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)
***A/N*** Sorry guys. I've been having trouble getting on here lately. :( But I'll post when I can, kay?
51.
Elenath opened her eyes and Legolas was gone. Or rather she herself had gone from him, for she found herself kneeling on the floor of her chamber, blood-soaked and battle-weary.
"No," she whispered, "No…" She lifted her eyes heavenward, remembering the love and care that she had seen in Yeshua's eyes. "Let him live. Please let him live if you care at all for me…"
Elenath felt strong arms reaching out to help her up and found that they belonged to Haldir. Gandalf and Merethiel were also there, staring at her in wonder. They had not known what to do when she disappeared, and it seemed that they had the same problem now that she had reappeared. Only Gandalf seemed unconcerned.
"Calmakil wakens," he said. "Long has it been since the Blade so transported its bearer. Where did it take you?"
"To Mirkwood," she whispered, "To Legolas who now lays near death upon a blood-soaked battlefield."
***
"Elrond? Is that you?" asked Legolas as he blinked in the light of the rising sun. Reaching out to the Lord of Rivendell, he gritted his teeth in pain.
"Indeed," he replied as he went to work on the prince's grave wound. "Legolas, you must live, for I know not whom we just saw here with you. But when I left Rivendell, Elenath was sleeping the sleep of one who has no desire to live, her heart broken because of my foolishness."
"I must go to her…" he whispered. "She was here but a moment ago…"
Elrond began to chant as he mixed a poultice and applied it as gently as he could, wrapping it then in a clean bandage.
"I saw her…" continued Legolas. "I felt her warmth; heard the strong beating of her heart within her breast. Nay, Lord Elrond. Elenath is not dying. She is alive."
Thranduil knelt next to his son to offer what help he could. "Rest Legolas. Do not try to speak."
"We need to get him back to your home, Thranduil. Will you lead me there?"
"Nay, old friend. I will to better. Take my horse, for she knows the way and will go more swiftly than I could lead." He helped Elrond position the prince gently over the horse's back and then whispered into her ear, sending the two Elves flying through the Wood like lightning, straight to the elaborate maze of caves where Thranduil lived.
The guards watching the gates were young and inexperienced, and Elrond recognized one of them as Raion. "Prince Legolas is in need of help, and quickly. Let me pass."
The young Elf hesitated for a moment.
"Your prince will die if you do not let me pass!" Elrond dismounted and carefully lifted Legolas down into his arms. "Take me to the healers if you have any loyalty for your king in your veins!"
"Legolas?" Raion looked at the ashen face of his prince and blanched. "Forgive me Lord Elrond. We were told to allow no one to pass, but come. I will show you the way."
Lord Elrond did not sleep that night. Nor did he sleep the next. He refused to leave the prince's side even when Thranduil had been called away on urgent business elsewhere in the kingdom. Elrond chanted and sang and dressed and redressed Legolas' wound as tenderly as if he were his own child. And when he had done all he could and the prince still lay pale and still upon his pallet, Elrond wept tears of frustration and begged him to live. Seeing Thranduil's home and his people up close had made him realize that Legolas' life was much more important than he had comprehended. This was not just about Elenath's life anymore. It was about the fate of an entire Elven Kingdom. Calling for a quill and parchment, he sat down to write a letter to his granddaughter.
***
Dearest Elenath,
I know not if you are well enough to read this, for when I last saw you in Rivendell, your condition was grave. Yet we saw you only two days ago at the very battle in which Prince Legolas was severely wounded. Perhaps it was only our minds playing tricks. Perhaps you have left these shores and stopped to help along your way to Mandos. Or perhaps Calmakil has awakened and the Sword brought you here and then back to Rivendell again. I know not, but I pray that you are well.
I have been caring for Legolas since the battle ended and I have done everything for him that I know to do. Still he is in deep sleep and does not respond. I write this to ask for your prayers and also for your forgiveness, for if I had let you return with Legolas and Thranduil in the first place, then this never would have happened. In my heart, I feel that your prince will live but I cannot promise this. One thing that I can promise is that I will return to you as soon as I am able and that I will bring Legolas with me if I can. Because of the trouble in Mirkwood, this will likely be my last correspondence until I return. King Thranduil cannot spare messengers or even birds to carry letters such as these when there are Orcs attacking his kingdom. Be well, my dear, and know that I remain
Your Loving Grandfather.
***
Elenath had taken her place on Rivendell's throne when the letter came, and she wept as she read it out of joy that, at least when the letter was written, Legolas was still alive. But she worried for him, and prayed that he would recover. After a month had passed, she sent sentries to watch the approach to Rivendell so that she would know the instant her grandfather appeared. When a second and third month passed, she began to lose hope. She had had no word. Had her beloved left her? Had her grandfather been killed by orcs? Had all of Mirkwood been utterly destroyed? She sent letters begging for news and received nothing in response. Finally, in the middle of a bitter January, she decided that she could not wait any longer. She would ride to Mirkwood to learn what befell her loved ones.
