A Body in the Grass
Ditunio tossed his grungy black hair out of his piercing eyes and glanced at a couple of men standing before him. "You are all friends of Remlin," came his croaky voice. "I have heard that someone here thinks he knows where the pretty elf dwells. Please step forward if you know who he is and where!"
A typical-looking young man took a step ahead. "I know who he is," said the man. He looked very much like any other standard man with sandy blond hair and brown eyes. "The prince called him Legolas. I labor at a clothing store where I saw him buying garments with prince Eldarion. I guessed that it was the same elf you speak of, for he was clothed in dark green and was most certainly an elf."
"Excellent," Ditunio said, rubbing his fingers together. "That would explain why he rescued the girl that I thought looked like the princess. She must have been the princess! He might be hiding in the castle with her, that mangy dog!" Ditunio began muttering curses.
"We have forty men here! I say we find a way in the courtyard and wait till he comes out!" said one.
Ditunio mused for a moment. "It sounds foolish! But that might be the only thing we can do! Spread out in the city and in the palace courtyards! Watch your damn hides and if you find him, do NOT kill him on your own, but find me. We will then regroup and kill him together. We can then feed his body to the flies in the forest. Now be on with you!" Ditunio told them, and disappeared into the shadows once again.
"We should go inside now. It's very dark," Elmeraith said. "Someone might look for us and the guests will be leaving soon."
"I suppose you are right. I'm tired anyhow. It's been a very long day," he looked at Elmeraith. "But a very wonderful day." He kissed her forehead.
She began walking towards one of the entrances. "Would you like me to come with you?" he asked.
"I'd like that…no, wait! I left my bow and arrows…"
It was too late. Legolas already snatched the bow off the ground. "No, my fair lady, I will bring them to your room once I gather the arrows. You just do what you need to do and they will be by your room in the morning."
Elmeraith chuckled and suddenly had an idea. "Legolas, why don't we collect arrows tomorrow? I have riding lessons and collecting my arrows would be good enough excuse to take a break from riding and then we may pick them up together."
Legolas smiled. "Now, that would be a better idea," he agreed. He wanted to spend as long as he could with her. Suddenly, Legolas heard a crack of rotted branch. "What was that?" he said, spinning quickly on a heel. "Whose there?"
"Legolas, I'm sure it was an animal. We have lots of animals around this area. I'm going to bed. You can walk me back if you like," she said, turning back to the castle.
Legolas narrowed his eyes and for a moment he strived to hear another sound. He could've sworn that it had been a human. 'Not even a breath can be heard,' he thought, so he turned to catch up with Elmeraith.
But when he was gone, a man slowly exhaled and cursed Legolas's name in the woods. "Damn him, and all those clever elves!" hissed Ditunio. "One more careless move like that from me and I might be a goner…just you wait, Legolas."
The next morning, Legolas came out to retrieve some arrows with Elmeraith, but she was still getting ready. "Where could she be?" he muttered with a groan.
'Crack!' came a noise in the woods. "Who is there?" he yelled as he had done the day before. He then heard many feet crunching leaves on the forest floors, coming towards him. He stepped back, hoping that they were only Men of Gondor. But thirty men came out, grungy and thick, with big legs and strong hands.
He searched his back and cursed under his breath. He hadn't any arrows or his bow. Elmeraith's arrows were all that he had that lay on a tree, but her bow was inside her room most likely. He then searched his thighs. Not even his long knives did he carry? No!
He turned to run, but they had formed a circle around him. The circle became tighter and tighter around him till the men were arms-length from him. "Elmeraith!" he shouted. "Anyone!" He punched one of the men and felt his nose crush under is knuckles. With that, many men jumped on top of him instantly. He felt a dirty hand near his lips, trying to shove some sort of powder into mouth. "Ugh," he shook his head, but the hand pried into his mouth and the same cold taste met his tongue and he remembered it well. "No!" he shouted and bit the hand of the filthy man. He heard a scream of a woman and attempted to call back to her. But he could no longer see anything. He blinked several times, desperately trying to stay awake, but he couldn't help it! He was lost in the darkness of sleep.
Elmeraith opened the door of her balcony. She was horrified to see many men surround Legolas. Elmeraith cried out and searched for any sort of weapon she might throw. She quickly hurried to the outside of her room and found her bow and one arrow that Legolas must have left the night before. A note fell from the arrow, but she was too rushed to read it. Elhenin came by just as Elmeraith took the arrow and bow.
"What's going on?" Elhenin asked.
But Elmeraith couldn't answer that either. She searched for the strongest man in the crowd from her balcony. When she found him, she pulled her arrow back on her bow. She heard a faint voice in her head that was undeniably Legolas. "You must remember to concentrate and you must believe you can do it. Believe in yourself, and you can do it." She let the arrow fly and fortunately, it hit the brawny man.
Ditunio lifted his head and watched as lots of his men ran in different directions with confusion. "What is wrong?" he called to them. "Now, let us drag him off!"
