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CHAPTER SIX -- Memories of A Midsummer Tragedy
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I stroked Frodo's hair as he finished the drink and then nestled in my arms. "As I was saying…I was a spoiled one. Everything I ever wanted was given to me. I know I don't look it now…but I was once very pretty, and you might not believe it but my hair was soft and my skin fairer."
"I think you were." Frodo looked up at my eyes, and I could tell he was not looking at the rest of me. I sighed, he would likely die within the next couple of days. He certainly would not be able to handle much more of this. I did not smile, but continued in my tale.
"This tale begins in the summertime in Mirkwood…."I began as I took a cloth again and dabbed his forehead and cheeks with it, for he still burned, and the herbs had yet to work their way through his system.
"P-please…continue." he cleared his throat and coughed miserably. He closed his eyes and buried his face in my lap, listening. His breathing was erratic…and he gasped a little but when I tried to give him more to drink he shook his head and begged me to go on.
"It all started during the Midsummer Revels, I suppose. We were not really paying a great deal of attention to what was happening on the borders of Greenwood. The group of us had wandered far from the festivities. There were other, more serious things to deal with. I as usual was there only because the King commanded Legolas to take me. I was…tagging along I suppose. I should have been, but they were often hard pressed to keep me behind. " I closed my eyes for a moment and sighed, I really did not want to remember this…but the hobbit wanted a tale. I glanced at the Orc who was still turning the bracelet over with his hands curiously.
"You know….I'm not all that good at telling tales…But…" I stroked his hair and his breathing seemed to relax a little, the drug was taking effect. "We were walking…" I smiled, remembering the night air. "Legolas was silent as he usually is, he never did have much to say, but I could tell he did not want me there. I was inexperienced, and would probably prove a hindrance the following day. Still…he had to put up with me.
"Legolas' I asked him, "When are we going hunting? We've been going through the forest for half a day now." We were stopped at the time, the group of us were resting and I was wanted for action, not sitting around.
"Merilas." Legolas finally responded to me. "It will take us one more day to reach the edge of Greenwood, where the glade that the stag retrieves water from is. I told you this was going to be more than just a day trip."
"But I want to go hunting -now-." I was adamant, I was bored…and this was not entertaining me. I was the only female elf present in a group of older hunters. There were fifteen of us all told. Not a big group, but not a small one either. I leant against a tree and crossed my arms.
He seemed to glare at me. I could some times never tell when he was really irritated...or amused by my lack of experience. "In the middle of the night…on your own?" he raised an eyebrow at me.
"Well of course not alone, you'd be with me."
Legolas laughed, a silvery tone that always irked me. "I'm resting, Meri, and you should too."
"Hah. You're just afraid that I'll be better than you." I skipped away, we knew otherwise of course, but I wanted him to come with me. I didn't really want to go scouting about alone. And anyway…I wanted to talk to him about what happened at the dance the night before."
"What happened then…?" Frodo stirred, curious eyes blinking up at me. I could tell he was trying not to go to sleep…scared of what he might wake up to, I supposed..
"Well Frodo…twas the revels and all. We danced, nothing more…but I had thought something had…occurred." I shrugged. "I was younger than he…much younger…still am…and I expect just my imagination. But I had wanted to talk to him anyway." Finally he sighed and picked up his bow.
"You're not going to leave me alone until I agree to go for a walk are you?" he shook his head when I smiled in response and we walked away from the group.
"Legolas," I looked at him when we were out of earshot. "Do you like me?" I was always surprised at how direct I was. It came from knowing that whatever I wanted I had to ask for…or make sure people knew what I wanted. And I wanted the truth.
He stared at me for a moment, and crouched down, studying the area. I thought he was avoiding looking at me, but had I been a little more experienced I would have known what he was doing. "I like you well enough." he responded. His voice held an edge to it…he sensed something.
"But…yesterday." I insisted. My voice was still normal, though his was somewhat hushed. He rose and looked at me.
"We should get back to the camp."
"But I want to talk to you…" I frowned.
"We can talk there. Come on now…" he took hold of my arm…It was then I saw the look in his eyes. I mistook it…of course. He was afraid for me, it was worry…for someone he cared about. I thought it had meant something entirely different so I threw all caution to the wind…and that's what distracted him.
Frodo turned a bit pink as and then settled down a bit afterwards when I did not go into detail about the sweet encounter. I surmised that he was not experienced in such things.
