Chapter 27
After they had eaten, Tally helped Legolas to Elrond's study. She fussed around him, making sure he was comfortable in his chair and that he wasn't in too much pain, because she could run and get him some pain relief from the Healers. Legolas was fine he told Tally, clearly embarrassed by her attentions in front of the other elves and men, and she whispered,
"Liar. Legolas, I can feel your pain so don't tell me it doesn't hurt. You can suffer in silence, but I suffer too. Please, I am begging you, get some pain killers. I ache enough as it is, and I am feeling the pain of everyone all around me, but Legolas I love you and it makes your pain worse. Please?" Legolas looked at her shocked, he knew she could sense his feelings, but he thought she'd just learnt to read his moods and predict his reactions. Her empathic powers were obviously more than he's thought,
"Very well my love. Get some now and I will not let Elrond start without you." And Tally ran to the Healers. She got some of their strong pain killers for Legolas and went back to Elrond's study. Elrond and Gandalf were yet to arrive so Tally slipped Legolas the little glass phial of medicine and he drank it quickly, concealing the bottle in his pocket. Tally felt it working and she looked at Legolas who seemed at bit more at ease next to her,
"That's better isn't it? Are you sure that chair is comfortable for you? Do you want mine, it has more cushioning?"
"Natalia, I am fine, please, don't fuss."
"Sorry," she sulked and Legolas leaned and whispered to her,
"We can play Healers and nurses when I am feeling a bit better," Tally shot him a sideways glance, smiled and snuggled up to his good arm, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes, while she waited for Elrond.
She heard the door open and she snapped open her eyes and sat up, still holding Legolas' arm. Elrond walked in, followed by Gandalf and Ghilad. Elrond sat behind his desk and the other two took seats around the room. Elrond stood to speak, "We have won a victory. The last victory. The darkness has been bound and shall remain bound for all eternity, so long as Natalia, you stay alive."
"I don't understand Elrond, how can I bind the darkness, I have no power."
"Natalia, you represent all that is good about the light. You love, expecting no love in return and you help even when it is not necessary. What were you thinking about when you fired that arrow?" Tally smiled and flushed slightly,
"I was thinking of Legolas, about his advise with my archery and then about how much I loved him as the arrows flew."
"You were firing those arrows to protect your loved ones, and so they flew in love, not in malice or fear, like so many of the others fired that day. That is what killed him."
"But I thought Gandalf killed him with a spell?"
"No Natalia," Gandalf spoke, "I only spoke the words of the incantation you had created the situation for. If you have known them, you could have done it yourself. It is you who killed him." Tally blushed as Legolas squeezed her hand in pride. Elrond spoke again,
"We are indeed indebted to you Natalia. You have been with us a short time and are young among us, but you have shown more courage and determination then many of us can claim. We are indeed unworthy of you, Queen of Gondor," and the room stood and bowed. Tally sat in shock,
"Lord Elrond, I would do anything to protect the people I love. I am pleased to have been able to help you and repay some of the kindness shown to me over the past few months." This time Tally stood and curtseyed, "But there is still something I would like to know. How did this situation arise in the first place?"
"I think I have the answer," said Gandalf, "It appears that Sauron not only enslaved Saruman during the war of the ring but Alatar as well. However, after the defeat of Sauron, Alatar was not destroyed as his involvement was unknown, indeed, whether he was still in Middle Earth was not known. He gathered the remaining forces around him and prepared to take over where his master had failed, though without the Ring and the Nazgul, he was unable to beat our armies and for millennia this has been happening. He attacked, was defeated and would go to ground for hundreds of years, emerging later when he thinks we will not be on guard. However, he himself did not appear so we could not be sure who the Enemy was until last night, when he was bound and destroyed."
"So he can't come back?"
"No he cannot," said Gandalf smiling at the young girl,
"Good," said Tally emphatically,
"Ghilad what of the other orcs?" asked Elrond
"As you know my Lord, many of us went forth, and many orcs, goblins and Uruk-Hai were killed. There were some casualties but luckily, no further deaths. I estimate we killed about half the number who remained after the battle, but that does not include those who fled during it."
"Very good. Legolas, what of the archers? Did you find the new arrows effective?"
"Yes Elrond, we did. The pierced the armour of the Uruk-Hai with greater success, so long as they travelled at a certain speed so they are not useful firing against them at distances."
"That is good news. Speak to Timmas about making them lighter."
"Elrond I beg your pardon," Tally interrupted, "but if the darkness has been bound, why do we need weapons?"
"Tally, just because it is bound, doesn't mean it cannot be released. We have to be prepared in case something happens to you to release it."
"Oh." Tally looked at her hands,
"Natalia, nothing is going to happen to you. You are safe now. What ever the Enemy told you cannot happen now. You are safe." Legolas said to her,
"It's not me I am worried about, it is all of you. I will die and leave you to deal with the consequences when all Hell breaks loose."
"Lady Natalia, I assure you, we will be ready to deal with whatever happens, should that unfortunate event occur," said Metalis,
"Very well." Tally sighed and looked at Metalis, "I can see there is nothing to be done about the situation." Tally was resigned.
"No there isn't," said Elrond, "We must be ready just in case. The fields must be cleared and the bodies burned. Any useful weapons of ours should be gathered and all the others buried in a site far from here. The dead must be brought in for burial before they become food for scavengers. Natalia, Legolas, you are to stay here. Both of you have been through enough. Metalis, I trust I can leave you the task of organising this," Metalis bowed and left, taking everyone with him, except Legolas and Tally, "I suggest you two go and spend a quiet afternoon together and relax. Battle has wounded you on the outside and on the inside." Tally helped Legolas to his feet and took him to his room.
