DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters except Aliya, Kendre, Pelanar, Thayne and Valaë…
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"Seregsir" means River of Blood
Aulë is one of the Valar, of the earth and water if I am correct…..
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I'm sorry these chapters are so short, its just that I have nothing in them to make them long….sorry…
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ALIYA
~~~
I went. Legolas told me not to go, but I went anyways. It was crowded, mostly people from the court of the king, but overnight, even a few peasants had traveled to the palace to watch the trial. My crimson gown was in a way what I felt should happen to these traitors and I added a heavy black cloak, although it was not cold, so as I would not stand out among the crowd. Its seemed as though this was a mock trial in a festival, for it seemed nobody expected that the defendants would most likely be executed. The mood that sat upon my shoulders and all around me was white as I was black. I sat at the back of the room. I did not wish to draw anymore attention to myself.
Kendre did not attend. I knew that she was still upset from the night before. I still told myself that she was wrong and that I deserved justice for my injustices. I looked to Legolas who surveyed his court below.
He sat up on a carven chair high on a platform above the rest at the front of the room. His face was composed, as though he was ready for anything, which I knew he was not. Sometimes he tried to be so like his father in wisdom and thought.
On his left sat King Thranduil, looking far off no doubt thinking how wrong this all was. On the floor in front of Legolas sat my father, Thayne, and my brother, Valaë. They, contrary to Legolas and the King, did not look composed. Instead they looked as though their fates were already sealed, and death was already upon them, which, in this case, maybe it was, for I knew Legolas would not show any pity, as the King or Kendre might have. It looked as though my father's strict grooming habits were gone and my brother looked much worse with his pale face and permanent pout.
I watched as Legolas received the sign from a herald in the back of the court, signifying the hour of dawn. With a quick rap on his podium with an oaken mallet, the hall went quiet.
"We are here today to decode the punishment of these two elves, Thayne and Valaë, for treachery and disloyalty to their own kin." Legolas said in a grave voice, looking to my father and brother far below him, "How do you plead in this matter?"
My father did not look at Legolas, instead turned to focus his eyes on me, "My plea is of innocence…" he said loud and clear turning back to face the floor in front of him.
I shuddered at his words, and dropped my head and eyes.
"So I see your plea is the same…" Legolas said, in his still grave and strained voice, "Will you recount to us, in full detail what happened the night you saw your daughter in Orc company?"
Thayne cleared his throat and began:
"My son and I were still out hunting that night, a night I know now to be 3 days after the raid on my village. I heard voices and talking nearby and was wary to draw closer, but it was my son who observed exactly what was in front of us. I watched as he motioned to something and then he pulled me out from behind the tree I was shielding myself with. I saw laying on the ground, not 10 feet from us, my daughter Aliya, and not 3 feet away from her sat a band of Orcs. There must have been at least 2 dozen!" he exclaimed.
I stood up shaking with rage at these lies, feeling the attention of the court drawn to me though I knew they could see no more than my hair with my hood up, "I was not even close enough to hear them yell!" I demanded, "And two dozen could not be more over exaggerated! There were 9!"
Legolas stood, "Please sit down, Milady, and allow the prisoner to finish his tale!"
I felt as though he pushed me down with his eyes, sitting there I realized how much of a fool I must have made of myself and maybe even him.
"Please continue with your story…." Legolas said, sternly looking venomously upon them.
Thayne cleared his throat again and continued nervously, "As I was saying, there were so many orcs, and she was so close to them……well, well there was no way we could possibly get her without putting all our lives at risk! Valaë tried to convince me to attempt a rescue, but it was too dangerous. There was nothing we could do…" He seemed to find his answer sufficient and sat back in his seat a little more relaxed, not much though I saw to my pleasure.
I felt hate boil up inside of me though…nothing he could do? He made it so there was nothing he could do! He needed this answer to suffice himself and it wasn't a good enough one.
"So you are telling me you left?" questioned Legolas matter of fatly.
"Yes…" Thayne said nervously, as though this might be a trick question, "And-"
But he got no further, for Legolas interrupted him again, "Did you not realize that she would be tortured? You turned your backs and saved yourself and left your daughter to die?" He stood up from his seat and pointed at them accusingly.
"There was NOTHING we could do!" Thayne retorted standing also, but trying to keep calm, "It would be folly! Two elves against 2 dozen orcs! It would be foolish to try with those odds. I did not want to leave her… but we had no choice…" He threw his hands up as if surrendering.
