Arwen glanced to Aragorn and couldn't help but notice that he looked more tired than the horses. His face was troubled and his glance was cast down, and he looked as if he were in some sort of pain.
"Are you all right, Aragorn?" she asked him, concerned. He looked at his wife.
"Oh – yes, I will be fine."
"What is it?"
"I feel a weight around my neck. I feel drowsy, and… pushed, somehow."
"What happened?" Legolas asked, turning his head so he could see the humans behind him. "Is everything all right?"
"Aragorn does not feel well," Arwen stated.
"That is only natural for your age, given the weather and the long journey we have traveled. Shall we rest?"
Aragorn shook his head with tremendous effort. "No," he coughed out, trying to sound like he meant it… trying to sound better than he felt. "No, we must press on."
"We may rest if you want to," Legolas pressed. "We are nearly there. Another couple of hours…"
Aragorn shook his head. "No, let us continue."
Legolas looked back to the front and Aragorn suddenly felt a sharp pain in the middle of his chest. His hand grabbed the painful spot. It felt as if he'd just been stabbed by a sword. He reached under the cloak and, to his horror, felt something damp. He pulled out his hand and was terrified to find a small pool of blood on his hand.
He looked to Arwen and realized that she hadn't noticed, for which he was grateful. He didn't want her to make a big deal out of it, for Aragorn had always felt as if he could care for himself. But his curiosity overtook him and he looked under his cloak and the shirt underneath it at his bare skin, and saw a cut in his chest. But where had it come from? He had nothing near it… with the exception of Arwen's necklace dangling near it. The necklace that represented her immortality.
The Evenstar.
That could not have pierced me, he thought to himself. Could it? But every bone in his body told him that something supernatural was behind his wound. No, the Evenstar had not pierced him, but Syrus's anger and frustration.
A gradual roar grew, and Legolas realized in a panic that they were battle cries. He turned and saw the army not far behind anymore, charging at them full-speed.
"Noro lim, noro lim!" he told his horse in a panicked voice. Homir instantly took off and the rest of the horses followed at the same pace, but they were not going extremely fast because the horses had to plow through the snow. As for the Ums, they had been created in Forochel and they were used to the climate. They started gaining on them, and at a scream Legolas's head jerked back to the children, and saw streams of tears flowing down Galia's cheeks like rushing rivers.
"Galia!" he called over the noise, praying she could hear him. "Gúr, estel, ar bellas!" He knew that his words would lift her mood, if only a little, and maybe help her withhold her tears at least. But the lord did not have much time to worry about his daughter, for he needed to turn his attention back to whatever was in front of his path, so he reluctantly turned and hoped that his daughter – in the back – would be all right. (Galia! Courage, hope, and strength!)
The young girl heard her father's words and sniffed, then gave her horse a kick and bent low to speed him up hoping to reach her brother who wasn't far ahead of her. He turned and saw her, then reached out his hand behind him hoping to comfort her. He did not need to steer his horse, for it was trained to follow the horses in front of him. Galia reached ahead of her and held his hand, and Ohtar for a brief moment wondered if he would be able to yank her onto his horse, then decided against it. For if he dropped her, she would be trampled by the army or worse. And he wasn't sure if he would be able to hold her up long enough for her to get on his horse, and she was still a bit behind him.
"We'll be fine," he told her. She smiled faintly, but he knew she was still crying inside.
"I know," she lied. But it was all right that she lied, because he lied to her, too.
It was after the prince took his hand back and turned to face forwards that the princess fell behind into darkness. Her and her horse were swallowed by the dark creatures that flooded over them, and no one truly knew whatever became of her. She was taken to be dead after that, but they may very well have kept her alive for other reasons of their own, and being an elf, if they had never slain her, she may very well have lived forever after that, but it certainly was not a wonderful life.
Ohtar let out a yell when he realized she was gone, and Zerameth looked behind herself and found the same thing. She felt no great amount of sorrow, for she had not known the princess very well, but she did greatly pity the child's father, mother, and siblings. And she also felt bad for the girl herself, wherever she ended up.
All of them – the company and the army – were traveling fast. Legolas was concentrating hard, focusing on the horizon and constantly pressing his horse. The ones behind himself would stay with him, he knew, for that was how they were trained, but if he could not escape the army then neither would his followers. It was then that Syrus spoke to him again.
Give me the Evenstar! he roared.
"You will not win," Legolas said under his breath, trying to keep his concentration.
Give me the Evenstar and I will spare your life!
"I will not give in."
I will take it by force if you refuse to deal with me!
"Then we were all meant to die."
The sky turned black and thunder roared at that instant that Syrus boomed, I have not much patience!
It was then that Yrinvan's heart stopped beating and he suddenly died, for that is the power of Syrus. His body fell limp on the horse, but the horse kept running after the company.
I am taking your company one by one until you agree to give me the Evenstar, and I will eventually kill you all unless you do not give it to me willingly!
"You would kill us anyway."
ARGH! I have your daughter!
It was then that Legolas stopped breathing only for a second of shock and worry. He did not know if Syrus meant Galia or Anywien, but it did not matter to him, for he loved them equally.
"No," he whispered.
I will take the rest of the children! I have the human boy as well!
Tears showed in Legolas's eyes and he said, "If I stop my horse, will you deal with me?"
I will.
For a moment Legolas thought he was going crazy, trusting the word of this creature, but later he knew why he had trusted his word. Love and sorrow for his daughter had blinded him. He slowed his horse and the rest followed. The army stopped as well, but not before they surrounded the company.
"Now," Legolas said, taking in a deep breath. "What are your terms?"
