Meeting in the Woods
Chapter Seven
Rivendell afar
Author's notes: I can't believe how many brilliant people there are out there. 53 reviews! This is absolutely breathtaking. I'm incredibly flattered by ALL of you. Seriously. This story's dedicated to everybody who reviewed…You guys make me feel so special.
ALSO!!! I made a mistake in Chapter Six that I thought I revised…It mentions somewhere there are fourteen of those N.D mates, but, um, there's only supposed to be six. Many thanks to Amy (http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=8018) for pointing this out.
In response to your reviews:
Evil Spapple Pie: …Really? D'oh. I thought I had been writing "Snapple", which is by the way a tasty flavoured beverage but not at all an evil pie. Mirkwood seems to have been his home in a past he'd rather not remember…DUN DUN DUN! LOL Thanks for your review!!
Amy: Aheh! My bad…Susposed to only be six. Thanks for pointing this out! LOL Hope you enjoy this chapter. =^^=
Cookies and Crème: *nods somberly* Yes…our favourite (godlike) elf indeed was abused in a…not…so…nice…way. But he's strong! He lived through rape, he can live through this! *bursts into tears* Thanks for your review, sorry if I permanently traumatized you XP
Ithildin: LOL Glad my chapters aren't too short anymore…Their length was P/Oing me too. Hope they're better in the future. Thanks!
RatheraMutemwiya: Mmm…Aragorn TLC… … I MEAN Yes…I suppose our favourite elf has some mental issues happening right now-aheh. Thanks for your review! Hope this chapter doesn't fall on abuse-the-author-if-the-chapter-sucks day. *glances around nervously*
Da Twickstar: I'll probably put more depth into both of the characters in this or upcoming chapters…Thanks for your suggestion! =^^=
Labeth: LOL I have a kin spirit reviewing! Sexual and controlling…*strokes action figure maniacally*
Just Jill: Tee-hee! *blushes* Thanks! Hope you enjoy new chapter!
LAXgirl: Ok, I'll pause the torture for a moment so you can give him a bearhug. *pauses* Sorry about being so mean! As for the studmuffin direction…Indeed, you'll have to be surprised.
Celestra: Yaay! Glad you enjoy the fic…And indeed, torturing seems to help let out our feelings of love (obsession). As for the calendar…I cut out all the sexy pictures, but I allowed it to hit N.D XD Your threatening has scared me and I will write a seventh chapter =^^=
Mouse: YAAAY! *sticks out tongue* See? Somebody doesn't want it to be a slash! No, this is a strictly friendship piece. =^^= Thanks so much for your review! Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Thank you all sooooooooo much with cherries on top for your reviews. I must now proceed to mirthfully dance in circles around my room!
***
Aragorn watched Legolas carefully during their anticlimactic trip across the meadow. Though the trip normally would've taken no more than a full day's journey, Aragorn continually insisted on stopping, letting the elf pause. Throughout the day, the two had shared meager conversations. Though Aragorn had attempted to pry himself into the elf's mind, trying to find out of Legolas' parents, heritage, the past he had repressed, he only got preciously short sentences, automatic responses Legolas had developed.
Night came to the two faster than Aragorn had expected. It seemed that nature had realized how late fall was coming, and was now working all she could to shorten the distance between the fading summer and the eventual fall. The elf seemed to be fading from Aragorn as the season did, walking with his shoulders hunched, his golden hair falling in front of his face to hide his obviously troubled expression.
Aragorn glanced around the area the two now stood. The meadow had faded into low, grassy hills, weeds and yellow flowers blossoming occasionally amidst the overgrown green of the grass. Aragorn glanced around, eyes sharpened with the urgency in his mind to find a place to stop. Already, the wind was picking up, the air turning from cool to frigid, more with every step.
"We rest here," Aragorn announced, glancing over at the elf. The archer was leaning forward, hair fallen alongside his face, loose and shrouding, like a silken curtain. Aragorn had chosen a crevice between four hills, ten paces in every direction. Hopefully, the hills would offer some relief from the would-be-brutal winds.