Legolas now turned to my brother, " And how do you plea?" My brother had always been the quiet one, but that had not mattered. Being that he was my father's favorite, he never had to speak for himself. I wondered how he would do now....
" He pleas the same--" My father began to speak but was immediately interrupted by the prince.
" I do hope that you are not wishing to plea for your son also, and in the manner that you pleaded for yourself. If that is how it will go we might as well end the trial here and now!! I wish to hear from Valaë, nothing else do I want to hear from your foul point of view. Now speak." It was a command and I knew how much my brother hated commands but what could he do? They were as helpless as I had been in the orc company where my rescue was denied, would their's be too?
" I plead innocent as my father but I do not speak his lies...." My brother spoke while looking hopelessly to the floor as if it were to tell him what to say.
" I see," Legolas said sighing though he no doubt knew that is how it would go. " I would like to hear what happened when you found Aliya in the orc's company....." It was as though he was tired already, tired of my father's lies, tired of what- no doubt my brother would weave with lies. He let Valaë go anyways.
" It was the third night we were on a hunt, I remember. My father had built a makeshift platform in a tree to be safe from, well anything. I had climbed the tree to look around, because we were not far from home. It was the third day and I was hoping we were close enough to walk back to my hut. At the top of the tree I saw smoke rising not a quarter of a league away. I hopped down to my father who was already sleeping-- and tried to awaken him. After I saw that there was no budging him I flew to the smoke which I saw was my own village. All the houses were on fire!! Even my own I saw burn from my hiding spot. Just before I ran I saw my sister, Aliya unconscious with orcs!! When I had reached my father again, I found through his half sleep that he had no intention of going back so soon to home. I did not tell him there was no home to go to. I was in the lead of the hunt so without telling my father, I tracked, and in a way 'hunted', the orcs. When we finally caught up with them they were sitting a ways away from Aliya. I signaled to her and pointed at the tree where my father was cowering. She didn't understand and was constantly signaling for help. I finally pulled him from behind a tree although he was unhappy about it... He told me that we could not rescue her-- That even if we did get her out, a girl could not outrun a band of orcs as we could. He told me it was useless to try and pulled me away. That's the last I saw of my sister until that day at your feast...." My brother trailed off, that was the most I had ever heard out of his mouth at once. I guess that was his limit and he was exhausted from it. I looked to Legolas as he spoke solemnly.
"I have heard your tales, and I have heard Aliya's… I am now ready to decide a verdict…"
The whole room watched in utter silence as Legolas stared at a piece of paper in front of him. He had a horrible job that I had given to him. I knew how hard it must have been for him, but the silence was killing me. It tore at my very soul and it took all my strength not to cry out. I readied myself, knowing exactly what Legolas was writing down.
Legolas cleared his throat again and took a quick look to his father and then to me, before speaking again. Reading from the paper he held, he spoke words of doom:
"I hereby pronounce you, Thayne Clearwater, and you, Valaë Clearwater, guilty of the betrayal, disloyalty and torture of your foresaid kin; Aliya Clearwater."
Nobody spoke at this, but I could tell there were tears rising in my brother's eyes. I could feel tears rising in my own.
Legolas went on, "I sentence you to death for these crimes. Tonight, at sunset, you will be taken to the cliff of Seregsir and forced to surrender yourself into Aulë's Mouth."
A small ripple of talk went through the crowd as Thayne and Valaë were taken back to the dungeon, but I didn't care. This is what I wanted. Or was it? It felt like a horrible revenge.
~~~
LATER THAT DAY, ALIYA
~~~
My head hung down as I walked. They had left a short while ago. Legolas had only gone with one guard, and Thayne and Valaë of course. I hadn't said goodbye. I didn't quite know how. Now I just walked the halls. I was not paying attention to where I was going, when quite suddenly I ran right into the King.
"Oh!" I said, startled, looking up and bowing, "I'm sorry, Milord!"
But he only smiled, "It is alright Aliya……How are you my dear? You look ill…" He looked down on me concerned.
I managed to sigh and said, "I am not well, I'm afraid… I just don't know… I don't know if it was right…" He heard my doubts without a word, truly listening as if my heart was telling all of it's secrets.
"Every decision has its regret does it not? But I see you wonder whether your decision was right in the first place." I suppose he truly did hear my heart in this.
"Why did this have to happen at all!? Why not could my father and brother stay far away forever?! They turned from me why did they have to turn back?" I said desperately asking the questions I had dared not ask before.