"Yes…I threw myself at him and kissed him. Well…he had danced with -me- after all. I still think of it today and wonder what I was thinking. That's how they caught us. But you know what…Frodo? It was worth it…for a moment there…I was sure he loved me. ..but the orcs…they were already upon us. The others were drawn to the sound of Legolas fighting. I don't…I don't really remember much more of it. The last thing I do remember is the look in his eyes when I was lifted up by one of the creatures. He tried to get to me. I guess he must have. All I knew was that that day ended my life…seven others besides myself were captured…and I was responsible. Had I not…been so entirely self-absorbed, perhaps my life would not have come to this. I…well….maybe this would not have happened. I was…the first little while was as painful as you are going through now…but…I soon got used to it. They took me from place to place until I was given to Shagrat. I suppose…they must have looked for me. But how would they find me? I…" I noticed that Frodo was gazing at me…his eyes were filled with tears as he listened to the end of my very short tale. I was never any good at telling them and I felt bad for the small hobbit that I knew nothing more than pain. "I spent my time here…well…surviving you could say. I suppose I felt I owed it to the seven who were killed because of me."
He reached out his tiny hand and grasped mine with it. "You did not know…" he whispered softly, perhaps he had experience with such things. "You sound…like Pippin…" he coughed. "Like Pippin did when Gandalf ….when Gandalf d-died." he blinked back tears. "Don't blame…yourself. I'm…g-glad…that y-you lived. That y-you are here. Thank-you…" his courage…even in the face of death…made me blink a little. He was holding on by a thread….though all he wanted right now was to pass into oblivion and not feel any more pain. He bore a terrible burden for one so small. My story perhaps…had given him a bit of courage. I think he may be fancying that his friends would rescue us. I remembered those dreams…long in the past.
I felt his forehead, checking his temperature…he was still hot, but the chills had subsided a little. The alcohol and herbs were working its way through his system and soon I'd have to give him another cupful. He would start to feel the pain again. He began to cough pathetically, his little body shaking with the effort of it.
I shivered myself, for it was cold in the tower and drew him close in my arms. It had been a very long time since I had allowed myself to care again. Since I had remembered that day.
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CHAPTER SIX -- Memories of A Midsummer Tragedy
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I stroked Frodo's hair as he finished the drink and then nestled in my arms. "As I was saying…I was a spoiled one. Everything I ever wanted was given to me. I know I don't look it now…but I was once very pretty, and you might not believe it but my hair was soft and my skin fairer."
"I think you were." Frodo looked up at my eyes, and I could tell he was not looking at the rest of me. I sighed, he would likely die within the next couple of days. He certainly would not be able to handle much more of this. I did not smile, but continued in my tale.
"This tale begins in the summertime in Mirkwood…."I began as I took a cloth again and dabbed his forehead and cheeks with it, for he still burned, and the herbs had yet to work their way through his system.
"P-please…continue." he cleared his throat and coughed miserably. He closed his eyes and buried his face in my lap, listening. His breathing was erratic…and he gasped a little but when I tried to give him more to drink he shook his head and begged me to go on.
"It all started during the Midsummer Revels, I suppose. We were not really paying a great deal of attention to what was happening on the borders of Greenwood. The group of us had wandered far from the festivities. There were other, more serious things to deal with. I as usual was there only because the King commanded Legolas to take me. I was…tagging along I suppose. I should have been, but they were often hard pressed to keep me behind. " I closed my eyes for a moment and sighed, I really did not want to remember this…but the hobbit wanted a tale. I glanced at the Orc who was still turning the bracelet over with his hands curiously.
"You know….I'm not all that good at telling tales…But…" I stroked his hair and his breathing seemed to relax a little, the drug was taking effect. "We were walking…" I smiled, remembering the night air. "Legolas was silent as he usually is, he never did have much to say, but I could tell he did not want me there. I was inexperienced, and would probably prove a hindrance the following day. Still…he had to put up with me.
"Legolas' I asked him, "When are we going hunting? We've been going through the forest for half a day now." We were stopped at the time, the group of us were resting and I was wanted for action, not sitting around.
"Merilas." Legolas finally responded to me. "It will take us one more day to reach the edge of Greenwood, where the glade that the stag retrieves water from is. I told you this was going to be more than just a day trip."
