Meeting in the Woods
Chapter Nine
Where paths divideI'm so incredibly dumbfounded by how well met this story is. Usually, this time of the year, namely the month which includes my birthday, midterms, the new year, school coming back in, etc. etc. is a time where I have excuses to curl in the corner and look sullen. You guys make me feel so special with your beautiful reviews, I don't think I'll do that this year. Thanks.
This story's more than half-done as of right now, If I decide to conclude it when I think I will. I'm not sure yet if I should write a sequel-that'll depend on if you guys think it's worth it! =^^= But in the meantime I'll try and make the story more readable…longer chapters, more flashbacks and explanations, etc. Apparently it's hard to follow without them!
In response to your reviews:
Celestra: Oh. Your threats were just that traumatizing! Hence this chapter coming out…It was all the fear from your threats. Yes. LOL Sorry about cutting up your calendar-and about making poor little Legly so brutalized. He's really got some issues happening.
T.G.O: LOL! Glad you liked all my madness descriptions…The last chapter took me a bit longer than the other ones because I couldn't get some of them right, though it still was sort of rushed…*shudders* I hope you enjoy this chapter, I've put a lot more time in it-I didn't have to rush this one. LOL concerning the length of your FQT: It was still very flattering despite the shortness! XD
Italics thingamabobber: Errrm…HTML is a coding language when you're making websites so you can personalize them more than with Yahoo! Builder or whatever…Hyper text markup language! Whoot!
Thank you SO much for reviewing my poems…LOL I'm glad they're not just wasting space on FF-net *COUGHS SUGGESTIVELY* Awww…Legly's crying…that's so bloody adorable! *clings to her terrified action figure* ROFL I just got that whole Pippin thing…Too clever for my mind.
Mouse: Aragorn's there for EVERYBODY! That's cause he's Aragorn =^_-=
Evil Spapple Pie: Yeah…Um um I have an explanation to the madness weather! Ok, they're going south, and the fall's going wonky because next fall's going to be a historical one…And this fall was LATE so Mother Nature's doing all she can to make up lost tim-oh, forget it. Yeah, LOL You're right-I'm god-moding. Sorry. LOL Subtle hints noted and put into play during the course of this chapter. I wasn't sure if FF-net was going crazy just for me…good to know my computer isn't completely of her rocker.
Baby: Sorry the fic couldn't be up at that very instant LOL…Hope this isn't much worse, I suppose it's several instances later, but still… ROFL We got our grades back for our portfolios, my art teacher gave me 92 and then put a whole bunch of ?????????????s….Aaah, the effect this elf has on us all.
Do you scan any of your art? I bet it's beautiful-I'd love to see some! =^^=
Da Twickstar: All Legly knows about our dear old Aragorn is that he's called Aragorn/Strider and grew up in the house of Elrond…But he'll have to find out if he wants to do that whole sexy spaz-out at the council of Elrond, so I suppose I should get cracking…Thanks for reminding me! As for the pain infliction, throughout the course of writing this story me and the many raving fangirls have come up with some explanations….(A) Because we want to mother him, (B) Because we want to visualize him all sweaty and writhing, (C) Because he'd be all helpless and adorable…. LOL I know that's what possess me to read it. Thanks for your review!
Kaimelieamin: Was that interesting like when teachers call you special? LOL! I'm glad my flashbacks are in the right places…This is the first fic I've actually written involving them, and I was quite nervous they'd override the story…As for the poems-if people don't read them, they SHOULD. (Seriously, check out her beautiful poetry etc.: *http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=185959) CAN'T WAIT to read Greenleaf and be jealous of your action scenes! =^^=
Anduin: LOL Glad it helps calm down, and hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks for your review!
Lani: Aragorn is a bit embarrassed at the location of his frostbite…LOL. Winterflowers are just random creation for emotional impact in my story LOL-I didn't know what to call them, because I'm frankly more unoriginal than…a Chinese Authentic Peanut Cake (sorry bout that, reading wrappers). Enjoy this chapter! =^^=
Elentari Manwe: *beams* Your enthusiasm makes me happy! Thanks for your review-hope you enjoy this chapter!