A tear was wiped from my face by the king as he caringly spoke, " You cannot turn in the full circle of life without turning to where you turned away from in the start. Be glad that a phase of your life is over, the decision has been made, whether for you or by you, it is made."
"What would you have done, though, My Lord," I asked, "In my place, I mean…" I had wondered this from the start, and only getting an answer after it was too late.
"I would have spared their lives as my daughter would have no doubt done. I would want to show them that I valued life now that it was given back to me. I wouldn't want to descend to their level. Their level of torture and hopeful death."
"Thank you, My Lord… I know what I must do now…" I said, smiling through tears, seeing a light through my of late dark days.
"My horse, Lentille, he awaits you in at the door. Take the path by the stream's edge…it is the quickest. Just do what is in your heart Aliya, do what is right by you…"
~~~
It took me only minutes to get through the palace to the horse, my riding cloak was forgotten, but it seemed like hours before I got to Seregsir. I knew what awaited my family though I cringed to call them that. They would be thrust off that cliff, sent to drop 500 feet before hitting the jagged stone and raging river below. I had to stop Legolas, but I feared it was too late.
I believed I was far above the cliff where Legolas was stationed at, and I proved my theory right when I arrived, but my rush ended when I saw what was below me.
Not even 50 feet below I saw their party, but one was missing. My brother was already gone, and as I pulled my horse up to the edge, ready to yell for my father's life, words left me, for he too was pushed over the edge. I saw him with my elven eyes fall the many leagues to his death until I could look no more.
I could not speak. A rush of emotions swept over me. Anger, hate, fear, betrayal…All at once: I had to go. I had to get away……
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LEGOLAS
~~~
As I watched Aliya's father, the second to be executed, fall over the edge, I felt a little bit of satisfaction myself. Maybe now Aliya could be free.
"We are done here…" I said to the guard accompanying me, "Let us go now…" I nodded to him as I gave him his horses reins.
He turned to mount his horse and so did I, but I paused for a moment at the sight I saw when I looked up.
A pure white horse stood on a cliff above me, gazing off into the river below, and on this horse, I saw a rider, robed in black. I had no doubt in my mind who this rider was.
"Oh no…" I whispered, as I watched the horse turn and speed away, "What have I done?"
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REVIEW!!! I CRAVE REVIEWS!!
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"Seregsir" means River of Blood
Aulë is one of the Valar, of the earth and water if I am correct…..
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I'm sorry these chapters are so short, its just that I have nothing in them to make them long….sorry…
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~~~
ALIYA
~~~
I went. Legolas told me not to go, but I went anyways. It was crowded, mostly people from the court of the king, but overnight, even a few peasants had traveled to the palace to watch the trial. My crimson gown was in a way what I felt should happen to these traitors and I added a heavy black cloak, although it was not cold, so as I would not stand out among the crowd. Its seemed as though this was a mock trial in a festival, for it seemed nobody expected that the defendants would most likely be executed. The mood that sat upon my shoulders and all around me was white as I was black. I sat at the back of the room. I did not wish to draw anymore attention to myself.
Kendre did not attend. I knew that she was still upset from the night before. I still told myself that she was wrong and that I deserved justice for my injustices. I looked to Legolas who surveyed his court below.
He sat up on a carven chair high on a platform above the rest at the front of the room. His face was composed, as though he was ready for anything, which I knew he was not. Sometimes he tried to be so like his father in wisdom and thought.
On his left sat King Thranduil, looking far off no doubt thinking how wrong this all was. On the floor in front of Legolas sat my father, Thayne, and my brother, Valaë. They, contrary to Legolas and the King, did not look composed. Instead they looked as though their fates were already sealed, and death was already upon them, which, in this case, maybe it was, for I knew Legolas would not show any pity, as the King or Kendre might have. It looked as though my father's strict grooming habits were gone and my brother looked much worse with his pale face and permanent pout.
I watched as Legolas received the sign from a herald in the back of the court, signifying the hour of dawn. With a quick rap on his podium with an oaken mallet, the hall went quiet.
"We are here today to decode the punishment of these two elves, Thayne and Valaë, for treachery and disloyalty to their own kin." Legolas said in a grave voice, looking to my father and brother far below him, "How do you plead in this matter?"
My father did not look at Legolas, instead turned to focus his eyes on me, "My plea is of innocence…" he said loud and clear turning back to face the floor in front of him.
I shuddered at his words, and dropped my head and eyes.