But when he was the only one left, he looked down to see his strongest man dead with an arrow through his stomach. He couldn't figure where it had come from. No one else was around him that he could see. "Oh, no," he gasped. He began running towards where they had climbed up over the fence, but a strong arm had stopped him. "You're going to the king!" said the guard. He had heard lots of commotion and ten guards stood behind him. They were all strong and thick. "We'll see what kind of punishment he has for you."
"Please, no!" begged Ditunio. The guard pretended not to hear him and dragged him across the ground towards the palace.
Elhenin and Elmeraith ran to see Legolas to make sure he still was live. He lay there on his side, beaten and bruised. To their horror, he appeared to be stiff as a carcass and his eyes were opened.
"He's…he's dead!" Elhenin gasped.
"No!" Elmeraith shook her head. "No, he can't be!" she cried, tears streaming from her eyes. "No! No!" she screamed. She knelt by his side and began weeping over his shoulder. "Why? Why must he die? Legolas, please come back!" she yelled to him. She shook him, but unchanged was his face. Elhenin began to break down on the ground in sobs. It scared her to see anyone lying on the ground, dead, like that.
Elmeraith laid her head on his chest and wept bitterly. "Legolas, I'll never forget your love for me," she muttered. "Never! I love you." She froze where she laid and listened for a moment.
"Wait…He's alive!"
Elhenin shook her head. "No, Elmeraith! He's dead! Can't you see him?"
Elmeraith shook her head also. "You don't understand! I feel life in him! Hear his heart beat! But…but how?" Elmeraith began to cry more.
"Elmeraith, we are so dim-witted!" Elhenin yelled, now mad at herself. She suddenly remembered something important, or so it seemed to Elmeraith. "Full bred elves sometimes sleep with their eyes open! You've seen mother do it! He must have passed out some how while his eyes were open!"
Elmeraith gasped and out came tears of happiness. "Hurry, get father! We'll take him to the Houses of Healing!" Elhenin ran off to the palace without any hesitation.
Elmeraith turned to Legolas. He was so beautiful no matter what. Elmeraith kissed his cheek. "You'll be alright, Legolas," she whispered, trying to reassure herself.
(*sob*
It's not over. HECK NO!!!!!! No way would I ditch you guys like that! Of course they would fall in love, but don't worry. There is more to come! I'm sure I scared you half to death! I like how it's going. I can't believe I just thought this up in like 5 days! HAHA! More reviews! 50 and I'll scream w/ happiness, 100 and I'll die w/ happiness (but never stop writing). This chapter was rushed kinda! Sorry.
Lauren
Way Cheerful Half-elven)
Ditunio tossed his grungy black hair out of his piercing eyes and glanced at a couple of men standing before him. "You are all friends of Remlin," came his croaky voice. "I have heard that someone here thinks he knows where the pretty elf dwells. Please step forward if you know who he is and where!"
A typical-looking young man took a step ahead. "I know who he is," said the man. He looked very much like any other standard man with sandy blond hair and brown eyes. "The prince called him Legolas. I labor at a clothing store where I saw him buying garments with prince Eldarion. I guessed that it was the same elf you speak of, for he was clothed in dark green and was most certainly an elf."
"Excellent," Ditunio said, rubbing his fingers together. "That would explain why he rescued the girl that I thought looked like the princess. She must have been the princess! He might be hiding in the castle with her, that mangy dog!" Ditunio began muttering curses.
"We have forty men here! I say we find a way in the courtyard and wait till he comes out!" said one.
Ditunio mused for a moment. "It sounds foolish! But that might be the only thing we can do! Spread out in the city and in the palace courtyards! Watch your damn hides and if you find him, do NOT kill him on your own, but find me. We will then regroup and kill him together. We can then feed his body to the flies in the forest. Now be on with you!" Ditunio told them, and disappeared into the shadows once again.
"We should go inside now. It's very dark," Elmeraith said. "Someone might look for us and the guests will be leaving soon."
"I suppose you are right. I'm tired anyhow. It's been a very long day," he looked at Elmeraith. "But a very wonderful day." He kissed her forehead.
She began walking towards one of the entrances. "Would you like me to come with you?" he asked.
"I'd like that…no, wait! I left my bow and arrows…"
It was too late. Legolas already snatched the bow off the ground. "No, my fair lady, I will bring them to your room once I gather the arrows. You just do what you need to do and they will be by your room in the morning."
Elmeraith chuckled and suddenly had an idea. "Legolas, why don't we collect arrows tomorrow? I have riding lessons and collecting my arrows would be good enough excuse to take a break from riding and then we may pick them up together."
Legolas smiled. "Now, that would be a better idea," he agreed. He wanted to spend as long as he could with her. Suddenly, Legolas heard a crack of rotted branch. "What was that?" he said, spinning quickly on a heel. "Whose there?"
"Legolas, I'm sure it was an animal. We have lots of animals around this area. I'm going to bed. You can walk me back if you like," she said, turning back to the castle.
Legolas narrowed his eyes and for a moment he strived to hear another sound. He could've sworn that it had been a human. 'Not even a breath can be heard,' he thought, so he turned to catch up with Elmeraith.
