Title: In Dreams
Author: Wordless_angel
Author email: wordless_angel @hotmail.com
Disclaimer: None of this is mine. No offence is meant to the creators and
no money is being made from this work. The song isn't mine either.
Summary: A stranger arrives in Mirkwood, drawing Legolas and Aragorn into
her story.
A/N - Ohhh, I got reviews! How exciting. Keep 'm coming. Please!
In every heart there is a room, A sanctuary sate and strong. To heal the wounds from traumas past. Until another one comes along, I spoke to you in cautious tones. You answered me with no pretence. And still I feel I said too much. My silence is my self-defence. And every time I held a rose, It seems like I only felt the thorns.
And so it goes, and so it goes
Chapter 2: Disturbing the surface.
She opened her eyes slowly, taking in her surroundings slowly. The thundering pain in her head made concentrating hard. She could see the darkness outside her window and a light breeze played on her face. Awareness came back to her in a shock. She sat up abruptly. Various pains caused her to yelp.
"Hush. Aragorn will kill me if you re-open a wound."
"Aragorn? Who are you? What do you want with me? You can't keep me here? I'll." The young woman looked panicked. Legolas laughed.
"I already told you to hush. We mean you no harm. You rode to us with your brother."
"Oh, where is he then?" the stranger asked. Legolas frowned. In her condition he did not want to tell her.
"It will be alright, just lie down."
"Where is my brother?" Her tone was harsh, but Legolas was sure there was a tint of fear.
"Just."
"Tell me!" Legolas sighed. She would not rest until he told her.
"Your brother died two nights passed," he answered quietly. The stranger went silent and lay down. She turned her face away from Legolas, but his sharp eyes caught the shimmer of tears on her cheeks.
"How?" she asked eventually.
"The fever took him." the stranger wrapped her arms around herself. "You are lucky, it almost took you to."
"I am not lucky. I am cursed." Her voice was bitter "Please go." It was a soft request. Legolas nodded slowly.
"I will, but if you need anything."
"Thank you. But just, please go." Legolas closed the door gently with a soft click. If he heard the single, hushed sob from with in the room, he ignored it.
(
"Did she give you a name? A reason?" Aragorn asked, trying to keep his voice low. He had come to check on the patient that morning, only to be stopped by Legolas.
"She didn't give me a chance to ask."
"What do you mean?"
"She insisted I tell her about her brother."
"Ah." Aragorn bit his lip. "We still need a name."
"Iliayana." A soft voice said. The two men in the room turned, to see the newly named stranger standing in the doorway. Both men jumped to help her to a chair. She waved them off and made her way, slowly, using various objects to balance her. Once she sat, she sighed. "My name is Iliayana."
"Why are you here?" Legolas asked, sitting opposite her. She looked at him for a moment.
"I can only guess." She said eventually.
"Only guess?" Aragorn asked. Iliayana's eyes moved to stare at him. She frowned.
"What does a mortal do among elves?" she asked. Aragorn smiled.
"Some of the people I love most are elves." He answered. "Now, will you not tell us why you are here?"
"My home was destroyed. Orcs, set it ablaze. My brother and I rode out to fetch help." At this point she stopped and shuddered. "Orcs found us on the road and attacked us. They dragged us back to their hideout."
"How is it hat you find your way out?" Legolas asked, interested.
"Desperation. I had to get help for my family. But now I fear the worst."
"Where is it that you come from?" Aragorn asked.
"Hulitim." Iliayana answered. Aragorn started and stared at her. She saw his look. "Were there any survivors?" she asked.
"It will be alright." He began.
"Please, please. I am no weak child. I just, just need the truth." Her tone was pleading. Legolas smiled sadly.
"You are right, you are no normal child."
"Tell me. I wont pretend that I can handle the truth, but I need it all the same." Iliayana insisted. Aragorn sighed and shook his head.
"There were none. We heard the reports and rode there as soon as we could. There was no one." Iliayana nodded slowly and rested her fingers against the bridge of her nose. Her shoulders slumped. Legolas and Aragorn watched as the last fight went out of her.
"I feared as much." Iliayana's said quietly. Her voice was hoarse and weary. It was as if she had aged years in seconds. She looked up. Her blue eyes were dry and emotionless. She was cold and closed off. "Did you find how they got in?" Aragorn shook his head slowly. "What is to be done with me now?" Iliayana asked, the tone of her voice not caring either way.