LAXgirl: *blushes* Aww…thanks so much! I'm, again, glad I didn't screw up on all the flashbacks like I thought I would…As for all your questions *smirks* We'll just have to wait and see, no? Thanks for the midterm-blessing---*has a temporary breakdown*--, and likewise to you! =^^=
Imbefaniel: Glad you like, and I hope this chapter isn't awful for you =^^=. I have this awful plague-I can't remember the names of all the different formations of the continents, or the chemical formulation for PIE or whatever that I learned yesterday, but I can learn the words to a song I like in ought seconds. What song are you learning? =^^=
Celestra:*nods sadly* N.D Makes me mad to….LOL
LegalanGreenleaf: LOL! Glad you can breathe again-don't die on me, I need your reviews to stay alive! LOL =^^=
SharonToggle: Hopes this helps to sate those needs =^_-=
100 reviews! And nine chapters! Considering this started out as an old one-chapter story…LOL…I'm absolutely thrilled that y'all are enjoying this story. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
***
Chin up. Eyes straight. Shoulders back. Chest out. Not that far. Stand up straight, child, you're not an orc. Straighter! Legolas looked down at the ground, battling back a surprising wave of emotion. He found a stick on the ground, and idly tossed it into the low flames.
The storm continued to rage outside, unyielding. Snow had already filled over the narrow entrance to the pair's shelter, blocking them in. The air they got was bitterly cold, occasionally laced with snow that filtered in through the crevices around their heads.
Aragorn, huddled into the angle produced by two inward-facing stones, his body wrapped in all the garments and blankets Legolas could find in his pack, tilted his head back to watch the snake of smoke slither out through the small semicircular chimney at the top of their cavern.
"I reckon we'll be stuck here for at least the night," Legolas murmured. "The snow isn't going to stop for an elf and a man-no matter how dire the circumstances." Though Legolas curled up the corners of his light lips as he spoke, the satire in his voice was lost on the obvious disappointment in his eyes. He wanted to move on.
Aragorn shivered slightly, and nodded, drawing a blanket around his shoulders. He closed his eyes, concentrating on breathing evenly. Though he had lived through many winters more bitter than the one approaching, he had worn little more than his traveling clothes at the time the storm hit.
Legolas slid his eyes partly shut, drowsy from the mix of adrenaline wearing off and the strong, hard slide of smoke thick in the small chamber. Eyesight bleared by a tangle of eyelashes, he watched one of the awkward silver flowers-petals flaring outwards like a daisy, but the stem stouter, the blossoms more tightly clustered, that grew just inside the cave.
"Rivendell cannot be far yet," Legolas murmured sleepily. Aragorn nodded, bitterly chewing on the corner of his lip. A brusque tingling had spread over his left elbow, the first joint to defrost. It felt though a thousand dagger-points pressed at his skin from the inside-out. "Should the storm wane by morn, and we can get out-we will be able to reach Rivendell by sundown."
Aragorn moaned softly in pain, rolling his head into the angle of the wall, arching his back. Legolas winced sympathetically, having heard about frostbite, and of how cold effected mortals. He knew that Aragorn was thawing, quite literally, his bones shifting, resetting.
***
Legolas couldn't stop thinking. He felt though his mind was a puzzle, hopelessly ripped apart, the pieces flipped, nonsensical, unable to fit together. Aragorn had fallen into a fitful sleep, but Legolas knew he would find no comfort in slumber, this night. Too many thoughts threatened to overtake his brain-he needed to sort them out.
But the more he thought, the more confused the elf got, the more absolutely helpless he felt. Hands clasped, crossed over his chest for comfort, Legolas desperately searched through his brain, clawing at the fleeting thoughts of hope as they drooped out of sight.
His mother's death, his brother's sword, glimmering, his father's hands, relaxed at his side, while Legolas' fists quivered, held too tight. The broken vase, and the insensitive cold thrill as the glass cut into his wrist…Then the calm, the absolute serenity that overcame the young elf, sitting composedly on his father's floor…The streaks of wine-coloured blood over the elf's clothes…And Chyra's arms, surprisingly strong for such a slight form, the hot sobs of his brother into Legolas' neck as, without thrill, or fright, he felt himself slowly die…
Legolas shuddered, groping at his cheek, dragging his nails along the faultless skin, dragging triplet trails of red, red on the alabaster of his cheeks.
And the man, that loathsome man, his robust form and stringy fingers as they traces along the angle of Legolas' jawbone, as his harsh lips felt along the Elf's chest. And the numb, the comfortable senselessness that overwhelmed Legolas as the heat came, as the flames licked just below his form, or as the blade would trace the lines of his peeking ribs…
The sheer, bloodthirsty lust of the man as he grabbed Legolas by the neck, devouring the elf's delicious mouth, unmercifully moving his hand below the waistband of Legolas' breaches, moaning out…
Aragorn shuddered from sleep, blinked his eyes open, to see the normally tranquil elf shuddering in a defensive pose, his knees drawn to his chest, and his brow buried into the crevice between his knees, rocking slowly back and forth, his concealed sobs hidden by the wailing wind and the crackles of the dying fire.
