AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanx to Maybe Tonight, Me, edinarain (me best bud!), Elvish
Fairy, and KoUsagi for the wonderful reviews. Sorry this chapter drags on
so. It was either mockingly short or extravagantly long. Hope you like it,
though
The fellowship came to the dwarven city of Holowan during the soft hours of twilight. They were introduced to the royal family, distant relatives of Gimli. The dwarves were a hearty people, quick to laughter and easy to laugh with, and Nadena enjoyed their company immensely. The group stayed in the castle with the king and his family of more than 20 dwarves. (He was a very productive king.) Once again, Legolas was assigned to keep watch over the vampire, and they roomed together.
Nadena walked behind the elf in restrained agitation. Legolas had become increasingly introverted since they had fought six days prior. The only words he'd spoken were to fulfill his duty as the eyes and ears of the fellowship. Even then, his sentences were no longer than five words.
Yet, his silence was not of primary concern. He had always been very reserved. What worried her was that he had become dangerously stoic, displaying little to no emotion in almost a week. Something about this laconic state of mindless sentinel scared her.
In the middle of her thoughts, Nadena felt her mind being prodded and teased by Dracula's unmistakable presence. She clenched her teeth in an effort to prevent spewing upon herself. She felt him watching the entire group with caution, noting their location, and she knew he planned to hunt the ring-bearer and kill his friends through her link with him. She smiled to herself. Soon, very soon, Legolas will die at the hand of my master.
* * *
Nadena sat upon her bed with her legs crossed, watching her roommate as he made countless arrows for their next departure. He noticed her stare, but never returned it. He tried to ignore her. She decided to have a little fun, hoping to awake him from his emotional coma.
"Who trained you with the bow?" she asked.
"Thranduil, my father."
"You're the prince of Mirkwood?!"
"I thought you knew," he said.
"As prince, should you not be kept inside, far from harm?"
"Some may believe so. I am not interested in the mundane chores of palace life."
"For you need an outlet for your rage," she suggested.
He stopped working for a second, meeting her eyes. "I understand not where your imagination wanders." He went back to his twenty-fourth arrow.
"I was under the impression that all evil elves became orcs. How do you maintain your beauty?" She almost giggled at his bashful expression, but it faded far too quickly, leaving behind the same set jaw.
"Orcs appear as they do due to the torture they endure."
"Then you are technically an orc, not an elf." He glared at her for her words. "You are evil, are you not?" His only response was the same glare. "After all, your reaction to my bite was certainly immoral."
"I thought we agreed not to speak of that night," he snapped.
"I don't remember agreeing to anything." She cocked her head in mockery.
"Then I command you to silence your tongue on the matter."
"For it angers you." Legolas turned his eyes on her once more, practically pleading her to drop the subject. "Or perhaps it saddens you." He rolled his eyes at her. "Or perhaps you long to repeat that night."
"Silence!"
She let out a triumphant laugh. "Ha!"
"What?"
"Emotion. You actually show some emotion!"
"What are you rambling of?"
"Ever since that day, you've not portrayed any emotion whatsoever."
"I would think you would prefer that over incessant threats."
"It is never satisfying to see one act like a neophyte troll."
"Better a neophyte troll than a hateful witch."
"Good, more emotion."
"Do not patronize me," he growled.
"How can you not patronize a child?"
"I am older than you!!"
"Not emotionally. You don't even know what it is to live in this world!"
"I CAN'T!!"
Nadena paused, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
The elf regained his composure, and informed her, "When I was a young boy, I was much like you."
"Young, and irresistibly beautiful?" she asked with a sarcastically hopeful look in her eyes.
"Irritatingly hostile towards authority," he answered. "I also had a huge excess of rage and aggression. I had to be contained."
"What do you mean 'contained?'"
"I lived in a large cage of steel. I was constantly guarded." Even in his melancholy, his voice kept its melodious ring. "My keepers slipped my meals under the bars, for they feared to go near me. Finally, I was released, but I had to be restrained by chains for some time."
"Your parents caged you?" she repeated, suddenly immensely sorrowful.
"I had to be restrained. I broke priceless heirlooms, I was disrespectful, I fought with other children-"
"Do not justify what they did," she said through set teeth.
"I deserved it." He decided to change the subject as he saw the look of pity on her face. "It no longer matters. I shall never go back to that cage."
"They cannot contain you here," she stated. "You need not behave yourself."
"I'll never go back."
She took hold of his face, saying, "You did nothing to deserve that cage. Indeed, you'll never go back." With that, she kissed his lips.
Suddenly, a man ran past the door, limping wildly, towards the great hall. The two followed curiously. The man was a messenger, and as he stepped into the entranceway, he fell before the king in a bow.
