Meeting in the Woods
Chapter Thirteen
BowsongHAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. BLOOM!!!!!!!!
Just a note: As most of you know, today is Orlando Bloom's 26th!!!! Birthday. He's not too old for me! Really, he isn't!
(LOL It's also thirteen days to MY birthday. Crazyness! Whooo!!!)
In response to your reviews:
Legolas_Freak: =^^= Glad the story's finally playing out to your liking. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and if there ever is a sequel, it as well.
ElvenMaid: Thank you for your review…If I do keep on going---which I more and more want to---I'll definitely have your review in part to thank for it! =^^= Thanks so much!
MysticalMagic: Right now, it would seem! LOL =^^=
Celestra: OMG ROFL! Thanks for the compliments =^^= But I'm not to sure about NOT taking over the world…bwahaha. AS SOON AS I READ THIS REVIEW I made a list of all the stuff I need for a shrine! I have my lovely action figure, sweet-smelling insense burning in front, a halo of tea-lights and a backdrop covered in photos…I'll take a picture and scan it when I can get my monitor working LOL I still have to ask about where my dad got it…I'll get back to you. Enjoy this chapter =^^=
OH! Reminds me. Does anybody know how to make it so my monitor has more that 16 colours? I had to re-install windows, and when I did, the other two hundred and forty colours were missing in action. Totally appreciate any help on this topic =^^= My email addy's Kentucky_Fried_camels@hotmail.com (I also have MSN *hint hint* LOL)
Zara: *beams* Yaaay! Thank you so much for your wonderful review! Hope you enjoy the rest!
SharonToggle: All right…*POOF* There you go =^^= Enjoy!
Tithen Min: Whew! I was having a stress attack there. LOL! Glad you got a new chair-I DID TOO! Yay! We could starta club! Some random person: Um…or not… XD Hope you enjoy this chapter, thanks for your review! =^^=
Elentari Manwe: Meh. I figured if Peter Jackson could have uruk heads on sticks, I could do my own little reference LOL…No, actually I hadn't noticed that whole chant-resemblance, hope it doesn't alienate too many of you =^^= Thanks so much for your review! I hope you enjoy this (issue-resolving) chapter.
Natalie: *blushes* Aww…glad you're enjoying it! Mmm…beans =^^=
Imbefaniel: Yeah…it was sort of terrible wasn't it? *cackles* Hope this chapter makes up for my evil cliff-hanger! Bah…I chew my pens when people do cliffhangers…It's sort of useful, though-I never lose my pens because nobody wants to borrow them, the ends are all chewed…LOL! Enjoy! As soon as this chapter's up and running, I'm going to go read your story =^^= I bet it's spectacular.
Tesekian: LOL Hope this was fast enough…Enjoy!
Ithildin: Hope you enjoyed all those other chapters…this one isn't a cliffhanger-so YAY! Glad that somebody else knows it's Orly's birthday…I tried to throw a party but my friends all thought it was crossing the line in between super-crazy-fan-girl and rapist-stalker-girl, so I was stopped. Sad sad.
GypsyQueen: Aww! Your reviews were so beautiful I named a chapter after you! Well…they coincidentally have the same name, I still get credit, right? LOL! Aragorn fan, eh? Well, more of Legly for me! *worships brand-new shrine quickly* Aye, Elrond's being a bit OOC…but I couldn't make the plot work unless I had the two alone, so…Yess…LOL Enjoy this chapter =^^=
Evil Spapple Pie: … *smiles mysteriously* We'll see!! Enjoy =^^=
TwoTrees: Thanks for your review-the quote was well-selected, and certainly eased my guilt on the situation a bit. Thanks. =)
Sabercrazy: Everything about how sexy Legly always looks is probably what provokes us to torture him-but never so he looks un-sexy! LOL…mmm…tortured elf…drrooooolll…As for poor Aragorn being foul, I suppose it's supposed to be in reference to the books, where he was all scared and worn, not so manly and leonine like in the movies. I'll let you give Estel the sponge bath ;-)
Baby: *pouts* I haven't seen Signs. Is it good? I've been spending too much time at LoTR-TTT as you can possibly tell…Aaaahhh what a geek I am *smiles proudly* I don't know why don't get any reviews-I read Watching the Man really quickly-I still have to review it, don't worry-and I thought it was spectacular. I'm as shocked at how many reviews I've gotten for this (though overjoyed)…(Check out Baby's stories, people! http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=321249…They're good, I promise =^^=)
Annon.: Yes, Elrond was sort of OOC…I suppose in the year after Aragorn and Legolas met and when we were introduced to him in the film he had some serious therapy or some shokobuku…Serious mental kick to the head, that is. Hope you weren't too miffed by my slight error on Elrond's personality, and still are sticking round to read this chapter =^^=
Shauna: LOL Hope this helps you find out what happens…*gives self a confused look* Which I suppose it should…Oh, bah.
