Chapter 27: A voice is calling me
Selina was floating in a pool. It was crystal clear and cool. The water was soothing her chaotic thoughts, caressing her skin softly. The rhythmic dabbling of the small waves, which slightly rippled the surface, was a calming mantra repeating itself over and over again. Her peace was only disturbed when the voices approached her ears. Sometimes they were far away, sometimes they were very close.
"She does not look well. I will do what I can, but I do not no if I can help her."
"Do not leave me, melamin /my love/."
"We have to change the bandages."
"If you don't save her, my axe will hack your palace to pieces, Aragorn!"
"Do not leave me."
"Your will is mightier than any magic, so do not give up now. Be strong and fight!"
She wasn't afraid of those voices. They came and went. They were only ghosts whispering in her ears. But one of those voices was very incessant. It always got her attention and lured her into listening with its soft, melodic tone. Sometimes she felt like it was calling to her, as if it wanted that her to leave her sanctuary of peacefulness and harmony behind.
She was not ready yet. Something dark was lurking on the lakeshore, waiting for her patiently, but she was save for now. Selina didn't have the strength to face it yet.
"Just a little while longer," she said to herself and closed her eyes, enjoying the cool sensation of the water against her skin.
~
Legolas was sitting on a chair next to Selina's bed, waiting patiently for her to awake. He blinked rapidly, fighting against the incredible tiredness and exhaustion that filled every fibre of his being. It had been four days since Selina lost consciousness. Four days in which he had adamantly refused to leave her side, ignoring all the well-meant attempts of his friends to convince him to get some sleep himself. He sat at her bed when Aragorn changed her bandages, when Arwen or Gimli came to ask how Selina was and when Gandalf paid her a visit. He saw the sun set and rise in front of the window for what seemed to him a thousand times. Those four days felt like years to him.
Legolas had barely touched any food or drink that was offered to him, his eyes always fixed on Selina's face. Everything else but her had lost importance to him and faded into nothingness.
Her face was almost as pale as the linens, looking like a perfectly polished marble mask, peaceful and calm in her sleep. How much would he have given for even the tiniest movement from her, something to give him new hope and the strength to continue, but apart from the constant falling and rising of her chest, she lay completely still, motionless like a statue.
Aragorn had informed the elf yesterday that her wounds were healing nicely and she was no longer in any danger, nevertheless she had not awaken yet. She should have regained consciousness by now. If her body was regenerating itself, the reason for her current state had to lie elsewhere.
The wait seemed to be endless. Something inside of Legolas snapped. He couldn't take it anymore. The complete silence of the room was slowly driving him crazy and when he finally spoke is voice sounded strange and foreign to him.
"So this is the fate you will for us. Is this the end we both shall take?" he sighed and caressed her cheek with his hand.
"I wish there was anything for me to do. I would run to the end of the world and back for you, I would even face the dangers of Mordor, but all I can do is wait and watch you sleeping. Every second is longer than a century, every breath I take is painful, because you are not with me. Please, I beg you, do not leave me now!" he paused and looked at her expectantly as if he waited for her to answer, but no words came from her pale lips.
He closed his eyes, fighting down the grief that burdened his heart. His voice was shaky and heavy with emotions when he continued to speak. "Whatever fate holds in store for us, I am with you. But if there is any strength left in you, please fight! Fight for the both of us! I do not want it to end like this," he took her hand in his.
"There is so much I would like to show to you, so many things for us to discover. This is a new world for me. You have changed it, made it a better place, because you are in it. I need you to guide me, because without you I will be lost like a child. I need your laughter to brighten my days, your smile to warm my heart and your wisdom to teach me. All those years I have lived, everything I have experienced, seems meaningless, now that I have seen your light.
I am probably selfish to ask those things from you, maybe you are in a better place now where you feel neither pain nor grief nor sorrow. But my world is full of it. It is suffocating me with every breath I take."
His eyes filled with tears which he had not spilled in centuries. The pain inside of him was almost overwhelming. He tenderly kissed her on the forehead. A single tear trailed down his cheek and fell on her face like a rain drop.
He still held her hand in his and he almost let out a surprised gasp as he felt the ghost of her movement caress his fingers. It could have been only his imagination, but the spark of hope was rekindled inside of him. His eyes fixed on their entwined hands and squinted together in concentration. He unconsciously held his breath. It had not been a trick his senses played on him. Her index finger was slowly moving over his skin. He let out a cry of joy and placed a tender kiss inside her palm.
Legolas leaned his forehead against hers and his voice had a desperate and imploring tone to it when he spoke again, "Please, try! I know that you can do it. Come back to me! Come back to me, melamin /my love/!"
A shudder ran through her whole body. He sat up and looked at her expectantly, his heart racing in his chest. Then her golden eyes fluttered open and looked directly in his. A smile spread over his face, washing away the sorrow and the exhaustion that had been there only seconds before.