But when he was gone, a man slowly exhaled and cursed Legolas's name in the woods. "Damn him, and all those clever elves!" hissed Ditunio. "One more careless move like that from me and I might be a goner…just you wait, Legolas."
The next morning, Legolas came out to retrieve some arrows with Elmeraith, but she was still getting ready. "Where could she be?" he muttered with a groan.
'Crack!' came a noise in the woods. "Who is there?" he yelled as he had done the day before. He then heard many feet crunching leaves on the forest floors, coming towards him. He stepped back, hoping that they were only Men of Gondor. But thirty men came out, grungy and thick, with big legs and strong hands.
He searched his back and cursed under his breath. He hadn't any arrows or his bow. Elmeraith's arrows were all that he had that lay on a tree, but her bow was inside her room most likely. He then searched his thighs. Not even his long knives did he carry? No!
He turned to run, but they had formed a circle around him. The circle became tighter and tighter around him till the men were arms-length from him. "Elmeraith!" he shouted. "Anyone!" He punched one of the men and felt his nose crush under is knuckles. With that, many men jumped on top of him instantly. He felt a dirty hand near his lips, trying to shove some sort of powder into mouth. "Ugh," he shook his head, but the hand pried into his mouth and the same cold taste met his tongue and he remembered it well. "No!" he shouted and bit the hand of the filthy man. He heard a scream of a woman and attempted to call back to her. But he could no longer see anything. He blinked several times, desperately trying to stay awake, but he couldn't help it! He was lost in the darkness of sleep.
Elmeraith opened the door of her balcony. She was horrified to see many men surround Legolas. Elmeraith cried out and searched for any sort of weapon she might throw. She quickly hurried to the outside of her room and found her bow and one arrow that Legolas must have left the night before. A note fell from the arrow, but she was too rushed to read it. Elhenin came by just as Elmeraith took the arrow and bow.
"What's going on?" Elhenin asked.
But Elmeraith couldn't answer that either. She searched for the strongest man in the crowd from her balcony. When she found him, she pulled her arrow back on her bow. She heard a faint voice in her head that was undeniably Legolas. "You must remember to concentrate and you must believe you can do it. Believe in yourself, and you can do it." She let the arrow fly and fortunately, it hit the brawny man.
Ditunio lifted his head and watched as lots of his men ran in different directions with confusion. "What is wrong?" he called to them. "Now, let us drag him off!"
But when he was the only one left, he looked down to see his strongest man dead with an arrow through his stomach. He couldn't figure where it had come from. No one else was around him that he could see. "Oh, no," he gasped. He began running towards where they had climbed up over the fence, but a strong arm had stopped him. "You're going to the king!" said the guard. He had heard lots of commotion and ten guards stood behind him. They were all strong and thick. "We'll see what kind of punishment he has for you."
"Please, no!" begged Ditunio. The guard pretended not to hear him and dragged him across the ground towards the palace.
Elhenin and Elmeraith ran to see Legolas to make sure he still was live. He lay there on his side, beaten and bruised. To their horror, he appeared to be stiff as a carcass and his eyes were opened.
"He's…he's dead!" Elhenin gasped.
"No!" Elmeraith shook her head. "No, he can't be!" she cried, tears streaming from her eyes. "No! No!" she screamed. She knelt by his side and began weeping over his shoulder. "Why? Why must he die? Legolas, please come back!" she yelled to him. She shook him, but unchanged was his face. Elhenin began to break down on the ground in sobs. It scared her to see anyone lying on the ground, dead, like that.
Elmeraith laid her head on his chest and wept bitterly. "Legolas, I'll never forget your love for me," she muttered. "Never! I love you." She froze where she laid and listened for a moment.
"Wait…He's alive!"
Elhenin shook her head. "No, Elmeraith! He's dead! Can't you see him?"
Elmeraith shook her head also. "You don't understand! I feel life in him! Hear his heart beat! But…but how?" Elmeraith began to cry more.
"Elmeraith, we are so dim-witted!" Elhenin yelled, now mad at herself. She suddenly remembered something important, or so it seemed to Elmeraith. "Full bred elves sometimes sleep with their eyes open! You've seen mother do it! He must have passed out some how while his eyes were open!"
Elmeraith gasped and out came tears of happiness. "Hurry, get father! We'll take him to the Houses of Healing!" Elhenin ran off to the palace without any hesitation.
Elmeraith turned to Legolas. He was so beautiful no matter what. Elmeraith kissed his cheek. "You'll be alright, Legolas," she whispered, trying to reassure herself.
(*sob*
It's not over. HECK NO!!!!!! No way would I ditch you guys like that! Of course they would fall in love, but don't worry. There is more to come! I'm sure I scared you half to death! I like how it's going. I can't believe I just thought this up in like 5 days! HAHA! More reviews! 50 and I'll scream w/ happiness, 100 and I'll die w/ happiness (but never stop writing). This chapter was rushed kinda! Sorry.
Lauren
Way Cheerful Half-elven)