Bobo: Tons of reviews. It's absolutely overwhelming (and so bloody appreciated it makes me sick LOL =^^= Words don't exist in English, Spanish, French or Sindarian to help express how wonderful y'all make me feel) And of course I couldn't kill Aragorn…He's to Aragorny, exactly! *grins*
Dark_Fox: Thanks =^^= Enjoy!
RatheraMutemwiya: LOL I am quite aren't I? Well, enjoy, hope it was quick enough LOL!
MrsHarryPotter: Yaaay! Somebody agrees with me on Elrond! *dances* Enjoy this chapter!
Skywise: Only one chapter to read today, though, unless I can absorb my science notes by osmosis. *smacks self in head with science notebook*… Nope! I'm really glad you like my story *blushes* And I hope you'll continue to! Good luck reading it ;-)
Kasandra: Sorry mate LOL Hope you enjoy new chapter!
Lissa: Okie dokie! Aren't you cute? ROFL just messing with you…I don't really know what to reply to. Yep! Death death! LOL Enjoy?
Goma-Ryu: Yaay! It started to get good…right…at…the…end…Damn me. LOL Enjoy =^^=
Chelsey: LOL Hope I don't make you too crazy too quickly, I need you to stick around and read the epilogue! Thanks for your review ;-)
Kaimelieamin: Yep…our favourite compassionate elf is dealing with some *issues* concerning Aragorn…They were all resolved though! Hope this chapter isn't too much of gaffe in the story…Hope all my wonderful reviewers and secret readers are still alive after it *sighs dejectedly* LOL Enjoy!
Mouse: J Thanks for your review! I hope you enjoy this chapter and all!
Rene: =) Glad my updates aren't as awful as I think they are…Hope you enjoy my new chapter!
Yes…there is an action scene happening in here…I hope it doesn't alienate you too much, and you aren't dead on the floor from disgust or something so you still have the brainpower to read the rest of the chapter. Enjoy!
***
Legolas' bows, over the years, had sung many times, each arrow that was notched and released sending forth it's own proper whisper of a song, a note of beauty that couldn't be understood by those who weren't bowmen. Now, standing squared in the middle of an alien forest he had recently left behind, his bow wasn't singing; it was crooning with a dark hymn, so quickly was he loading and releasing each arrow.
He had approached the clearing silently, seeing the thick ring of a crowd around Aragorn's clearing, including the shimmering white-clad creature he recognized as the mate of the cardinal he had strangled. She bore a blade in both hands, a beautiful sword encrusted with jewels, the blade reflecting the firelight so intensely it gave the illusion that it was actually emulating the blinding radiance.
Death, death, the chant had begun, faint at first, from the children in the circle, leaning forward to get a better glimpse at the pending justice. But with each utterance, death, death, each time the word spilled forth, another voice joined the chant, until it swelled, filling the forest, death, death, each man and woman and child united by their fierce anger, death, death, their voices blending, joining as one, rising with the sparks and smoke from the fire, death, death…
She lifted the blade before her face, touching it to her nose, death, death, before slowly drawing it back with her stronger, left hand, pushing it towards the sky, so each equal side was illuminated by either the moon or the dancing flames, death, death. And she swept it back with liquid resolution, letting it balance for all to see, death, death, unbloodied, pre-justice, a symbol of the unity of each being, thronged together by chant, death, death, death, before immediately stroking it downwards.
Fwip…Legolas' bow sang, sang with the first note of his bloody hymn, sang with such a voice that the moment it hit target, felling the white-clad woman, the chant cut short, replaced by an intake of breath in shock and awe.