"So I see your plea is the same…" Legolas said, in his still grave and strained voice, "Will you recount to us, in full detail what happened the night you saw your daughter in Orc company?"
Thayne cleared his throat and began:
"My son and I were still out hunting that night, a night I know now to be 3 days after the raid on my village. I heard voices and talking nearby and was wary to draw closer, but it was my son who observed exactly what was in front of us. I watched as he motioned to something and then he pulled me out from behind the tree I was shielding myself with. I saw laying on the ground, not 10 feet from us, my daughter Aliya, and not 3 feet away from her sat a band of Orcs. There must have been at least 2 dozen!" he exclaimed.
I stood up shaking with rage at these lies, feeling the attention of the court drawn to me though I knew they could see no more than my hair with my hood up, "I was not even close enough to hear them yell!" I demanded, "And two dozen could not be more over exaggerated! There were 9!"
Legolas stood, "Please sit down, Milady, and allow the prisoner to finish his tale!"
I felt as though he pushed me down with his eyes, sitting there I realized how much of a fool I must have made of myself and maybe even him.
"Please continue with your story…." Legolas said, sternly looking venomously upon them.
Thayne cleared his throat again and continued nervously, "As I was saying, there were so many orcs, and she was so close to them……well, well there was no way we could possibly get her without putting all our lives at risk! Valaë tried to convince me to attempt a rescue, but it was too dangerous. There was nothing we could do…" He seemed to find his answer sufficient and sat back in his seat a little more relaxed, not much though I saw to my pleasure.
I felt hate boil up inside of me though…nothing he could do? He made it so there was nothing he could do! He needed this answer to suffice himself and it wasn't a good enough one.
"So you are telling me you left?" questioned Legolas matter of fatly.
"Yes…" Thayne said nervously, as though this might be a trick question, "And-"
But he got no further, for Legolas interrupted him again, "Did you not realize that she would be tortured? You turned your backs and saved yourself and left your daughter to die?" He stood up from his seat and pointed at them accusingly.
"There was NOTHING we could do!" Thayne retorted standing also, but trying to keep calm, "It would be folly! Two elves against 2 dozen orcs! It would be foolish to try with those odds. I did not want to leave her… but we had no choice…" He threw his hands up as if surrendering.
Legolas now turned to my brother, " And how do you plea?" My brother had always been the quiet one, but that had not mattered. Being that he was my father's favorite, he never had to speak for himself. I wondered how he would do now....
" He pleas the same--" My father began to speak but was immediately interrupted by the prince.
" I do hope that you are not wishing to plea for your son also, and in the manner that you pleaded for yourself. If that is how it will go we might as well end the trial here and now!! I wish to hear from Valaë, nothing else do I want to hear from your foul point of view. Now speak." It was a command and I knew how much my brother hated commands but what could he do? They were as helpless as I had been in the orc company where my rescue was denied, would their's be too?
" I plead innocent as my father but I do not speak his lies...." My brother spoke while looking hopelessly to the floor as if it were to tell him what to say.
" I see," Legolas said sighing though he no doubt knew that is how it would go. " I would like to hear what happened when you found Aliya in the orc's company....." It was as though he was tired already, tired of my father's lies, tired of what- no doubt my brother would weave with lies. He let Valaë go anyways.
" It was the third night we were on a hunt, I remember. My father had built a makeshift platform in a tree to be safe from, well anything. I had climbed the tree to look around, because we were not far from home. It was the third day and I was hoping we were close enough to walk back to my hut. At the top of the tree I saw smoke rising not a quarter of a league away. I hopped down to my father who was already sleeping-- and tried to awaken him. After I saw that there was no budging him I flew to the smoke which I saw was my own village. All the houses were on fire!! Even my own I saw burn from my hiding spot. Just before I ran I saw my sister, Aliya unconscious with orcs!! When I had reached my father again, I found through his half sleep that he had no intention of going back so soon to home. I did not tell him there was no home to go to. I was in the lead of the hunt so without telling my father, I tracked, and in a way 'hunted', the orcs. When we finally caught up with them they were sitting a ways away from Aliya. I signaled to her and pointed at the tree where my father was cowering. She didn't understand and was constantly signaling for help. I finally pulled him from behind a tree although he was unhappy about it... He told me that we could not rescue her-- That even if we did get her out, a girl could not outrun a band of orcs as we could. He told me it was useless to try and pulled me away. That's the last I saw of my sister until that day at your feast...." My brother trailed off, that was the most I had ever heard out of his mouth at once. I guess that was his limit and he was exhausted from it. I looked to Legolas as he spoke solemnly.