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)
***A/N*** Sorry guys. I've been having trouble getting on here lately. :( But I'll post when I can, kay?
51.
Elenath opened her eyes and Legolas was gone. Or rather she herself had gone from him, for she found herself kneeling on the floor of her chamber, blood-soaked and battle-weary.
"No," she whispered, "No…" She lifted her eyes heavenward, remembering the love and care that she had seen in Yeshua's eyes. "Let him live. Please let him live if you care at all for me…"
Elenath felt strong arms reaching out to help her up and found that they belonged to Haldir. Gandalf and Merethiel were also there, staring at her in wonder. They had not known what to do when she disappeared, and it seemed that they had the same problem now that she had reappeared. Only Gandalf seemed unconcerned.
"Calmakil wakens," he said. "Long has it been since the Blade so transported its bearer. Where did it take you?"
"To Mirkwood," she whispered, "To Legolas who now lays near death upon a blood-soaked battlefield."
***
"Elrond? Is that you?" asked Legolas as he blinked in the light of the rising sun. Reaching out to the Lord of Rivendell, he gritted his teeth in pain.
"Indeed," he replied as he went to work on the prince's grave wound. "Legolas, you must live, for I know not whom we just saw here with you. But when I left Rivendell, Elenath was sleeping the sleep of one who has no desire to live, her heart broken because of my foolishness."
"I must go to her…" he whispered. "She was here but a moment ago…"
Elrond began to chant as he mixed a poultice and applied it as gently as he could, wrapping it then in a clean bandage.
"I saw her…" continued Legolas. "I felt her warmth; heard the strong beating of her heart within her breast. Nay, Lord Elrond. Elenath is not dying. She is alive."
Thranduil knelt next to his son to offer what help he could. "Rest Legolas. Do not try to speak."
"We need to get him back to your home, Thranduil. Will you lead me there?"
"Nay, old friend. I will to better. Take my horse, for she knows the way and will go more swiftly than I could lead." He helped Elrond position the prince gently over the horse's back and then whispered into her ear, sending the two Elves flying through the Wood like lightning, straight to the elaborate maze of caves where Thranduil lived.
The guards watching the gates were young and inexperienced, and Elrond recognized one of them as Raion. "Prince Legolas is in need of help, and quickly. Let me pass."
The young Elf hesitated for a moment.
"Your prince will die if you do not let me pass!" Elrond dismounted and carefully lifted Legolas down into his arms. "Take me to the healers if you have any loyalty for your king in your veins!"
"Legolas?" Raion looked at the ashen face of his prince and blanched. "Forgive me Lord Elrond. We were told to allow no one to pass, but come. I will show you the way."
Lord Elrond did not sleep that night. Nor did he sleep the next. He refused to leave the prince's side even when Thranduil had been called away on urgent business elsewhere in the kingdom. Elrond chanted and sang and dressed and redressed Legolas' wound as tenderly as if he were his own child. And when he had done all he could and the prince still lay pale and still upon his pallet, Elrond wept tears of frustration and begged him to live. Seeing Thranduil's home and his people up close had made him realize that Legolas' life was much more important than he had comprehended. This was not just about Elenath's life anymore. It was about the fate of an entire Elven Kingdom. Calling for a quill and parchment, he sat down to write a letter to his granddaughter.
***
Dearest Elenath,
I know not if you are well enough to read this, for when I last saw you in Rivendell, your condition was grave. Yet we saw you only two days ago at the very battle in which Prince Legolas was severely wounded. Perhaps it was only our minds playing tricks. Perhaps you have left these shores and stopped to help along your way to Mandos. Or perhaps Calmakil has awakened and the Sword brought you here and then back to Rivendell again. I know not, but I pray that you are well.
I have been caring for Legolas since the battle ended and I have done everything for him that I know to do. Still he is in deep sleep and does not respond. I write this to ask for your prayers and also for your forgiveness, for if I had let you return with Legolas and Thranduil in the first place, then this never would have happened. In my heart, I feel that your prince will live but I cannot promise this. One thing that I can promise is that I will return to you as soon as I am able and that I will bring Legolas with me if I can. Because of the trouble in Mirkwood, this will likely be my last correspondence until I return. King Thranduil cannot spare messengers or even birds to carry letters such as these when there are Orcs attacking his kingdom. Be well, my dear, and know that I remain
Your Loving Grandfather.
***
Elenath had taken her place on Rivendell's throne when the letter came, and she wept as she read it out of joy that, at least when the letter was written, Legolas was still alive. But she worried for him, and prayed that he would recover. After a month had passed, she sent sentries to watch the approach to Rivendell so that she would know the instant her grandfather appeared. When a second and third month passed, she began to lose hope. She had had no word. Had her beloved left her? Had her grandfather been killed by orcs? Had all of Mirkwood been utterly destroyed? She sent letters begging for news and received nothing in response. Finally, in the middle of a bitter January, she decided that she could not wait any longer. She would ride to Mirkwood to learn what befell her loved ones.
