didn't I?* He thought back to his recent journey to Lothlorien where he had obtained a large amount of grimleaf. Even the great Lady Galadriel had fallen under his spell and given of her stores freely – to help the Elves of Mirkwood, of course.
Lies! Lies and deceptions! Dimnarion thought himself very clever for pulling them off. The grimleaf he had given to his friends the Orcs who, in payment, were to wound Elenath. Surely they had taken their sweet time in doing so, but his plan had worked! It took every ounce of self-control he had to keep a mournful expression on his face instead of laughing with outright glee as he took the steps two at a time up to the deceased's bedchamber to offer his help.
The sight that greeted him when he arrived there had him cursing under his breath in the doorway, though he quickly changed his demeanor when Legolas saw him there. "Your Highness," he said, his voice full of concern, "I heard someone cry out. Is everything alright here?"
Elenath's laughter suddenly stopped when she looked up to see the prince's bodyguard standing in her doorway. "You!" she said, not bothering to hide the accusation in her voice. Calmakil quivered in her hand and she struggled to her feet, not caring in the least that she wore only a light chemise. The Blade seemed to take hold of her, body and voice. "Traitor!" she shouted. "Dirty traitor! You dare to call yourself an Elf!" Her firm words contrasted sharply with the confusion that shone in her eyes even as she held the point of Calmakil to his throat. "The evil deeds of a wicked person will ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly!"
Dimnarion stood tall and silent, his eyes burning into hers, his expression carefully neutral. "The poison has gone to your mind, Princess."
She trembled where she stood, her parents reaching out for her as Legolas looked on, wide-eyed. All of the color had drained from Merethiel's face, and Lord Elrond seemed the only calm one in the lot.
All could see the struggle in Elenath's eyes as she shuddered uncontrollably, falling to her knees. "Forgive me. I… I don't know what came over…" The sword burned her. "I don't know what came over me." She suddenly felt very weak and Calmakil fell from her hand.
"Let me help you, My Lady," said the guard quietly as Merethiel draped a blanket over Elenath's shoulders. He bent and gently picked the Princess up in his arms, tenderly laying her back in her bed and placing Calmakil within her reach.
*If I cannot kill her,* thought Dimnarion, *Then perhaps I can woo her, gain her trust… teach her a lesson or two, and then…* His mouth curved into a sweet smile. "May the Valar grant your quick recovery." Then, decorously, he bowed out of the room.
Elenath felt better as soon as he left. "What have I done?" she asked her grandfather. "I do not understand."
"Perhaps," he said, "it was as he said and the poison still affects you. However, such things have been known to happen with a sword bearer. Calmakil makes one… very sensitive to evil. Dimnarion will be watched closely for the remainder of his time here."
"Grandfather, that is not necessary. He has done nothing to deserve such-"
"Just a precaution, My Dear. Now you must rest. Tomorrow we will celebrate this miracle!"
DISCLAIMER: The characters from Lord of the Rings and their wonderful world are borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien. The plotline and all other characters are copyright 2002 Emily (emi_kins@yahoo.com)
9.
Llilwen's shriek could be heard throughout the house of Elrond and in the garden where Merethiel leapt to her feet and echoed it. Wild-eyed, she looked toward her cousin's bedchamber. "Excuse me, Your Highness," she said to Legolas. Her eyes were suddenly deep pools of grief "I… I must go!"
"Of course," he said, reaching out to catch her hand in his. "I shall be here… should you need me."
She nodded her thanks and fled into the house, down the hall and up the stairway to Elenath's room where she stopped short. Her eyes must be deceiving her, for her cousin was alive and well, sitting upright in her bed and talking to those who had gathered! Before she could stop herself, she issued a joyful scream and launched herself onto the bed. "Elenath! Elenath! You're alive!"
"Indeed I am, cousin!" she laughed and hugged her close. "I saw Iluvitar, the Creator of all. And I traveled the halls of Valinor and spoke with the Valar. It was… amazing, Merethiel!"
"What? What did they say to you?"
"Alas, I cannot remember. But I do remember their faces and the grandeur of their halls! I wish that you could have seen it."
Moments later, Legolas appeared in the doorway, an arrow nocked to his bowstring, pointed downward. All turned to him when he arrived and he nodded his respect. "I heard Lady Merethiel cry out. Is all well?" Then he looked to see his future wife embracing and laughing with the one who had been so close to death only moments before. "By the sea and stars! Rivendell *is* a magical place!"
***
*Ah, so the wench has finally died,* thought Dimnarion as frenzied screams echoed through the courtyard. *Stupid chit. How dare she presume to take up the Sword when it should have come to me? But I took care of it, didn't I?* He thought back to his recent journey to Lothlorien where he had obtained a large amount of grimleaf. Even the great Lady Galadriel had fallen under his spell and given of her stores freely – to help the Elves of Mirkwood, of course.
Lies! Lies and deceptions! Dimnarion thought himself very clever for pulling them off. The grimleaf he had given to his friends the Orcs who, in payment, were to wound Elenath. Surely they had taken their sweet time in doing so, but his plan had worked! It took every ounce of self-control he had to keep a mournful expression on his face instead of laughing with outright glee as he took the steps two at a time up to the deceased's bedchamber to offer his help.
The sight that greeted him when he arrived there had him cursing under his breath in the doorway, though he quickly changed his demeanor when Legolas saw him there. "Your Highness," he said, his voice full of concern, "I heard someone cry out. Is everything alright here?"
Elenath's laughter suddenly stopped when she looked up to see the prince's bodyguard standing in her doorway. "You!" she said, not bothering to hide the accusation in her voice. Calmakil quivered in her hand and she struggled to her feet, not caring in the least that she wore only a light chemise. The Blade seemed to take hold of her, body and voice. "Traitor!" she shouted. "Dirty traitor! You dare to call yourself an Elf!" Her firm words contrasted sharply with the confusion that shone in her eyes even as she held the point of Calmakil to his throat. "The evil deeds of a wicked person will ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly!"
Dimnarion stood tall and silent, his eyes burning into hers, his expression carefully neutral. "The poison has gone to your mind, Princess."
She trembled where she stood, her parents reaching out for her as Legolas looked on, wide-eyed. All of the color had drained from Merethiel's face, and Lord Elrond seemed the only calm one in the lot.
All could see the struggle in Elenath's eyes as she shuddered uncontrollably, falling to her knees. "Forgive me. I… I don't know what came over…" The sword burned her. "I don't know what came over me." She suddenly felt very weak and Calmakil fell from her hand.
"Let me help you, My Lady," said the guard quietly as Merethiel draped a blanket over Elenath's shoulders. He bent and gently picked the Princess up in his arms, tenderly laying her back in her bed and placing Calmakil within her reach.
*If I cannot kill her,* thought Dimnarion, *Then perhaps I can woo her, gain her trust… teach her a lesson or two, and then…* His mouth curved into a sweet smile. "May the Valar grant your quick recovery." Then, decorously, he bowed out of the room.
Elenath felt better as soon as he left. "What have I done?" she asked her grandfather. "I do not understand."
"Perhaps," he said, "it was as he said and the poison still affects you. However, such things have been known to happen with a sword bearer. Calmakil makes one… very sensitive to evil. Dimnarion will be watched closely for the remainder of his time here."
"Grandfather, that is not necessary. He has done nothing to deserve such-"
"Just a precaution, My Dear. Now you must rest. Tomorrow we will celebrate this miracle!"