The queen lay over the ground, eagle-spread, the jeweled blade fallen from her hand and deposited in the gravel a few feet off. Blood pooled from the back of her neck in thick rivers down her shoulders, spreading over the shale-coloured stones underneath her. A single head turned towards the source of the arrow, and they all followed, united once again.
Aragorn stared in disbelief at the elvish arrow jutting from the woman's neck for a moment before regaining control of his senses. He leapt to his feet, painfully dragging his back up the tree, a flood of blood spilling from a new wound on his back. He struggled against his bindings, crashing his wrists again and again against the tree until they fell loose, and he slithered out of them.
He fell to his knees, lost amidst the confusion, ignoring the gravel as it lodged into the skin on his shins, and snatched the jeweled blade from the ground. On his feet, he heard it again, the singing of a bow. In a daze, blade extended, he watched as, again and again, without explanation, bodies fell all around, arrows extruding from their limp forms.
"Aragorn! Run!" Legolas yelled, losing himself in the ballad of his bow, the lullaby of the string as each time it was notched, each arrow that was released. The world slowed around him, the surge of men and women that rushed towards him exerting impossibly slowly, each footfall reverberating at a magnified, throbbing volume in the depth of his elvish ears. The world turned red, and suddenly, it didn't matter that doom was so pending, he was so greatly outnumbered, all that mattered was the refrain of his bow, fwip, fwip, fwip.
He tilted his head, seeming to be moving so lethargically as he swung his arms to the side, set another arrow loose, another, felling four, five, a half dozen, a dozen, he couldn't keep track-but they were an ocean, each wave he blocked replaced by a new, an enraged community of all genders and ages.
"Aragorn!" he screamed again, each syllable ringing in his keen ears, so slowly, so bloody slowly. "Rima ten'ta! RIMA!" Legolas stepped to the side, avoiding the slash of a gypsy blade, redirecting his bow, fwip, fwip…
Aragorn stared in disbelief at the elf, once so stooped, a sobbing, broken creature with a shady history and an unclear future-as he had put it-now outlined in gold, a gleaming elf so worth of the title Prince it seemed impossible. He was moving faster than Aragorn's eyes could catch, walking quickly backwards from the approaching crowd, flipping an arrow from his quiver, notching and shooting it in such a fluid movement that it seemed he wasn't even firing. But bodies fell, fell by the arrows of this magnificent, transformed creature, the epitome of royalty-and suddenly the greatest friend Aragorn ever knew.
"Gurth gothrimlye!" Aragorn heard himself saying, though he didn't know from where the words came. "Death to our foes!" His fingers found the grips of the blade, his body found the balance it needed, and from behind he launched himself into the mob, moving with the expertise acquired from the elves and the brutality inherited from the men, his footfalls heavy and frightening but spry and nimble, as he twisted, careened, dodged, his blade swinging, dancing to the elf's bowsong.
"Gurth gothrimlye!" Legolas' voice replied, high, unscathed by the blades and the fists that flew at his form, at the effort and strain on his body as each of the arrows was notched and sent loose. He found himself captivated by his need to keep this man safe, captivated by that he suddenly cared about another's life more than he had ever cared about his own.
Women on the backs of their mothers were drawn from the climax of this battle, this impossible battle of elf, and man, somehow bound without words once again, against the once-thousands of gypsies, no longer a force, no longer united, now sniveling, reduced, no more then ruined creatures lingering among the remains of those already fallen. Legolas slumped against a tree, exhaling in disbelief, tears clouding his eyes as unconsciousness threatened to overwhelm his form, but he battled it back, watching as the black silhouettes of the foe split, no longer a threat, fled from the scene of Legolas' sudden transformation into the woods beyond their homes.
Aragorn lay a hand on a stitch at his side, falling to his knees immediately. He felt the blade fall from his fingers, but heeded not, instead crawled weakly alongside the elf, fair shimmering under the moonlight, more magnificent that Aragorn had ever seen him before. A prince. A warrior.
"An lema?" [[Long journey?]] Aragorn murmured lightheartedly, collapsing on the tree beside the elf. Amusement twisted over Aragorn's battered face.
"Not really," replied Legolas blankly at the attempt at humor, staring idly at the death that lay before him, completely serious, caught up in the moment-before turning to the man and promptly bursting out into short, painful peals of laughter, joined by the hoarse voice of the man.