"You have two choices." Aragorn said gently. "Stay here, or ride with me to Gondor."
"Will you give me time?" She asked. "I need to think on where I wish to go from here." Legolas smiled.
"You have until Aragorn rides out."
"When is that?"
"Tomorrow noon."
"You will have my answer by then." Iliayana answered and rose. Without another word to either Legolas or Aragorn, Iliayana left the small flet.
"Well," Aragorn, quite unsure of what to say.
"Well is right. But I have the feeling you didn't tell her the full truth. How did the Orcs get into the town?" Aragorn sighed.
"Someone let them in."
"What?" Legolas asked sharply.
"The gates weren't forced and there was no sign of a struggle. Someone let them in." Legolas remained silent for a moment.
"It was a good idea to keep that to yourself. She is strong, but that might crush her."
"Never before have I seen such strength."
"Myself neither. But additional strength is not always a good thing. It does not allow you to grieve properly or to share with others."
"Maybe one of us should speak to her." Aragorn looked worried.
"I will do so later," Legolas decided. "But right now, Iliayana needs no on but Iliayana."
(
Iliayana sat, her back against a tree, staring out across the flat, undisturbed surface of a lake. The sun shone on the water and birds flew overhead, but none caused a change in the water. She imagined herself as that water. Still, composed, in control, subdued. No grief would disturb her water.
It was then she felt someone sit down next to her. She glanced at Legolas.
"Do you want something?" She asked, her voice polite, but emotionless.
"No." there was silence as they both watched the water together. Finally Iliayana spoke.
"Isn't the water beautiful? So calm, so still." Legolas didn't move.
"Yes, it is beautiful. But nothing is as it truly seems." Legolas threw a rock; it bounced across the water surface, rippling the water. They watched the rock sink to the bottom. "Nothing is truly still. It just gives that impression."
"But the water goes back to normal." Iliayana protested, indicating the rapidly stilling lake.
"That is true. But the change occurred, it is not perfect. It cannot be still and cold forever. The rock disturbed it. Also, the rock still lies at the bottom. While you think it's perfect, it's not. The rock will remain there forever, until someone removes it."
"I don't understand."
"The lake needs help to cleanse itself of the rock now, because it cannot do it alone."
"I need no help." Iliayana snapped angrily. Legolas turned to look at her.
"We were speaking about the water." He said gently. Iliayana glared and returned to staring at the water.
"I don't think you told me your name." She said at last.
"My name is Legolas Greenleaf."
"I sit in the company of a prince?"
"You have heard of me?" Iliayana smiled slightly.
"Of course. And also of the King of Men, who, at present, awaits my decision."
"What decision will you make."
"I think that, maybe, if I sit here long enough, that choice will be made for me."
"Nothing quite works like that."
"It would be easier if it did."
"You are most welcome in Mirkwood."
"I know that."
"But you may be more comfortable around more humans."
"Maybe."
"You must follow what your heart tells you." Iliayana turned and look Legolas straight in the eye.
"My heart tells me that this is a dream. That I will wake up in my father's cottage, with my brother in the room across the small hall, to the sound of my mother cooking and the baby crying. But I wont. And I never will. My heart is of little use to me anymore."
"Your heart is never useless."
"You heart is useless once there is no one left for it to love."
"There is always someone left to love."
"No, not always." Legolas looked across at Iliayana, his eyes full of compassion.
"You are young. There are many years left for you to live and love."
"I don't think so. There are some wounds that time will never erase. A heart is like glass. Once it is shattered, it can take an eternity to be put back together. I am no elf, with eternity to mend."
"I prefer to think that a heart is like a story. It is forever being written."
"But it must come to an end eventually." Iliayana insisted.
"No, this is a story that has no ending until death." Legolas smiled. Iliayana shook her head.
"Then I have death, for mine is ended."
"You will learn different." Iliayana sighed and lent back.
"No I wont."
"There will be someone else."
"They may love me, but I shall never return it. I shall not need to."
"Everyone needs to love. Just as they needs to be loved. Without it, they cannot survive." Legolas looked at her sharply.
"Why would they need love? It is pain and death and loss! I do not want it. I do not need it!"
"Then your life shall be very cold and lonely."
"Better that than sweet for a time, then pained."