"Vampires, sire!" he cried. "They have broken through our fortresses!" Nadena felt her heart sink through to her stomach, remembering that Dracula had tracked them through her.
The fellowship came to the dwarven city of Holowan during the soft hours of twilight. They were introduced to the royal family, distant relatives of Gimli. The dwarves were a hearty people, quick to laughter and easy to laugh with, and Nadena enjoyed their company immensely. The group stayed in the castle with the king and his family of more than 20 dwarves. (He was a very productive king.) Once again, Legolas was assigned to keep watch over the vampire, and they roomed together.
Nadena walked behind the elf in restrained agitation. Legolas had become increasingly introverted since they had fought six days prior. The only words he'd spoken were to fulfill his duty as the eyes and ears of the fellowship. Even then, his sentences were no longer than five words.
Yet, his silence was not of primary concern. He had always been very reserved. What worried her was that he had become dangerously stoic, displaying little to no emotion in almost a week. Something about this laconic state of mindless sentinel scared her.
In the middle of her thoughts, Nadena felt her mind being prodded and teased by Dracula's unmistakable presence. She clenched her teeth in an effort to prevent spewing upon herself. She felt him watching the entire group with caution, noting their location, and she knew he planned to hunt the ring-bearer and kill his friends through her link with him. She smiled to herself. Soon, very soon, Legolas will die at the hand of my master.
* * *
Nadena sat upon her bed with her legs crossed, watching her roommate as he made countless arrows for their next departure. He noticed her stare, but never returned it. He tried to ignore her. She decided to have a little fun, hoping to awake him from his emotional coma.
"Who trained you with the bow?" she asked.
"Thranduil, my father."
"You're the prince of Mirkwood?!"
"I thought you knew," he said.
"As prince, should you not be kept inside, far from harm?"
"Some may believe so. I am not interested in the mundane chores of palace life."
"For you need an outlet for your rage," she suggested.
He stopped working for a second, meeting her eyes. "I understand not where your imagination wanders." He went back to his twenty-fourth arrow.
"I was under the impression that all evil elves became orcs. How do you maintain your beauty?" She almost giggled at his bashful expression, but it faded far too quickly, leaving behind the same set jaw.
"Orcs appear as they do due to the torture they endure."
"Then you are technically an orc, not an elf." He glared at her for her words. "You are evil, are you not?" His only response was the same glare. "After all, your reaction to my bite was certainly immoral."
"I thought we agreed not to speak of that night," he snapped.
"I don't remember agreeing to anything." She cocked her head in mockery.
"Then I command you to silence your tongue on the matter."
"For it angers you." Legolas turned his eyes on her once more, practically pleading her to drop the subject. "Or perhaps it saddens you." He rolled his eyes at her. "Or perhaps you long to repeat that night."
"Silence!"
She let out a triumphant laugh. "Ha!"
"What?"
"Emotion. You actually show some emotion!"
"What are you rambling of?"
"Ever since that day, you've not portrayed any emotion whatsoever."
"I would think you would prefer that over incessant threats."
"It is never satisfying to see one act like a neophyte troll."
"Better a neophyte troll than a hateful witch."
"Good, more emotion."
"Do not patronize me," he growled.
"How can you not patronize a child?"
"I am older than you!!"
"Not emotionally. You don't even know what it is to live in this world!"
"I CAN'T!!"
Nadena paused, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
The elf regained his composure, and informed her, "When I was a young boy, I was much like you."
"Young, and irresistibly beautiful?" she asked with a sarcastically hopeful look in her eyes.
"Irritatingly hostile towards authority," he answered. "I also had a huge excess of rage and aggression. I had to be contained."
"What do you mean 'contained?'"
"I lived in a large cage of steel. I was constantly guarded." Even in his melancholy, his voice kept its melodious ring. "My keepers slipped my meals under the bars, for they feared to go near me. Finally, I was released, but I had to be restrained by chains for some time."
"Your parents caged you?" she repeated, suddenly immensely sorrowful.
"I had to be restrained. I broke priceless heirlooms, I was disrespectful, I fought with other children-"
"Do not justify what they did," she said through set teeth.
"I deserved it." He decided to change the subject as he saw the look of pity on her face. "It no longer matters. I shall never go back to that cage."
"They cannot contain you here," she stated. "You need not behave yourself."
"I'll never go back."
She took hold of his face, saying, "You did nothing to deserve that cage. Indeed, you'll never go back." With that, she kissed his lips.
Suddenly, a man ran past the door, limping wildly, towards the great hall. The two followed curiously. The man was a messenger, and as he stepped into the entranceway, he fell before the king in a bow.
"Vampires, sire!" he cried. "They have broken through our fortresses!" Nadena felt her heart sink through to her stomach, remembering that Dracula had tracked them through her.