LEGOLAS GREENLEAF
Title: The Thief of Hearts
Author: Gina
Ratings: PG-13 (ratings by chapter)
Genre: Romance/Adventure
Disclaimer: 'Lord of the Rings' and its characters are sole properties of J.R.R. Tolkien and New Line Cinema. Others belong to my muse.
Summary: Legolas and Callysta met in the most unlikely circumstances. Both have a natural mistrust for one another. Both have secrets of their own but when they stumbled upon each other's agendas, a pact was made between the two. Could it be just mere coincidences that they crossed each other's paths or could it be that the Higher Powers have a certain task destined for them?
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Chapter One
"Stop the carriage, Everard." A female voice called from inside.
Everard drew in his horses and the black-and-gold carriage creaked to a halt. A dark head peeped out from the curtained window. It was a lady, fair of skin with hair as black as ebony.
"I see a huddled form there by the road, among the tall grasses. See what it is, Everard." The lady said.
Everard complied. With a light hop, he leapt from his seat and approached the inert form. When he got closer, he found that it was a young lady, dressed in a wine-red travelling gown. She was lying face down and her flaxen-pale blonde hair was all tousled up. Carefully, he turned her over and was relieved to find that she was still breathing. Her face was dirty with smudges of dirt and there were grazes on her temple and forehead. Gently, he roused her and slowly, her eyes fluttered open.
"Are you alright, milady? What happened?" Everard asked, as he helped her to her feet.
She rubbed her forehead gingerly, frowning as she tried to recollect what had befell her. When she looked up at him again, there was fear in her eyes. In a barely audible whisper, she told him, "I have been robbed."
The dark-haired lady descended from the coach when she saw Everard returned with a young woman. In brief, he told her what the girl had told him. She was Lady Callysta of the House of Galathor. She was on her way home when her carriage was ambushed by a band of bandits. These rogues made away with the carriage and all her belongings. In a sense, she had nothing except the clothes on her back but she was glad to be sound alive.
"What an evil fortune! I am Lady Eodrea of the House of Eorl. I bid you to come with me. We shall not ride far now and we will stop at an inn not many miles away. Rest for the night and tomorrow we may arrange for your journey home." The dark-haired lady told her.
Callysta thanked her profusely and climbed into the coach.
The sky grew dark as they rode on. The carriage rocked back and forth on the uneven path. After a while, Callysta felt nauseated. She asked if they might stop for a moment because she felt sick. As the carriage rolled to a halt for the second time, she alighted and made her way dizzily towards the roadside. She clutched on tightly to the cloak Eodrea had given her and shivered in the cold wind.
Eodrea watched her from the carriage. A wave of uneasiness swept over her. Ahead, bright thunderheads could be seen in the distant horizon. The tall grasses rustled and nodded in the strong wind. Eodrea was about to call out to Callysta when all of a sudden, a black figure leapt out from the grasses and grabbed Callysta. More figures followed suit. Their dark hair flying wild in the wind and in their hands, bright daggers gleamed.
Callysta's cries were drowned by the banshee-like screams of the bandits. The horses neighed and stomped in fright and confusion and were ready to bolt if Everard did not hold them in check. He raised his horn and let out a mighty blow. Its blasts reverberated and echoed through the valley. The bandits seemed to falter and flounder at the sound of the mighty horn.
Eodrea's heart pounded fast in her ribcage but she managed to take hold of the bit of composure still left in her. She watched the rogue who was holding onto Callysta and calculated her move. The poor girl stood frozen with the blade to her throat. Fear was etched on her white face.
"Gerrout! Or I'll slit her throat like a Thanksgivin' turkey!" The bandit cried and tightened his grip on Callysta.
So, slowly Eodrea emerged from the coach but not to surrender. Her long blade was unsheathed and shone with a white light. She stood back to back with Everard, who also had a sword in hand. And the bandits, forming a ring, advanced upon them…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The sun was sinking behind the long western arm of the mountains. The road passed slowly between the two peaks, winding down to the valley. Upon it, three riders came riding down the path. Two of them were tall and lithe-limbed; one was fair-crowned, the other dark. A stout rider rode between them, his hair and beard appeared flaming red in the dusk light. The riders were anxious to reach their destination ere nightfall.
"How far more to the inn, Master Figwit?" the stout rider asked, gruffly. He has no love for horses and even less for riding on them. He'd sooner carry the four-legged beast than to be carried upon them. Still, he tolerated the ride on this trip because Heglas was a gentle steed and they had a hasty need to reach Rivendell as quickly as possible.
"Soon, Master Gimli. It's not far now." The dark-haired rider replied, with a small smile. Figwit does not think much of dwarves but towards Gimli, he holds the Master Dwarf in high opinion, mainly because of the Dwarf's unusual loyalty and friendship with his kin, the fair-haired rider. A friendship between an Elf and a Dwarf was almost unheard of…until now.
"Getting tired of bumping like a sack of potatoes on Heglas?" The fair-headed Elf teased Gimli.
"You mock me! Yet all this delay is your fault!" Gimli snorted.
"Mine?!"
"Yes, Master Legolas," Gimli added, calmly, "If you needn't stop at every rowan and birch and wax poetics about them, we'd be at the inn right now. In front of a good roaring fire with cold beer in our hands, instead of these nasty reins!"
Legolas glared at the Dwarf and replied, coolly, "I cannot be held responsible for your apparent lack of appreciation towards Nature's living beauty. It is to be expected, of course, coming from a lover of iron and stones."
Gimli's eyebrows bristled at that remark, "Pshaw! Let me tell you something Master Elf! The sword at your side and the tips of your arrows are made from these iron and stones you disdained so much! On the other hand, one birch is the same as the other. If you have seen one, you have seen 'em all! Isn't it wearisome to sing about them all the time?"
"Weary?!" Legolas exclaimed.
Figwit shook his head. Between the two of them, trading insults was like trading cards. However, they are quick to take offence on each other's behalf and even quicker to defend one another if the insults came from a third party.
"I never get weary of Nature's beauty but if my rest last night were not interrupted by your loud snores, Master Dwarf, I need not sing to the trees to ease my mind." Legolas said.
"My snores?! If you had slept like any normal folks do, with your eyes shut, that is, you would have had as much rest as I did." Gimli retorted. It is true that when Elves sleep, their eyes remained open, blending dream and night into one.
From a distance, Figwit heard the horn calls. It sounded in distress.
"Knock it off, you two! Listen!" Figwit commanded and Legolas and Gimli fell silent. Then, they heard the horns again. Loud and clear, it rang. A distress call, no doubt.
The riders quickened their pace. From below the valley, Legolas could make out a dark speck in the middle of the road. He gasped when saw what it was.
"The carriage from the House of Eorl!" He said in a harsh whisper.
"What? What about it? I haven't Elvish eyesight!" Gimli asked.
"Shhh…bandits. Twelve of them against the Lady Eodrea and her trusted driver." Figwit said.
"Gggrrrr…those little sneak thieves! What shall we do?" Gimli growled.
"Two can play at this sneaking game." Legolas replied. He pointed to another narrow path leading down to the valley. It was hidden among the tall grasses. "Over there. Figwit and I can run lightly down and catch them unawares."
"What about me?"
"You, my dear Gimli shall distract them." Legolas said, and whispered into the Dwarf's ears.
The Dwarf scowled indignantly, "A bait! I will most certainly not do that! It is an insult to my Dwarven dignity! An insult to Gloín! An insult to-"
"No time to argue, Gimli! The Lady's life is at stake." Figwit said. With that, both he and Legolas disappeared down the narrow path and Gimli had no choice but to be the co-conspirator.