A short chapter… just to keep you from hurting yourself with jumping off cliffs (do not
forget if you command your soul into the hall of mandos you will never know the
ending),and for you to stop pouting &stomping your feet… :-)
and of course for all you wonderful people who told me how much you enjoy or even
love this story.
Although there was one threat that did sound interesting – you would not really write
your own chapter, would you? …*thinking hard* …that would mean I do not need to
continue?
*grin*
another big, big thank you to Little My… I have not idea when she did it, but she beta
read again… thank you for doing this!
So… on with it… and as always, let me know if you liked it !
___
She took no further notice of them but focused her attention solely on Legolas. One
hand she laid on his brow, the other above his heart ere she closed her eyes. She
spoke no word, but the air around her seemed to brighten as if she glowed.
Most healers work with a huge knowledge of herbs and substances and their effects,
but only few of them are gifted with healing powers in the way of Elrond Halfelven. It
is a gift that is said to run in the bloodline. Aragorn possessed it, but it had been
painfully obvious that what had befallen Legolas could not be healed so easily.
He could see the soft glow reaching out and engulfing Legolas as well, but it dimmed
visibly when it came into contact with the elf. Minutes passed ere the lady opened her
eyes and let her hands fall away from Legolas.
'I can hardly reach him,' she whispered, a hint of despair in her voice. 'He is lost in
the depths of his mind, for what he was forced to endure has been more than he
could take.'
It was Gandalf who stepped close to her, his hand touching her shoulder.
'The bond between you is strong enough for you to find him. He will know to trust you
and follow you.'
'I fear what it is that I might find,' her voice almost broke. 'I cannot tell how he fares.
Even if I succeed in bringing him back, the violation his mind has endured might have
been too much. I could not stand to see him like this, fading and lost in a world of
pain.'
The Istari's hand tightened on her shoulder, and the slight discomfort it caused
seemed to clear her mind a bit for she looked up and into his eyes. He regarded her
intently.
'I know this is hard for you but let your love for him guide you, not hinder you. None of
us can do this, not even Thranduil, for he does not possess your gift of healing.'
She nodded and his hand fell away as he stepped back again. Once more she turned
her attention fully on Legolas, and the soft glow engulfed both elves as her face
became a mask of concentration.
No one dared to speak as they stood and watched. Long minutes passed and Gimli
could feel his weariness mount, and the dull ache in his back seemed to radiate
through his whole body. He moved slowly, trying to make as little sound as possible
as he lowered himself painfully to the ground. A sigh of relief almost escaped him
when his hurting muscles could finally relax.
There was no thought wasted upon the fact that he, a dwarf, would show his
exhaustion not only to his companions, but in front of an elf as well. He was much too
tired and worn out to care. With slight amusement, he watched as the others one by
one followed his example. Gandalf found a seat to settle in, while the others chose
the floor as Gimli had done.
Of the elves, only Calenuial had remained with them and after casting a unreadable
look at the group of mortals making themselves comfortable on the ground, he
moved to the window and perched himself on the ledge, his long legs folded neatly
beneath him. There was the smallest hint of a smile playing around his lips as his
eyes met Gimli's. But it faded quickly as the tension in the room grew.
@@@
Fire blazing and flames licking. And with it came pain, unbearable and tearing
through him with searing intensity.
He could do naught to escape, as it was his own body that was aflame and he could
hear his own voice screaming out in agony.
And yet there was one small part of his mind that knew it was not himself who was
burning alive, that the pain and fear he felt was not his own.
It was that little bit of awareness that he held onto with desperation, as the world
around him fell apart and transmuted into a vortex of pain and fire and the terrible
feeling of being torn to pieces.
He could not say how long this went on, how long he was lost in this inferno before
some semblance of control returned. Not much, just enough to know he was still
alive. But a terrible fear as he had never felt before held him in its grasp, and he did
not even dare to form a single thought, afraid of what it might cause. He did not wish
to face once more the blinding pain, and for the first time in his long life he did not
trust his own mind. He knew not what it would confront him with next and so he
stayed where he was, refusing to face anything else but the blankness that had taken
hold of him.
There were changes that he remotely noted but refused to acknowledge, for it would
have meant confronting his surroundings. He could feel the presence of someone
else but did not even try to discern who it was.
The presence was here and it was strangely comforting but he did not find the
strength to turn to it and seek it out. But it gave him something to hold on to, even
when he was not aware of doing so.
How long he drifted like this he could not fathom, and he never dared to leave his
state of numbness. A few times it felt as if someone was reaching for him, but he
knew not who or why and he did not try to find out. The torment he had gone through
had been too much for him to risk even remembering it.
So he hid in blissful unawareness even as he was touched and moved, and as his
friends called out to him.
Then something else touched him - a familiar presence he knew as well as himself.
@@@
Gimli watched, his mind fighting desperately against the tiredness that threatened to
overcome him. Nothing had changed during their long wait as the lady, whose name
he had not yet learned, had not stirred since she had begun her second try in
reaching Legolas.
He wondered who she was, but did not wish to break the silence to voice his question
towards Aragorn. He was quite sure the man knew who the she-elf was. Her face
showed no longer the deep fear and anguish he had seen there earlier. Whoever she
was, she obviously knew Legolas well and loved him dearly and he wondered why he
had not seen her during his prior visits to Greenwood. But then he had never stayed
for long.
He could only hope that whoever she was, she would be able to bring Legolas back.