As Aragorn stroked the tiny campfire, swearing occasionally as the small flames he had kindled were promptly blown out by the coils of relentless wind, Legolas sat part-way up a hill, neck tilted to the left, eyes shining with tears. He had placed his long fingers underneath the pear-shaped petals of a yellow blossom, his thumb slowly stroking the petals, his voice falling from his lips as the small trickles of water broken through a dam-fading, hopeless, whispered words of an age-old lament. "The sun will weaken as winter comes to play…The heat will die and the life fade away…"
***
Legolas rolled to the side, his arm curling up, a hand violently fisting in his hair. Aragorn shuddered awake, startled, as the sleeping elf's shimmering eyes faded from the warm cobalt he knew to a pale blue, sharp, piercing like a diamond. His lips fell open, though no words came out, his sightless eyes sweeping from side to side.
Thranduil watched with an annoyingly collected calm. His eyes were hazel like his woods, sharp, though still emotionless. His expression was set, and Legolas knew nothing he would say could change what the King now thought.
Chyra, sitting upright in a ornate chair set into the corner of the room, glanced up, his eyes shining with something like amusement. Legolas noticed as his older brother lowered the battered volume in his hand to his lap, abandoning his study for the row playing out before his eyes.
"Tampa!" Thranduil's voice cut, not a yell, but firm nonetheless. Before his father could make a move, Legolas snatched the glass vase off Thranduil's dining room table. He turned to the side, pulling his hand back, then throwing it towards the ground. With a sickening crash, the carefully crafted vase shattered into a thousand different pieces, splaying in a circle on the floor.
Thranduil's head didn't move, though his gaze shifted to look at the beautiful vase, now scattered over his chamber floors. He looked at his son, shaking his head slowly, anger and disappointment finally rearing up behind his eyes. He turned away, the velvet of his cloak threateningly flaring out behind him, before quickly he walked from the chamber.
Legolas fell to his knees, not minding the glass as it bit into his legs, and slowly began to dust the glass with the back of his hand into a pile. Legolas didn't notice as Chyra rose, watching as his brother slid a triangle of glass from the floor, observed it with keen eyes, held it up to the light. Legolas didn't notice as Chyra watched while Legolas swept a thumb over the tender inside of his wrist, hesitating on a certain area. With skill developed from being an archer, Legolas plunged the tip of the glass towards his wrist, not even crying out as the sharp point punctured the frail skin…
Legolas shuddered into life, whimpering faintly, not even noticing Aragorn watching. Legolas slowly, repeatedly, stroked his wrist, trying to banish the pain of his dreamed memories as his fingers passed over the white of twin puncture wounds on his left wrist, again, and again.
***
Aragorn awoke before the elf, this time. He noticed the grass all around was stiff with frost. His body heat had melted the frost underneath his body, and the moisture created had seeped onto his skin, chilling him completely. Aragorn rubbed his eyes with his knuckles, dissolving the icicles that clung to his eyelashes, before looking towards his companion.
The elf was still asleep, lying on the leather mat Aragorn had lent him. Though the elf's skin was faintly adorned with frost or snow, he gave no indication to feeling the cold. His breathing was steady, his eyes distant. Perhaps he had finally found comfort in his dreams.
Drawing his cloak tighter around his shoulders, Aragorn staggered up a nearby hill, glancing over the distance. "Rivendell is not a week away," he thought excitedly, running a hand through his stiffened hair.
~*~
When the elf awoke, Aragorn was still sitting on the top of the hill, looking distantly out on the horizon. Legolas shouldered his quiver, and walked up the hill, tilting his head. He coughed gently into a fist to alert the human of his presence.
"We head for Rivendell," Aragorn murmured determinedly. "Though you seem well enough, I want elvish healers to make sure you won't have any sort of relapses. We'll be there in five days, if we hurry."
Legolas nodded faintly, shading his eyes with his hand as he followed the human's gaze. "After that," Aragorn continued, daring to continue. "I would be glad to escort you back to Mirkwood."
"Indeed," Legolas replied coldly. "It has been a very long time since I have dwelt in my birthplace." He shrugged softly. "We should go, if we're going to arrive in Rivendell as soon as you want," he continued, quickly changing the topic. Without realising, he curled his fingers around his wrist.
***
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I still have to throw in more memories about N.D, I think.
Sorry about that, choking on Biscotti LOL! I'm not sure if I'll be able to update again today, but if I don't I SWEAR I'll do so tomorrow! Much luv and such,
~Kayte =^^=