"Maybe. Maybe not." Legolas returned his eyes to the water. Iliayana stared at him for a few more minutes, before changing the direction of her eyes as well.
"I will go to Gondor with Aragorn." She said finally. Legolas smiled slightly.
"I thought you would."
In every heart there is a room, A sanctuary sate and strong. To heal the wounds from traumas past. Until another one comes along, I spoke to you in cautious tones. You answered me with no pretence. And still I feel I said too much. My silence is my self-defence. And every time I held a rose, It seems like I only felt the thorns.
And so it goes, and so it goes
Chapter 2: Disturbing the surface.
She opened her eyes slowly, taking in her surroundings slowly. The thundering pain in her head made concentrating hard. She could see the darkness outside her window and a light breeze played on her face. Awareness came back to her in a shock. She sat up abruptly. Various pains caused her to yelp.
"Hush. Aragorn will kill me if you re-open a wound."
"Aragorn? Who are you? What do you want with me? You can't keep me here? I'll." The young woman looked panicked. Legolas laughed.
"I already told you to hush. We mean you no harm. You rode to us with your brother."
"Oh, where is he then?" the stranger asked. Legolas frowned. In her condition he did not want to tell her.
"It will be alright, just lie down."
"Where is my brother?" Her tone was harsh, but Legolas was sure there was a tint of fear.
"Just."
"Tell me!" Legolas sighed. She would not rest until he told her.
"Your brother died two nights passed," he answered quietly. The stranger went silent and lay down. She turned her face away from Legolas, but his sharp eyes caught the shimmer of tears on her cheeks.
"How?" she asked eventually.
"The fever took him." the stranger wrapped her arms around herself. "You are lucky, it almost took you to."
"I am not lucky. I am cursed." Her voice was bitter "Please go." It was a soft request. Legolas nodded slowly.
"I will, but if you need anything."
"Thank you. But just, please go." Legolas closed the door gently with a soft click. If he heard the single, hushed sob from with in the room, he ignored it.
(
"Did she give you a name? A reason?" Aragorn asked, trying to keep his voice low. He had come to check on the patient that morning, only to be stopped by Legolas.
"She didn't give me a chance to ask."
"What do you mean?"
"She insisted I tell her about her brother."
"Ah." Aragorn bit his lip. "We still need a name."
"Iliayana." A soft voice said. The two men in the room turned, to see the newly named stranger standing in the doorway. Both men jumped to help her to a chair. She waved them off and made her way, slowly, using various objects to balance her. Once she sat, she sighed. "My name is Iliayana."
"Why are you here?" Legolas asked, sitting opposite her. She looked at him for a moment.
"I can only guess." She said eventually.
"Only guess?" Aragorn asked. Iliayana's eyes moved to stare at him. She frowned.
"What does a mortal do among elves?" she asked. Aragorn smiled.
"Some of the people I love most are elves." He answered. "Now, will you not tell us why you are here?"
"My home was destroyed. Orcs, set it ablaze. My brother and I rode out to fetch help." At this point she stopped and shuddered. "Orcs found us on the road and attacked us. They dragged us back to their hideout."
"How is it hat you find your way out?" Legolas asked, interested.
"Desperation. I had to get help for my family. But now I fear the worst."
"Where is it that you come from?" Aragorn asked.
"Hulitim." Iliayana answered. Aragorn started and stared at her. She saw his look. "Were there any survivors?" she asked.
"It will be alright." He began.
"Please, please. I am no weak child. I just, just need the truth." Her tone was pleading. Legolas smiled sadly.
"You are right, you are no normal child."
"Tell me. I wont pretend that I can handle the truth, but I need it all the same." Iliayana insisted. Aragorn sighed and shook his head.
"There were none. We heard the reports and rode there as soon as we could. There was no one." Iliayana nodded slowly and rested her fingers against the bridge of her nose. Her shoulders slumped. Legolas and Aragorn watched as the last fight went out of her.
"I feared as much." Iliayana's said quietly. Her voice was hoarse and weary. It was as if she had aged years in seconds. She looked up. Her blue eyes were dry and emotionless. She was cold and closed off. "Did you find how they got in?" Aragorn shook his head slowly. "What is to be done with me now?" Iliayana asked, the tone of her voice not caring either way.
"You have two choices." Aragorn said gently. "Stay here, or ride with me to Gondor."
"Will you give me time?" She asked. "I need to think on where I wish to go from here." Legolas smiled.
