Just finishing this tale up now. A few loose ends here and there, like Legolas and Terrico's relationship, and Thranduil's reaction.
Chapter 25Sealeaf and Drito would stay nearby to watch her as Legolas, Glya, and Griften dealt with the morbid task of clearing out the castle. Very few of Aragorn's servants remained, and most of them were too badly hurt to help. Aragorn had woken up briefly while Legolas escorted Terrico into the forest. Arwen took him up into the main hall and into their bedroom, which had been carefully locked and hadn't been broken into. Deep scratches and dents showed that the Rebels had tried to break the solid doors, but failed. Arwen helped Aragorn onto the bed, tucking him in carefully before going to gather whatever remained of the servants and animals. She found her mare, Shadowfax, and their colt wandering around the back of the castle, where bluebell flowers grew. Nearby, some of her maids and a few of the youngest servants, most under 14 years old, had hid. The young servants had been out playing when the siege began, so they stayed out and hid, calling out only to bring Arwen's fleeing maids into a safe hiding place. Other than that, most of the other surviving servants were the ones that had not been killed when the Rebels had burned everyone else. This was from lack of wood near the end of the burnings. Legolas decided that the best way to get rid of the bodies of the Rebels wasn't burning, but letting the dragons eat them. Arwen was disgusted by the idea at first, but then decided that it was better than having to chop down trees in order to get enough wood for a good pyre. She consented and let the dragons land outside of the gates, where Legolas and some of the servants heaped the bodies of the Rebels. They didn't touch the bodies of the burned servants and animals. They planned to build a funeral pyre later for them. After they had cleared the bodies, Legolas saw Drito and Sealeaf returning from the forest. Terrico came with them. Legolas greeted her with open arms. They embraced tightly, and Legolas seemed unwilling to let her go. "I'm so proud of the way you stood up to the Rebels, despite their vast numbers. You are braver than I." Terrico whispered back, "You left on a quest from which you might never return, you did not know if you would be slain or worse, captured, yet you left anyway. That is bravery. I knew I would win." Legolas smiled and looked over her shoulder at the dragons, who were gorging on the Rebels. Glya and Griften were basking in the sun, bulging bellies to the sky. Drito and Sealeaf were finishing off the last of the bodies. Arwen came out, holding a tray with drinks. She distributed them to everyone. The castle was almost completely clean. Now they had the task of carefully moving the bodies of those the rebels had killed. Legolas asked the dragons to search the woods for dry, dead wood for a pyre. It was customary there to cremate servants rather than bury them. No one really knew why, but most just guessed that it was so the other servants wouldn't have to dig their friends' or family's graves. Legolas and the servants began to set the bodies respectfully into a small, barren field not far from the castle. Terrico and Arwen, saddened by the sight of the bodies, went to check on Aragorn. He was awake, but still laid in bed. He sat up when the doors opened. "I'm glad to see that you're feeling better." Terrico smiled. "Yes, but how? I know that I was hit by a dagger, I felt it, and yet, I have no wounds, only a sore back. How so?" Arwen sat down on the bed next to him. "Terrico healed you with her magic. We have lost most of our servants and animals. The only ones to survive were a handful of youths, a few who are badly hurt, and three horses. I fear that they have killed all of our pets. There's not one cat or hound to be found anywhere around here, in the castle or in the woods. But, you should have seen how Terrico killed the rebels! She simply chanted some strange spell into her staff and they all fell dead! It was wonderful. We've disposed of the bodies as well. The rebels burned most of our furniture and firewood, so we fed the rebels to the dragons. They're all full now. Those undignified wretches deserved a very undignified disposal." Aragorn laughed, which caused his back to hurt. Terrico smiled. "I will leave you two alone now. King Aragorn has been away from his Lady far too long." Terrico left, closing the thick oak doors behind her. Terrico went up into one of the guard turrets and looked out. Through her sharp elven eyes she could see for hundreds of miles from this height. She looked toward Greenhorn and was pleased to not be able to see any smoke. She hoped it meant that Gandalf had driven out the magi without a large battle. She looked down and saw the Pyre burning. A thin stream of smoke rose from it, twisting and turning before dissipating into the clouds. Terrico went down and went out to the Pyre. She saw Legolas standing off to the side a bit, watching the flames. He'd always had a fear of fire, as did most woodland elves. Little fires never scared him, but bonfires and Pyres scared him. Even Terrico's little flame dragons unnerved him. Terrico walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. Legolas jumped a bit, but quickly calmed. "Where were you?" He asked, putting his hands on her hips, turning away from the Pyre. "Checking on Aragorn. He's recovered. Arwen is with him now and I thought that they'd want to be alone after being apart for so long. Sealeaf's leg still bother him?" She noticed that he had been keeping his weight off of it. "No, it doesn't. He was leaning on it before and now it's probably just sore." He kissed her, wrapping his arms around her. The pyre was almost out, reduced to a pile of ashes that were being blown away in the wind. "Are you ever going back to Mirkwood?" Terrico asked, thinking about how Thranduil was going to react to her. "I would like to see Greenhorn first. I know I've left him very much vexed since I haven't returned and I left without his permission. He is probably wondering where I am now." Terrico smiled. "Perhaps we can go before the Celebration of the Tower. It's a grand party that Gandalf throws to celebrate the anniversary of the completion of his Tower. We have lots of music and food and of course fireworks. The mages all get free days from their studies and the young ones are let out of their studies as well. My friend, Gilmîl, who runs the Bakery, makes special cakes that look like the tower. He even puts little sugar Gandalf figures on the top if you pay a little bit extra! He makes very good lembas, too." Legolas laughed. They looked at the Pyre. It was almost out, with the smoke being replaced by floating ashes. They went inside, followed by the rest of the servants, most of who were crying. "Gilmîl sounds a lot like Gimli. I wonder how he and Balen are doing in the Mines." Legolas missed his friend. "They will be fine as long as no one breaks the seal I put on the stones leading down into the balrogs' chambers." "Your seals? You drove out the balrogs?" Legolas was amazed. He knew she was powerful, but he was amazed to hear that she'd defeated a bunch of balrogs. "Well, I merely helped Balen lead them into the deepest of the caves, which I made sure was empty of mithril. After that, I put a big stone on front of the entrance and sealed it. I put a warning in common, elvish, and dwarvish. If someone breaks the seal, I doubt they'll live long enough to regret it." Terrico held up her staff, "I enchanted it with a spell. It will destroy whoever intentionally breaks the seal and then reseal the door." Legolas looked at her, amazed, as they reentered the castle. Arwen greeted them, her hair a bit messier and her dress a bit more wrinkled than before. "The Pyre's out, then?" Terrico nodded, and then looked back at the servants. "It looks like we're on our own for a while. Your servants need a bit of time." Arwen nodded. She told Legolas and Terrico where to find the room that they could stay in. It's a tiny little bedroom in the top of the North guard turret. It's the only one with a bed, which isn't very large. I hope you don't mind being in very close company." Arwen smiled, she knew Legolas would probably thank her later. The servants went down into their rooms, which were underneath of the stables.
Up in the turret, Terrico wrote to Gandalf and her father. She told them about the uprising and the subsequent victory. She also told them about the dragons and the lack of servants and furnishings in the castle. She gave Legolas some paper so he could write to Gimli. "I'm sure he'll want to know everything." She said, pointing out some missing details in his letter. The bed was barely long enough for the elves, being made to fit one man. The blanket was too short, and their toes stuck out of the bottom. Legolas solved that problem by putting his cloak at the end of the bed. The turret was not made for comfort, and it was drafty with no coverings on the windows and no glass to keep out the wind or rain. They did the best they could resting in the tiny bed, but they kept falling out. Terrico finally gave up. "I would rather stay in the forest cave than in this drafty turret." Legolas got up and gathered up the blanket and their cloaks. "You're right. It's useless to keep trying to stay in this room." They walked out and headed for the forest. The dragons were sleeping in front of the gates of the castle, guarding against further attack. Griften saw them leave, but understood that they preferred the forest to a castle. They went to the cave that they had stayed in so many times. It was empty since the dragons were sleeping by the castle. They curled up at the back of the cave. It wasn't as cold in the cave since the wind was blocked. Legolas laid next to Terrico, his head on her chest. He was relaxed, listening to her heartbeat. "I'm worried about us, Legolas." Terrico said, gently playing with his hair. "What if Thranduil rejects me? What if he doesn't like me?" Legolas looked up at her, gently touching her cheek. "Don't worry about that. I'm sure that my father will accept you. If he doesn't, I'll leave. I love you, Terrico. Nothing can change that." She smiled. "Perhaps not, but I don't want you to have to give up your position as Prince for me. I love you as well, but some things can and do take precedence over love."