"But I want to go hunting -now-." I was adamant, I was bored…and this was not entertaining me. I was the only female elf present in a group of older hunters. There were fifteen of us all told. Not a big group, but not a small one either. I leant against a tree and crossed my arms.
He seemed to glare at me. I could some times never tell when he was really irritated...or amused by my lack of experience. "In the middle of the night…on your own?" he raised an eyebrow at me.
"Well of course not alone, you'd be with me."
Legolas laughed, a silvery tone that always irked me. "I'm resting, Meri, and you should too."
"Hah. You're just afraid that I'll be better than you." I skipped away, we knew otherwise of course, but I wanted him to come with me. I didn't really want to go scouting about alone. And anyway…I wanted to talk to him about what happened at the dance the night before."
"What happened then…?" Frodo stirred, curious eyes blinking up at me. I could tell he was trying not to go to sleep…scared of what he might wake up to, I supposed..
"Well Frodo…twas the revels and all. We danced, nothing more…but I had thought something had…occurred." I shrugged. "I was younger than he…much younger…still am…and I expect just my imagination. But I had wanted to talk to him anyway." Finally he sighed and picked up his bow.
"You're not going to leave me alone until I agree to go for a walk are you?" he shook his head when I smiled in response and we walked away from the group.
"Legolas," I looked at him when we were out of earshot. "Do you like me?" I was always surprised at how direct I was. It came from knowing that whatever I wanted I had to ask for…or make sure people knew what I wanted. And I wanted the truth.
He stared at me for a moment, and crouched down, studying the area. I thought he was avoiding looking at me, but had I been a little more experienced I would have known what he was doing. "I like you well enough." he responded. His voice held an edge to it…he sensed something.
"But…yesterday." I insisted. My voice was still normal, though his was somewhat hushed. He rose and looked at me.
"We should get back to the camp."
"But I want to talk to you…" I frowned.
"We can talk there. Come on now…" he took hold of my arm…It was then I saw the look in his eyes. I mistook it…of course. He was afraid for me, it was worry…for someone he cared about. I thought it had meant something entirely different so I threw all caution to the wind…and that's what distracted him.
Frodo turned a bit pink as and then settled down a bit afterwards when I did not go into detail about the sweet encounter. I surmised that he was not experienced in such things.
"Yes…I threw myself at him and kissed him. Well…he had danced with -me- after all. I still think of it today and wonder what I was thinking. That's how they caught us. But you know what…Frodo? It was worth it…for a moment there…I was sure he loved me. ..but the orcs…they were already upon us. The others were drawn to the sound of Legolas fighting. I don't…I don't really remember much more of it. The last thing I do remember is the look in his eyes when I was lifted up by one of the creatures. He tried to get to me. I guess he must have. All I knew was that that day ended my life…seven others besides myself were captured…and I was responsible. Had I not…been so entirely self-absorbed, perhaps my life would not have come to this. I…well….maybe this would not have happened. I was…the first little while was as painful as you are going through now…but…I soon got used to it. They took me from place to place until I was given to Shagrat. I suppose…they must have looked for me. But how would they find me? I…" I noticed that Frodo was gazing at me…his eyes were filled with tears as he listened to the end of my very short tale. I was never any good at telling them and I felt bad for the small hobbit that I knew nothing more than pain. "I spent my time here…well…surviving you could say. I suppose I felt I owed it to the seven who were killed because of me."
He reached out his tiny hand and grasped mine with it. "You did not know…" he whispered softly, perhaps he had experience with such things. "You sound…like Pippin…" he coughed. "Like Pippin did when Gandalf ….when Gandalf d-died." he blinked back tears. "Don't blame…yourself. I'm…g-glad…that y-you lived. That y-you are here. Thank-you…" his courage…even in the face of death…made me blink a little. He was holding on by a thread….though all he wanted right now was to pass into oblivion and not feel any more pain. He bore a terrible burden for one so small. My story perhaps…had given him a bit of courage. I think he may be fancying that his friends would rescue us. I remembered those dreams…long in the past.
I felt his forehead, checking his temperature…he was still hot, but the chills had subsided a little. The alcohol and herbs were working its way through his system and soon I'd have to give him another cupful. He would start to feel the pain again. He began to cough pathetically, his little body shaking with the effort of it.
I shivered myself, for it was cold in the tower and drew him close in my arms. It had been a very long time since I had allowed myself to care again. Since I had remembered that day.
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