After they had eaten, Tally helped Legolas to Elrond's study. She fussed around him, making sure he was comfortable in his chair and that he wasn't in too much pain, because she could run and get him some pain relief from the Healers. Legolas was fine he told Tally, clearly embarrassed by her attentions in front of the other elves and men, and she whispered,
"Liar. Legolas, I can feel your pain so don't tell me it doesn't hurt. You can suffer in silence, but I suffer too. Please, I am begging you, get some pain killers. I ache enough as it is, and I am feeling the pain of everyone all around me, but Legolas I love you and it makes your pain worse. Please?" Legolas looked at her shocked, he knew she could sense his feelings, but he thought she'd just learnt to read his moods and predict his reactions. Her empathic powers were obviously more than he's thought,
"Very well my love. Get some now and I will not let Elrond start without you." And Tally ran to the Healers. She got some of their strong pain killers for Legolas and went back to Elrond's study. Elrond and Gandalf were yet to arrive so Tally slipped Legolas the little glass phial of medicine and he drank it quickly, concealing the bottle in his pocket. Tally felt it working and she looked at Legolas who seemed at bit more at ease next to her,
"That's better isn't it? Are you sure that chair is comfortable for you? Do you want mine, it has more cushioning?"
"Natalia, I am fine, please, don't fuss."
"Sorry," she sulked and Legolas leaned and whispered to her,
"We can play Healers and nurses when I am feeling a bit better," Tally shot him a sideways glance, smiled and snuggled up to his good arm, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes, while she waited for Elrond.
She heard the door open and she snapped open her eyes and sat up, still holding Legolas' arm. Elrond walked in, followed by Gandalf and Ghilad. Elrond sat behind his desk and the other two took seats around the room. Elrond stood to speak, "We have won a victory. The last victory. The darkness has been bound and shall remain bound for all eternity, so long as Natalia, you stay alive."
"I don't understand Elrond, how can I bind the darkness, I have no power."
"Natalia, you represent all that is good about the light. You love, expecting no love in return and you help even when it is not necessary. What were you thinking about when you fired that arrow?" Tally smiled and flushed slightly,
"I was thinking of Legolas, about his advise with my archery and then about how much I loved him as the arrows flew."
"You were firing those arrows to protect your loved ones, and so they flew in love, not in malice or fear, like so many of the others fired that day. That is what killed him."
"But I thought Gandalf killed him with a spell?"
"No Natalia," Gandalf spoke, "I only spoke the words of the incantation you had created the situation for. If you have known them, you could have done it yourself. It is you who killed him." Tally blushed as Legolas squeezed her hand in pride. Elrond spoke again,
"We are indeed indebted to you Natalia. You have been with us a short time and are young among us, but you have shown more courage and determination then many of us can claim. We are indeed unworthy of you, Queen of Gondor," and the room stood and bowed. Tally sat in shock,
"Lord Elrond, I would do anything to protect the people I love. I am pleased to have been able to help you and repay some of the kindness shown to me over the past few months." This time Tally stood and curtseyed, "But there is still something I would like to know. How did this situation arise in the first place?"
"I think I have the answer," said Gandalf, "It appears that Sauron not only enslaved Saruman during the war of the ring but Alatar as well. However, after the defeat of Sauron, Alatar was not destroyed as his involvement was unknown, indeed, whether he was still in Middle Earth was not known. He gathered the remaining forces around him and prepared to take over where his master had failed, though without the Ring and the Nazgul, he was unable to beat our armies and for millennia this has been happening. He attacked, was defeated and would go to ground for hundreds of years, emerging later when he thinks we will not be on guard. However, he himself did not appear so we could not be sure who the Enemy was until last night, when he was bound and destroyed."
"So he can't come back?"
"No he cannot," said Gandalf smiling at the young girl,
"Good," said Tally emphatically,
"Ghilad what of the other orcs?" asked Elrond
"As you know my Lord, many of us went forth, and many orcs, goblins and Uruk-Hai were killed. There were some casualties but luckily, no further deaths. I estimate we killed about half the number who remained after the battle, but that does not include those who fled during it."
"Very good. Legolas, what of the archers? Did you find the new arrows effective?"
"Yes Elrond, we did. The pierced the armour of the Uruk-Hai with greater success, so long as they travelled at a certain speed so they are not useful firing against them at distances."
"That is good news. Speak to Timmas about making them lighter."
"Elrond I beg your pardon," Tally interrupted, "but if the darkness has been bound, why do we need weapons?"
"Tally, just because it is bound, doesn't mean it cannot be released. We have to be prepared in case something happens to you to release it."
"Oh." Tally looked at her hands,
"Natalia, nothing is going to happen to you. You are safe now. What ever the Enemy told you cannot happen now. You are safe." Legolas said to her,
"It's not me I am worried about, it is all of you. I will die and leave you to deal with the consequences when all Hell breaks loose."
"Lady Natalia, I assure you, we will be ready to deal with whatever happens, should that unfortunate event occur," said Metalis,
"Very well." Tally sighed and looked at Metalis, "I can see there is nothing to be done about the situation." Tally was resigned.
"No there isn't," said Elrond, "We must be ready just in case. The fields must be cleared and the bodies burned. Any useful weapons of ours should be gathered and all the others buried in a site far from here. The dead must be brought in for burial before they become food for scavengers. Natalia, Legolas, you are to stay here. Both of you have been through enough. Metalis, I trust I can leave you the task of organising this," Metalis bowed and left, taking everyone with him, except Legolas and Tally, "I suggest you two go and spend a quiet afternoon together and relax. Battle has wounded you on the outside and on the inside." Tally helped Legolas to his feet and took him to his room.