Selina's head was still dizzy from her long sleep. Her senses were flooded by a million different sensations at once and needed a brief moment to adjust themselves. The soothing coolness of the pool was gone. She was now lying on a huge and comfortable bed. She let her hand glide over the soft surface of the luxurious pillows. In front of her sat a handsome elf with a beautiful smile on his face, full of affection and love. His eyes bore into hers, letting her look deep into his very soul.
Then she remembered, as if his gaze had broken a spell that had clouded her memory. The happenings of the last days stormed at her, unfolding before her eyes once again, becoming clearer and clearer. They had completed their mission successfully, but they had paid dearly for it. Sulrathi was dead and she had killed somebody. Not just any person, but what made matters worse, her own brother.
She looked at the elf in front of her full of insecurity and fear. His mere presence was soothing and his love shone at her like a bright light in the darkness. Selina immediately relaxed a bit. He had been her only ever-present constant in this chaotic world and had guided her through those difficult times. She would always love him, nothing would ever be able to change that, but would their love be enough to help her fight against the despair that had seized her heart and taken it in its iron grip? Could he make the ghosts of the past disappear by just taking her into his arms? Could he shelter her for from those emotions that were lurking in the depths of her soul? She was not ready to face them yet and would not speak to anyone about it.
Her voice was shaky and hoarse when she spoke his name, it was a secret ply for help, "Legolas?"
~
Within the few moments the little room was crowded by visitors. Alarmed by the commotion that could be heard from inside, Aragorn, Gandalf and Gimli stormed in. They hugged her enthusiastically, almost crushing her bones in the process. Now the three men were looking at her, grinning happily from ear to ear.
"It's good to see you awake and well," Aragorn exclaimed.
"Aye, I can see why you're happy, Master Aragorn. Now that your castle will be spared from my wrath and my sharp axe," the dwarf said in a joking tone.
Gandalf squeezed her hand affectionately, "I knew you had the strength in you to overcome this last obstacle."
"Thank you! All of you!" Selina said with a smile grazing her fair features.
Gimli nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other as if he had something to say.
"Come on, spit it out, dwarf," Selina said to him good-naturedly.
He reached into his pocket, rummaging inside of it, searching for a particular item he had hidden there. After a few seconds he produced a golden chain with a ruby pendant to it. It was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. The precious stone sparkled in the sun, encompassed by tiny golden leaves that formed its delicate setting. Gimli shyly opened her hand and laid the piece of jewellery inside of it. "This is a gem I found during my visit to the Glittering Caves. It reminded me of your fiery spirit, because it equalled its wild and untamed nature. I wanted you to have it."
A beautiful smile lit up Selina's face and she kissed her friend on the cheek affectionately, "This is the most beautiful present I have ever received. Thank you so much, Gimli."
The dwarf rubbed his head nervously. "Well, I had a lot of time on my hands in the last few days and I had to keep myself busy somehow..," he trailed of, mumbling incoherent things into his beard.
"Maybe, we should leave now. Selina will surely need some rest, because she is still weakened by her injuries," Aragorn announced and was about to usher everybody, including a grudgingly obeying Legolas, outside the room.
Selina dreaded the idea of being alone. Then she would have to face her demons, sort out the turmoil of emotions raging inside of her. "Wait!", she exclaimed, her voice sounding almost desperate.
Her friends didn't notice anything unusual about her behaviour. They were just happy that she desired to stay in their company a little longer and did not sent them away after they spent four endless days in agonising uncertainty about the fact whether she would survive or not. Only Legolas began to become suspicious. A shadow flitted over his fair face, as he briefly wondered why he felt like something wasn't alright with her.
Selina was floating in a pool. It was crystal clear and cool. The water was soothing her chaotic thoughts, caressing her skin softly. The rhythmic dabbling of the small waves, which slightly rippled the surface, was a calming mantra repeating itself over and over again. Her peace was only disturbed when the voices approached her ears. Sometimes they were far away, sometimes they were very close.
"She does not look well. I will do what I can, but I do not no if I can help her."
"Do not leave me, melamin /my love/."
"We have to change the bandages."
"If you don't save her, my axe will hack your palace to pieces, Aragorn!"
"Do not leave me."
"Your will is mightier than any magic, so do not give up now. Be strong and fight!"
She wasn't afraid of those voices. They came and went. They were only ghosts whispering in her ears. But one of those voices was very incessant. It always got her attention and lured her into listening with its soft, melodic tone. Sometimes she felt like it was calling to her, as if it wanted that her to leave her sanctuary of peacefulness and harmony behind.
She was not ready yet. Something dark was lurking on the lakeshore, waiting for her patiently, but she was save for now. Selina didn't have the strength to face it yet.