"You have until Aragorn rides out."
"When is that?"
"Tomorrow noon."
"You will have my answer by then." Iliayana answered and rose. Without another word to either Legolas or Aragorn, Iliayana left the small flet.
"Well," Aragorn, quite unsure of what to say.
"Well is right. But I have the feeling you didn't tell her the full truth. How did the Orcs get into the town?" Aragorn sighed.
"Someone let them in."
"What?" Legolas asked sharply.
"The gates weren't forced and there was no sign of a struggle. Someone let them in." Legolas remained silent for a moment.
"It was a good idea to keep that to yourself. She is strong, but that might crush her."
"Never before have I seen such strength."
"Myself neither. But additional strength is not always a good thing. It does not allow you to grieve properly or to share with others."
"Maybe one of us should speak to her." Aragorn looked worried.
"I will do so later," Legolas decided. "But right now, Iliayana needs no on but Iliayana."
(
Iliayana sat, her back against a tree, staring out across the flat, undisturbed surface of a lake. The sun shone on the water and birds flew overhead, but none caused a change in the water. She imagined herself as that water. Still, composed, in control, subdued. No grief would disturb her water.
It was then she felt someone sit down next to her. She glanced at Legolas.
"Do you want something?" She asked, her voice polite, but emotionless.
"No." there was silence as they both watched the water together. Finally Iliayana spoke.
"Isn't the water beautiful? So calm, so still." Legolas didn't move.
"Yes, it is beautiful. But nothing is as it truly seems." Legolas threw a rock; it bounced across the water surface, rippling the water. They watched the rock sink to the bottom. "Nothing is truly still. It just gives that impression."
"But the water goes back to normal." Iliayana protested, indicating the rapidly stilling lake.
"That is true. But the change occurred, it is not perfect. It cannot be still and cold forever. The rock disturbed it. Also, the rock still lies at the bottom. While you think it's perfect, it's not. The rock will remain there forever, until someone removes it."
"I don't understand."
"The lake needs help to cleanse itself of the rock now, because it cannot do it alone."
"I need no help." Iliayana snapped angrily. Legolas turned to look at her.
"We were speaking about the water." He said gently. Iliayana glared and returned to staring at the water.
"I don't think you told me your name." She said at last.
"My name is Legolas Greenleaf."
"I sit in the company of a prince?"
"You have heard of me?" Iliayana smiled slightly.
"Of course. And also of the King of Men, who, at present, awaits my decision."
"What decision will you make."
"I think that, maybe, if I sit here long enough, that choice will be made for me."
"Nothing quite works like that."
"It would be easier if it did."
"You are most welcome in Mirkwood."
"I know that."
"But you may be more comfortable around more humans."
"Maybe."
"You must follow what your heart tells you." Iliayana turned and look Legolas straight in the eye.
"My heart tells me that this is a dream. That I will wake up in my father's cottage, with my brother in the room across the small hall, to the sound of my mother cooking and the baby crying. But I wont. And I never will. My heart is of little use to me anymore."
"Your heart is never useless."
"You heart is useless once there is no one left for it to love."
"There is always someone left to love."
"No, not always." Legolas looked across at Iliayana, his eyes full of compassion.
"You are young. There are many years left for you to live and love."
"I don't think so. There are some wounds that time will never erase. A heart is like glass. Once it is shattered, it can take an eternity to be put back together. I am no elf, with eternity to mend."
"I prefer to think that a heart is like a story. It is forever being written."
"But it must come to an end eventually." Iliayana insisted.
"No, this is a story that has no ending until death." Legolas smiled. Iliayana shook her head.
"Then I have death, for mine is ended."
"You will learn different." Iliayana sighed and lent back.
"No I wont."
"There will be someone else."
"They may love me, but I shall never return it. I shall not need to."
"Everyone needs to love. Just as they needs to be loved. Without it, they cannot survive." Legolas looked at her sharply.
"Why would they need love? It is pain and death and loss! I do not want it. I do not need it!"
"Then your life shall be very cold and lonely."
"Better that than sweet for a time, then pained."
"Maybe. Maybe not." Legolas returned his eyes to the water. Iliayana stared at him for a few more minutes, before changing the direction of her eyes as well.
"I will go to Gondor with Aragorn." She said finally. Legolas smiled slightly.
"I thought you would."