"Thank you," Aragorn breathed finally, looking at the elf in admiration.
Legolas shrugged, willing the pain from his form. Lightheartedly, he shrugged, and smiled. "No problem," he replied, slowly sliding a strand of sweaty flaxen hair behind his upswept ear. "I owed you one."
~*~
Elrond was completely taken aback by the sight of the horse as it approached, five nights after Legolas had left. By the second night, Elrond had convinced himself that he was responsible for the death of the Mirkwood Prince-once again. But that night, when the horse came back, baring two riders-one dark haired, upright, lean, the other burly and sporting a head of coal black, tousled hair, even the much-composed Elrond couldn't contain a shout of joy.
Aragorn fell from the horse into Elrond's embrace, wrapping his arms around his foster father's shoulders. "Lle holma ve' edan," [[You smell like a human,]] Elrond breathed, unable to conceal the joy and relief in his voice as he teased his son with a fake light heart.
"Ar' lle holma ve' edhel, atar!" [[And you smell like an elf, father!]] Aragorn exclaimed joyfully, latching his fingertips onto Elrond's shoulders, and burying his head into the slope of Elrond's shoulder.
Legolas smiled softly as he watched, dismounting the horse. "Madness," he murmured to the creature, before taking the reins and leading it off towards the stables.
~*~
Aragorn half-lay in his bed, propped upright by the sled-like headboard, balancing a book on his knee. Legolas sat calmly on the window-seat, whispering along to one of the songs murmured in the distance, finally at peace with himself. Hundreds of years of self-hatred and loneliness had fell from his form as once again he had played the bowsong, found himself faced with such a challenge yet not wavering.
Aragorn had convinced the elf to return to Mirkwood. In a week's time, the two would depart. Though certainly a sense of absolute fear surrounded Legolas as the day of their leaving drew nearer, there was also a certain unswerving calm that had overcome him. Legolas was stronger now, stronger than he had been when he had left home with Chyra that night. Stronger, even, than he had been when he had met Aragorn-how long ago was it? Stronger since their meeting in the woods, that fateful night.
The door clattered noisily open, and without warning Arwen, the Evenstar, fell into the room, dressed in pastel hues of blue and white, of a simple dress that laced down her chest and hung loosely from her legs. Her hair was plaited down her back, her eyes wide with urgency. "Estel!" she exclaimed, beaming, not seeming to notice Legolas hidden behind the curtains.
"Arwen," Aragorn breathed, unable to hold the love from his voice. Legolas smiled softly, retreating behind the curtains, hiding himself completely.
"Oh, Estel, I was so worried…You've been gone so long! When atar told me you were at the hands of the Romany, I couldn't believe it. I feared I would lose you forever." Legolas heard the soft creaking of a mattress, and knew that Arwen was sitting on the bed beside the probably ridged Aragorn.
Aragorn laid a hand gently on Arwen's perfect cheek, watched her expressions. She was the fairest of she-elves, at least to Aragorn, her expressions faultless, her eyes so soft, sympathetic, lips gently parted, cheekbones hidden behind the softest skin imaginable. Arwen closed her eyes, and to Aragorn's surprise, laid her hand overtop of his.
"When faced with your death, I suddenly knew something I hadn't known before," Arwen breathed. Her once confident voice had fallen away to one of a child, weak, uncertain if she should pursue her thoughts.
"Arwen?" Aragorn pressed.
Her voice quivered, and tears caught in her eyes, in the curls of her tangled eyelashes. She looked down at the bedspread, but Aragorn cupped her chin, forced her to look at him. "Arwen, listen to me. I have loved you as a sister for all my life. But there has always been something more I have felt." She stared in disbelief, his face hazed by the tears, which she quickly cleared.
Aragorn was shocked to hear himself speak as such. He wasn't sure where he drew the confidence to finally utter these words, but they spilled from his lips so easily it was as if he had rehearsed them. "I wish you not to be my sister. I wish more of you. You are too beautiful, too fair-hearted to be no more than my sibling. I love you, Arwen,"
Arwen shook her head in disbelief, and for a moment, Aragorn suddenly felt the walls cave in. He had made a mistake; he had professed his affection to somebody who did not return it. But as she continued to shake her head, a smile split her face, and her hand tightened around his. "Aragorn-oh, Estel, Elessar, my Aragorn," she murmured. A silence followed, before she moved her head, her face hovering centimeters from his. Slowly, she let her lips drop to his, and he absorbed the sudden affection of her candy-sweet lips in his own, wishing never for the moment to end.
