Disclaimer: I don't own or have anything to do with Lotr. Full stop. Or if you're American, Period. By the way Kĩyara is my character, owned by ME.
Summary: Lord Macsen comes to Érinan Lethainne. Elves kick mortal ass. Kĩyara's nearly raped again…I suck at these so why don't you just get on and read?
A/N As you can see I have started making short (er!) chapters, I hope this makes it easier for you to read. Please review! One question though.
WHO THE HELL IS FIGWIT?? If you want to tell me please email me, the address is on my profile thingy. Once again, please review!!
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As the two broken shards of arrow fell to the floor Kĩyara crept silently up behind the three figures. Legolas was stood with his back to her basking in the awe of his children, who were in turn too busy inspecting the shattered remains of the arrow. Kĩyara walked noiselessly up until she was right behind Legolas, with lightening speed she reached down to her calf and drew a long thin dagger that nestled there invisibly. She made to stand and bring the dagger upwards, but all the blade found was metal. The shock of the impact ran right up her arm and into her shoulder jolting every bone in succession.
"Ow!" Kĩyara said indignantly holding her arm.
Legolas grinned at her, replacing his knife. "Sneaking up behind your husband with a knife is not considered polite."
"One day I will get it you can't win every time."
"Oh I don't know." He replied cheerfully.
She shook her head and stood up, wrapping her arms round his neck. The magic that had kept them in love for so long wove around them, drawing them towards each other. Everything sounded far off and distant nothing mattered but them. She lent forward, her eyes flicked from his mouth to his blue eyes. She could feel his strong arms on her waist and back.
"Mother do you have to?" Fiarén interjected.
Kĩyara closed her eyes and lent her head disconsolately on Legolas' shoulder, the feelings that held them both spell bound disintegrating. Legolas kissed the side of her head and whispered in her ear.
"Save it for later."
She was about to say something back but was cut off by the sound of horns. They all looked up expectantly at the Elf stood on the top of the nearest tower, he blew the horn again in two short blasts. The call was sent from outpost to outpost. The sound echoed back from elves concealed in the forest, to those out on the plains and returning to the palace.
Kĩyara grimaced. "They're here."
From the cobbled courtyard came the clatter of hooves and the cries of unruly humans. Legolas grasped Kĩyara's hand firmly and pulled her along beside him. She squirmed but he held fast.
"You won't wriggle out of it this time, there is to be no running off to Frodo. You're a big girl now." He added mischievously.
She threw him a juvenile look and was about to make a sarcastic comment when she was pulled non-too gently into the courtyard. In the centre was a group of horses and men milling around, taking in the fine elvish architecture. Lord Macsen was stood in the centre of the hubbub he was tall and strongly built, he had shoulder length mousy hair and pin prick black eyes, stood next to his wife he dwarfed her.
Lady Chandra was slight and petite; she had waist length blond hair and blue eyes. Kĩyara looked intently at her. Her eyes were nearly the same colour of Legolas' but they seemed watery. They held nothing, no secrets no knowledge, nothing. It unnerved Kĩyara it was as though they had been squeezed until there was nothing left but the colour. She felt pity for the woman. Her gaze travelled on from Lady Chandra to her son. The boy looked about eighteen, he was tall like his father and a good deal more handsome. His hair was light brown and he had a look of unconcerned youth about him.
Legolas too had noticed Lady Chandra, however his perceptive nature picked up the truth. Lady Chandra was oppressed and abused, both mentally and physically it seemed. He knew this was the way of the Icenne tribe, their women were placed lower than dogs but he never thought anyone could endure it for long. This woman was ghost like.
Kĩyara began to look round at the numerous servants and maids when she realised she was being introduced.
"…and this is my wife Kĩyara, you didn't meet her last time you visited she was…away."
Kĩyara forced a welcoming smile.
"What no sweet greeting from our gracious hostess?" Lord Macsen's words dripped with disdain.
Kĩyara smiled again.
"Sorry My Lord, welcome to you and your family. Now if you will excuse me I think I will practise sword." She replied primly turning to walk away.
She could feel the shocked silence behind her, the eyes boring into her retreating back. There was a spluttering from behind her but she continued to walk, the words still audible to elven ears.
"This is most uncivilised Lord Legolas, not only does she wear men's clothing but she is also permitted to practise with weapons?" Kĩyara could sense Legolas' suppressed laughter at Lord Macsen's outrage.
"Why of course. She not only practises it but uses it with skill, she is the best swords elf we have in these parts." Kĩyara's heart swelled with pride, he never admitted that she was the best at anything. The rivalry between them was intense.
"I suppose that she also rides a warhorse and is handy with a bow?" Lord Macsen joked. Kĩyara would have given anything to see the look on Lord Macsen's face at Legolas' answer.
"You are correct on one account she is very good with her horse but not so acute with a bow." Legolas said sagely.
The looked of shocked horror on the man's face amused Legolas no end. He always found it amazing how mortal men underestimated the opposite sex; even Aragorn noblest of mortals had thought the Lady Éowyn weak at first. Legolas had learnt early on never to underestimate females, especially elven ones.
He smiled inwardly at the memories of his youth. Maybe this Lord should be taught a lesson in the ways of elves. There was one elf he knew would be willing, she would love to show Lord Macsen what she was made of. Legolas himself couldn't get involved of course it wouldn't look good and might cause problems. But Kĩyara, well that was another matter. His playful side began to form a plan.
"Come you must be weary after your journey I believe there is a banquet in the hall." He told them.
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The hall was rife with drunken laughter and song as the night closed in. Kĩyara watched the elves whose responsibility it was to keep the castle clean wince as bones and food were thrown on the floor.