Her words had filled him with dread, for she had voiced what they all had feared. But
the elf's state of mind could be worried about later - all Gimli wished to see right now
was a flicker of life coming from his friend.
forget if you command your soul into the hall of mandos you will never know the
ending),and for you to stop pouting &stomping your feet… :-)
and of course for all you wonderful people who told me how much you enjoy or even
love this story.
Although there was one threat that did sound interesting – you would not really write
your own chapter, would you? …*thinking hard* …that would mean I do not need to
continue?
*grin*
another big, big thank you to Little My… I have not idea when she did it, but she beta
read again… thank you for doing this!
So… on with it… and as always, let me know if you liked it !
___
She took no further notice of them but focused her attention solely on Legolas. One
hand she laid on his brow, the other above his heart ere she closed her eyes. She
spoke no word, but the air around her seemed to brighten as if she glowed.
Most healers work with a huge knowledge of herbs and substances and their effects,
but only few of them are gifted with healing powers in the way of Elrond Halfelven. It
is a gift that is said to run in the bloodline. Aragorn possessed it, but it had been
painfully obvious that what had befallen Legolas could not be healed so easily.
He could see the soft glow reaching out and engulfing Legolas as well, but it dimmed
visibly when it came into contact with the elf. Minutes passed ere the lady opened her
eyes and let her hands fall away from Legolas.
'I can hardly reach him,' she whispered, a hint of despair in her voice. 'He is lost in
the depths of his mind, for what he was forced to endure has been more than he
could take.'
It was Gandalf who stepped close to her, his hand touching her shoulder.
'The bond between you is strong enough for you to find him. He will know to trust you
and follow you.'
'I fear what it is that I might find,' her voice almost broke. 'I cannot tell how he fares.
Even if I succeed in bringing him back, the violation his mind has endured might have
been too much. I could not stand to see him like this, fading and lost in a world of
pain.'
The Istari's hand tightened on her shoulder, and the slight discomfort it caused
seemed to clear her mind a bit for she looked up and into his eyes. He regarded her
intently.
'I know this is hard for you but let your love for him guide you, not hinder you. None of
us can do this, not even Thranduil, for he does not possess your gift of healing.'
She nodded and his hand fell away as he stepped back again. Once more she turned
her attention fully on Legolas, and the soft glow engulfed both elves as her face
became a mask of concentration.
No one dared to speak as they stood and watched. Long minutes passed and Gimli
could feel his weariness mount, and the dull ache in his back seemed to radiate
through his whole body. He moved slowly, trying to make as little sound as possible
as he lowered himself painfully to the ground. A sigh of relief almost escaped him
when his hurting muscles could finally relax.
There was no thought wasted upon the fact that he, a dwarf, would show his
exhaustion not only to his companions, but in front of an elf as well. He was much too
tired and worn out to care. With slight amusement, he watched as the others one by
one followed his example. Gandalf found a seat to settle in, while the others chose
the floor as Gimli had done.
Of the elves, only Calenuial had remained with them and after casting a unreadable
look at the group of mortals making themselves comfortable on the ground, he
moved to the window and perched himself on the ledge, his long legs folded neatly
beneath him. There was the smallest hint of a smile playing around his lips as his
eyes met Gimli's. But it faded quickly as the tension in the room grew.
@@@
Fire blazing and flames licking. And with it came pain, unbearable and tearing
through him with searing intensity.
He could do naught to escape, as it was his own body that was aflame and he could
hear his own voice screaming out in agony.
And yet there was one small part of his mind that knew it was not himself who was
burning alive, that the pain and fear he felt was not his own.
It was that little bit of awareness that he held onto with desperation, as the world
around him fell apart and transmuted into a vortex of pain and fire and the terrible
feeling of being torn to pieces.
He could not say how long this went on, how long he was lost in this inferno before
some semblance of control returned. Not much, just enough to know he was still
alive. But a terrible fear as he had never felt before held him in its grasp, and he did
not even dare to form a single thought, afraid of what it might cause. He did not wish
to face once more the blinding pain, and for the first time in his long life he did not
trust his own mind. He knew not what it would confront him with next and so he
stayed where he was, refusing to face anything else but the blankness that had taken
hold of him.
There were changes that he remotely noted but refused to acknowledge, for it would
have meant confronting his surroundings. He could feel the presence of someone
else but did not even try to discern who it was.
The presence was here and it was strangely comforting but he did not find the
strength to turn to it and seek it out. But it gave him something to hold on to, even
when he was not aware of doing so.
How long he drifted like this he could not fathom, and he never dared to leave his
state of numbness. A few times it felt as if someone was reaching for him, but he
knew not who or why and he did not try to find out. The torment he had gone through
had been too much for him to risk even remembering it.
So he hid in blissful unawareness even as he was touched and moved, and as his
friends called out to him.
Then something else touched him - a familiar presence he knew as well as himself.
@@@
Gimli watched, his mind fighting desperately against the tiredness that threatened to
overcome him. Nothing had changed during their long wait as the lady, whose name
he had not yet learned, had not stirred since she had begun her second try in
reaching Legolas.
He wondered who she was, but did not wish to break the silence to voice his question
towards Aragorn. He was quite sure the man knew who the she-elf was. Her face
showed no longer the deep fear and anguish he had seen there earlier. Whoever she
was, she obviously knew Legolas well and loved him dearly and he wondered why he
had not seen her during his prior visits to Greenwood. But then he had never stayed
for long.
He could only hope that whoever she was, she would be able to bring Legolas back.
Her words had filled him with dread, for she had voiced what they all had feared. But
the elf's state of mind could be worried about later - all Gimli wished to see right now
was a flicker of life coming from his friend.