"I have heard your tales, and I have heard Aliya's… I am now ready to decide a verdict…"
The whole room watched in utter silence as Legolas stared at a piece of paper in front of him. He had a horrible job that I had given to him. I knew how hard it must have been for him, but the silence was killing me. It tore at my very soul and it took all my strength not to cry out. I readied myself, knowing exactly what Legolas was writing down.
Legolas cleared his throat again and took a quick look to his father and then to me, before speaking again. Reading from the paper he held, he spoke words of doom:
"I hereby pronounce you, Thayne Clearwater, and you, Valaë Clearwater, guilty of the betrayal, disloyalty and torture of your foresaid kin; Aliya Clearwater."
Nobody spoke at this, but I could tell there were tears rising in my brother's eyes. I could feel tears rising in my own.
Legolas went on, "I sentence you to death for these crimes. Tonight, at sunset, you will be taken to the cliff of Seregsir and forced to surrender yourself into Aulë's Mouth."
A small ripple of talk went through the crowd as Thayne and Valaë were taken back to the dungeon, but I didn't care. This is what I wanted. Or was it? It felt like a horrible revenge.
~~~
LATER THAT DAY, ALIYA
~~~
My head hung down as I walked. They had left a short while ago. Legolas had only gone with one guard, and Thayne and Valaë of course. I hadn't said goodbye. I didn't quite know how. Now I just walked the halls. I was not paying attention to where I was going, when quite suddenly I ran right into the King.
"Oh!" I said, startled, looking up and bowing, "I'm sorry, Milord!"
But he only smiled, "It is alright Aliya……How are you my dear? You look ill…" He looked down on me concerned.
I managed to sigh and said, "I am not well, I'm afraid… I just don't know… I don't know if it was right…" He heard my doubts without a word, truly listening as if my heart was telling all of it's secrets.
"Every decision has its regret does it not? But I see you wonder whether your decision was right in the first place." I suppose he truly did hear my heart in this.
"Why did this have to happen at all!? Why not could my father and brother stay far away forever?! They turned from me why did they have to turn back?" I said desperately asking the questions I had dared not ask before.
A tear was wiped from my face by the king as he caringly spoke, " You cannot turn in the full circle of life without turning to where you turned away from in the start. Be glad that a phase of your life is over, the decision has been made, whether for you or by you, it is made."
"What would you have done, though, My Lord," I asked, "In my place, I mean…" I had wondered this from the start, and only getting an answer after it was too late.
"I would have spared their lives as my daughter would have no doubt done. I would want to show them that I valued life now that it was given back to me. I wouldn't want to descend to their level. Their level of torture and hopeful death."
"Thank you, My Lord… I know what I must do now…" I said, smiling through tears, seeing a light through my of late dark days.
"My horse, Lentille, he awaits you in at the door. Take the path by the stream's edge…it is the quickest. Just do what is in your heart Aliya, do what is right by you…"
~~~
It took me only minutes to get through the palace to the horse, my riding cloak was forgotten, but it seemed like hours before I got to Seregsir. I knew what awaited my family though I cringed to call them that. They would be thrust off that cliff, sent to drop 500 feet before hitting the jagged stone and raging river below. I had to stop Legolas, but I feared it was too late.
I believed I was far above the cliff where Legolas was stationed at, and I proved my theory right when I arrived, but my rush ended when I saw what was below me.
Not even 50 feet below I saw their party, but one was missing. My brother was already gone, and as I pulled my horse up to the edge, ready to yell for my father's life, words left me, for he too was pushed over the edge. I saw him with my elven eyes fall the many leagues to his death until I could look no more.
I could not speak. A rush of emotions swept over me. Anger, hate, fear, betrayal…All at once: I had to go. I had to get away……
~~~
LEGOLAS
~~~
As I watched Aliya's father, the second to be executed, fall over the edge, I felt a little bit of satisfaction myself. Maybe now Aliya could be free.
"We are done here…" I said to the guard accompanying me, "Let us go now…" I nodded to him as I gave him his horses reins.
He turned to mount his horse and so did I, but I paused for a moment at the sight I saw when I looked up.
A pure white horse stood on a cliff above me, gazing off into the river below, and on this horse, I saw a rider, robed in black. I had no doubt in my mind who this rider was.
"Oh no…" I whispered, as I watched the horse turn and speed away, "What have I done?"
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