It did, though, when Legolas fell from his perch on the window seat, tangled in the paper-thin curtains, laughing his head off.
~*~
Legolas stood nervously before his father, head tilted, watching as the golden-haired king swept his eyes in disbelief over his son. "Legolas, my lad," he breathed. He took a step forward, reaching a hand out to gently touch his son's cheek. "It has been three years since last my eyes fell on you. How my heart sings." The king's face split into a smile, his eyes watery.
Legolas tilted his head to the opposite side, furrowing his brow. "Three years? Has it been that long?" he asked, taken aback. It seemed like such a long time-he wouldn't have assumed he had been gone for more than a year.
Thranduil nodded. Slowly, he took a step back, taking a moment to behold his whole son, drawn upright, Princely again, unlike he had been for many decades. "I've thought you were dead for many long months," Thranduil breathed despairingly. Aragorn watched as the king he knew as tense, bolt-tight, a pompous ass by all standards was suddenly transformed into a father. "I remembered why you ran away-after that incident with the glass…"
Legolas shook his head, a spread hand sticking out. "Tampa, atar," advised the young blonde. He still couldn't find a smile, so deep was his rage for the past his father had made.
Thranduil nodded, cutting his words. "I know why you did that, Legolas." Thranduil caught Legolas' wrist before the lad could pull away, slowly dragging his smooth thumb down the scars on the tender area. A tear fell from Thranduil's eye as he looked at the twin puncture wounds, hidden by the sleeve he had pushed away. "But I have thought, Legolas." He leveled his eyes with his son, who shivered just slightly each time his thumb passed over one of the wounds. "Legolas. I do not need a Prince," he said. Legolas felt his barriers crumple, the words he had wanted to hear since childhood suddenly falling from his father's lips. "I need a son."
Legolas' world swirled about, the edges of his vision obscured, shock overwhelming his form. For the first time, in forever it seemed, he fell into his father's arms, drawing a smile from his depths. When a small sob escaped the archer's throat, he didn't try and stifle it like he had before-this one was drawn from a different emotion, he wasn't sad as he sobbed into his father's neck. He was overwhelmed with glee.
Thranduil inhaled raggedly, clearing the tears impatiently from his own eyes with the back of his hands, before placing his palms on Legolas' shoulders, pushing him away gently, to hold him at arm's length. Thranduil tilted back his head, narrowing his eyes just slightly in mock concentration. "My son, have you grown?"
Legolas smiled in mirth, and let out a little laugh, throaty from the tears that he didn't attempt to stop. He knuckled his eyes gently, still beaming, and shook his head. "No, old man, you have shrunk," he replied.
And for the first time, the hall was filled with the gentle, musical laughter of both the Greenleaf father and his youngest son, as it had never done before. And in the distance, though of this he could never be sure, Aragorn thought he could hear a beautiful song rumbling from the throat of a faraway bird. A bowsong uttered by a bird that had never sung before.
***
The End
Whew…That was draining. I'm thinking of writing an epilogue, and a sequel, but I still don't know if I should-that might ruin this story. What'd you think of this chapter? Was it as painful to read as it was to write? LOL…I hope you enjoyed reading this story, as much as I actually DID LOVE writing it. I poured a lot of myself into each of the phrases, and it was totally worth it what with all of the beautiful reviews I received in response. You guys are all super-amazing-great-wonderful people…And deserve some sort of medals or something. If you haven't been told that enough, of course.
Thanks to everybody who reviewed throughout the course of this story, offering their help and suggestions. Thanks to every author of every story I've ever read, from which I've stolen a little bit and put into my own story. Don't hate me because I did this! It's a sincere form of flattery, I swear.
I'm going to put up another chapter to thank everybody for their reviews from chapters eleven, twelve, and this one that I missed-don't think you're going to go unthanked! =^^= Also, in the future I promise that I will manage my reviews better so that I don't leave any out!
Thanks again for helping me through writing this, and I hope you enjoyed it,
and will enjoy everything I promise I'll write in the future,
~Kayte