Lord Macsen was among them drinking copious amounts of strong elven wine and taking whole lumps of meat and eating with his hands. Kĩyara felt nauseated, they had no respect for anything. Legolas squeezed her hand in support it was his palace too.
Kĩyara looked across at Lady Chandra to take her mind off things. She looked pale and thin as ever, daintily nibbling her food. She winced every time her husband made some lewd comment about her and slapped her thigh. Kĩyara watched in disgust, if someone treated her like that she would make sure they never did it again. The scar on her stomach was a reminder of it.
Legolas saw her looking and bent down to whisper his suspicions from earlier. They made Kĩyara's stomach turn. The thought that the woman was treated as nothing was invading her mind. It made her glad she had Legolas who loved and cherished her and would never hurt her in such cruel ways.
The thunderous noise in the hall was giving her a headache. She was going to go for a walk when she heard her name above the tumult. It belonged to a man named Kai; he played the role of Lord Macsen's best friend. His voice was slurred from drink.
"I would tame that wild bitch Kĩyara in an instant. Soon as I am inside her she will know who's stronger! I'd give her more than that husband of hers ever would!" He laughed and sloshed more wine into his mouth.
Kĩyara felt the disgust and anger well up inside her. Apart from that though the words tore at her heart, what she and Legolas did together was of no consequence to anyone else. It hurt to hear every burning desire, every soul felt feeling, and every intimate secret turned into something so unfeeling and cold.
Kĩyara stood.
The hall gradually fell silent until everyone came under her gaze. All felt the enmity that radiated off her; the power buckled their knees and coursed through their brains. Wise people sat down so that the only one standing was Kai. Kĩyara saw Legolas move in the corner of her eye and put out her hand to stop him.
Kai still full of audacity shouted out again.
"See! I would never succumb to her evil temptress ways, I would break her until she begged for mercy rather than be her wanton joy!"
Legolas moved again ignoring her out stretched arm. Kĩyara spoke sharply in Elvish. "Sit down. Please."
Legolas did as he was bid but the anger and hatred still raged within him. He feuded against the man who spoke so coarsely about his wife. Part of him despaired though. Deep down in his conscious, something said that he should be protecting her. He craved the feeling that she needed and relied on him, but she didn't and never had. She loved him but she was able to look after herself and he was beginning to feel unneeded. What ever his sublime feelings were though his uppermost one was the animosity towards Kai.
Kĩyara lifted the hem of her dress as she walked down from the thrones and towards the cool sanctity of the night air. No one dared look at her as she passed between them. Her true feelings were obvious in the way her hands were clenched into fists, the barely controlled power simmering under her skin. Her ears rang with the words of Kai; the disgrace of such private things being aired to the world swam in her mind and throbbed against her ear drums. She didn't hear the drunken footsteps until it was too late.
"Kĩyara!" Legolas call cut through her brain and she whirled around but it was too late. Kai's strong arm caught her across the chest and slammed her into the wall knocking the breath out of her.
Her instincts drew her fist back but it was pinned against the wall with ferocious force before she could hit the man. The pain shot through her arm like barbed wire searing hot as his fingers dug in her skin. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Legolas running towards her but before he could reach her Kai had pinned her arm down to her side. She could feel cold steel against her throat as the dagger danced across her jugular vein.
"Not one more step elf or she's dead."
Legolas halted, lost in heart wrenching fear. The hall watched in morbid silence. Kĩyara could taste his alcohol-laden breath as he leaned closer fear tinged her apoplectic state. Her acute senses heightened even more until every nerve in her body twanged on a knife-edge.
The blade still caressed her neck in a deadly dance. Blade…dagger. Her adrenaline fuelled and fear filled mind processed and put into action the thought before she even registered it. Kai was no more than a centimetre away from her now, his lips parted and ready.
In one lightening quick action she brought her knee sharply up into his groin and the fabric of her dress ripped to her hip. As the pain seared Kai's mind she pushed hard back with her now free arm before he could use the dagger. He fell to the ground in curled ball. The knife skittered across the flagstones.
Kĩyara moved her hand to the concealed dagger that hugged her now revealed ankle and drew it lovingly, her long fingers grasping the silver handle. She put her foot under Kai's pain contorted face and pushed it over so he could see up into her malevolent eyes.
"Get up." Her voice was hard and cold. "I said get up, I have no problem in killing you on your knees like a dog." She spat vehemently.
Kai got unsteadily to his feet. Gripping the door behind him he stood up. He was breathing heavily. "You…bitch." He gasped.
"Enough power games, I have it and you don't. I am, and have, more than you ever will."
"Women are feeble and here for men's pleasure that is all." Kai went on valiantly, but he fell into silence at Kĩyara's burning glare.
"If I was your mother I would feel shame at bringing you into the world, without women there would be no life. You've been beaten by a woman should that not tell you what you need to know? I will say again I have no problems in killing you now for what you've just done. I've done it before, there's one man who, were he alive, would wish he had never laid eyes on me. Shall I make you the second? I remember that day well, he was backed into a corner like you too. Nowhere to run no friends. Try anything while I walk away and you'll be killed, ask my husband he will tell you how lucky you are." Kĩyara turned to walk out of the hall, the eyes of all on her.
"You'll pay." The voice was no more than a whisper, indistinct or so Kai thought.
The dagger flew through the air and thudded into the woodwork, vibrating gently to a standstill. Kĩyara lowered her hand and looked into the wide and staring eyes of Kai.
"You have good aim." He whispered hoarsely feeling the slim blade only millimetres above his head.
"I missed." Kĩyara said simply. She ran out of the hall and out of the palace.