~*~
"Legolas?" murmured Aragorn, drawing himself alongside the elf. It was such an odd sight, seeing the elf-any elf-cry. This one had completely poured his soul, his bitter past and pending future, the frightfully real present that gripped at his belly into each of his tears.
Legolas weakly batted an arm towards his companion, not lifting his head. "Don't," Legolas choked, resting his head on his knee, turning his face away from Aragorn. "You need rest."
"I feel well," replied Aragorn, pleadingly cocking his head to the side, stepping forward a pace to set a hand on Legolas' trembling shoulder. Indeed, at the sight of the broken elf, like he had been so many nights before, though not crying, just sullen, his pain had seemed to dim, no longer meaningful. "Legolas-what is wrong? Speak, mellon nin-you do yourself no favours with this."
Legolas weakly shook his head, burying his head into his legs, rocking slowly, back and forth. Still, he could not help the tears, the tears at memory, at lack of control, tears at tears. "Nowt. Just…Nowt," the elf spat, surprisingly begrudging. Aragorn only shook his head again, shifting still closer to the elf, now cornered against a stone.
"Don't, Legolas." Aragorn murmured. Legolas was startled-though he knew the Ranger, Aragorn, was far more than just a man-he was a friend, an ally, quite unlike anything or anybody Legolas had known. But, could he tell him? Could he let the emotions and the thoughts that had always existed, always been the secretive part of the Prince that no one knew, out?
Then Aragorn's arm, friendly, warm, and comforting, was set about Legolas' shoulder, and the smaller elf was drawn up to Aragorn's side, the man willing Legolas' head against the side of his chest. "Tell me," Aragorn pleaded, the elf squeezing his eyes shut, whimpering in pain.
"My mother died when I was very young," Legolas breathed, his voice lost in his throat, thick with pain, centuries of isolated pain finally elicited, like poison, from the grieving form of the beautiful elf by the rugged man, ten days ago a savior, a stranger, and nothing more than forgettable.
~*~
Legolas swept over to the entrance of the cramped cave. His fingertips gracefully swept overtop of the thawing soil, the hoary flowers. During the day, the storm had waned, the snow melting down, exposing the rocky topsoil again.
"We should go," Legolas said determinedly. Though he felt weak, as though his spirit and he had faced each other physically-though he had won, the fight was long, and vicious, full of foul-plays and low-blows, left him shuddering, wounded, but still victorious. "We want to reach your home by nightfall."
The elf ducked out of the cave, emerging into the sunlight. Though the remnants of the storm hung to the environment, the boulders adorned with unmelted snow, frost playing intricate designs over the shale, the sun still bore down as viciously as it had the summer previous. The air was cold, the wind bitter, but the sun warming.
Aragorn slid out afterwards, less graceful, glancing about the rocky clearing. He watched as the Elf wove between the boulders, emerging finally from the awkward crags onto the plateau overlooking an abrupt, sharp incline. He paced back over to Aragorn. "We've got to cross a valley-down then up, you see-then there is little distance between us and your home," he said helpfully.
Aragorn tilted his head back, almost answering. But before he could speak, a blur of black streaked from behind a boulder, even catching the elf off-guard. The familiar sensation of being imprisoned grasped Legolas by the recently freed heart as his arms were forced behind his back, expertly bound his wrists in rope.
Another figure, equally spry, nimbly grasped Aragorn, restraining the man. The two black-clad men held their prisoners tight, a small herd of hunters closing in at every side, encircling the two. Legolas struggled, growling from the corner of his mouth.
Aragorn lashed out backwards, catching his captor in the forehead-the man crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Quickly, Aragorn drew his sword, swinging it threateningly towards the captors. "Release him!" Aragorn snarled, brandishing his blade.
The only figure clad in a colour not black-a whispy cloak of the purest ivory-nodded to the man behind Legolas, and quickly a blade was pressed against the hollow of the Prince's collarbone.
"Drop the weapon," sang the leader's voice, dark, masculine, and unmerciful. "And we shall let the elf live-and you."
Aragorn let his blade slip from his fingers, Legolas' eyes widening in shock, as Aragorn threw up his arms, shrugging slightly. "Take him," the ranger said, slowly. Legolas' eyes filled with shock. He struggled against the arms of his captor, once again, screaming out-"Traitor! You bastard-how?"
Aragorn was led away at the arms of a different man, not even bother to resist.
The white-clad man swept over, impossibly graceful. With brutal force, he clubbed Legolas over the head. The elf limpened, and fell from the man's arms. The men watched watched, as the elf's eyes fell shut, blood pooling from a cut at his temple, his body crumpled, lifelessly deposited over the ground, head cradled in the snowy pebbles and the silver winterflowers.