"Just a little while longer," she said to herself and closed her eyes, enjoying the cool sensation of the water against her skin.
~
Legolas was sitting on a chair next to Selina's bed, waiting patiently for her to awake. He blinked rapidly, fighting against the incredible tiredness and exhaustion that filled every fibre of his being. It had been four days since Selina lost consciousness. Four days in which he had adamantly refused to leave her side, ignoring all the well-meant attempts of his friends to convince him to get some sleep himself. He sat at her bed when Aragorn changed her bandages, when Arwen or Gimli came to ask how Selina was and when Gandalf paid her a visit. He saw the sun set and rise in front of the window for what seemed to him a thousand times. Those four days felt like years to him.
Legolas had barely touched any food or drink that was offered to him, his eyes always fixed on Selina's face. Everything else but her had lost importance to him and faded into nothingness.
Her face was almost as pale as the linens, looking like a perfectly polished marble mask, peaceful and calm in her sleep. How much would he have given for even the tiniest movement from her, something to give him new hope and the strength to continue, but apart from the constant falling and rising of her chest, she lay completely still, motionless like a statue.
Aragorn had informed the elf yesterday that her wounds were healing nicely and she was no longer in any danger, nevertheless she had not awaken yet. She should have regained consciousness by now. If her body was regenerating itself, the reason for her current state had to lie elsewhere.
The wait seemed to be endless. Something inside of Legolas snapped. He couldn't take it anymore. The complete silence of the room was slowly driving him crazy and when he finally spoke is voice sounded strange and foreign to him.
"So this is the fate you will for us. Is this the end we both shall take?" he sighed and caressed her cheek with his hand.
"I wish there was anything for me to do. I would run to the end of the world and back for you, I would even face the dangers of Mordor, but all I can do is wait and watch you sleeping. Every second is longer than a century, every breath I take is painful, because you are not with me. Please, I beg you, do not leave me now!" he paused and looked at her expectantly as if he waited for her to answer, but no words came from her pale lips.
He closed his eyes, fighting down the grief that burdened his heart. His voice was shaky and heavy with emotions when he continued to speak. "Whatever fate holds in store for us, I am with you. But if there is any strength left in you, please fight! Fight for the both of us! I do not want it to end like this," he took her hand in his.
"There is so much I would like to show to you, so many things for us to discover. This is a new world for me. You have changed it, made it a better place, because you are in it. I need you to guide me, because without you I will be lost like a child. I need your laughter to brighten my days, your smile to warm my heart and your wisdom to teach me. All those years I have lived, everything I have experienced, seems meaningless, now that I have seen your light.
I am probably selfish to ask those things from you, maybe you are in a better place now where you feel neither pain nor grief nor sorrow. But my world is full of it. It is suffocating me with every breath I take."
His eyes filled with tears which he had not spilled in centuries. The pain inside of him was almost overwhelming. He tenderly kissed her on the forehead. A single tear trailed down his cheek and fell on her face like a rain drop.
He still held her hand in his and he almost let out a surprised gasp as he felt the ghost of her movement caress his fingers. It could have been only his imagination, but the spark of hope was rekindled inside of him. His eyes fixed on their entwined hands and squinted together in concentration. He unconsciously held his breath. It had not been a trick his senses played on him. Her index finger was slowly moving over his skin. He let out a cry of joy and placed a tender kiss inside her palm.
Legolas leaned his forehead against hers and his voice had a desperate and imploring tone to it when he spoke again, "Please, try! I know that you can do it. Come back to me! Come back to me, melamin /my love/!"
A shudder ran through her whole body. He sat up and looked at her expectantly, his heart racing in his chest. Then her golden eyes fluttered open and looked directly in his. A smile spread over his face, washing away the sorrow and the exhaustion that had been there only seconds before.
Selina's head was still dizzy from her long sleep. Her senses were flooded by a million different sensations at once and needed a brief moment to adjust themselves. The soothing coolness of the pool was gone. She was now lying on a huge and comfortable bed. She let her hand glide over the soft surface of the luxurious pillows. In front of her sat a handsome elf with a beautiful smile on his face, full of affection and love. His eyes bore into hers, letting her look deep into his very soul.
Then she remembered, as if his gaze had broken a spell that had clouded her memory. The happenings of the last days stormed at her, unfolding before her eyes once again, becoming clearer and clearer. They had completed their mission successfully, but they had paid dearly for it. Sulrathi was dead and she had killed somebody. Not just any person, but what made matters worse, her own brother.
She looked at the elf in front of her full of insecurity and fear. His mere presence was soothing and his love shone at her like a bright light in the darkness. Selina immediately relaxed a bit. He had been her only ever-present constant in this chaotic world and had guided her through those difficult times. She would always love him, nothing would ever be able to change that, but would their love be enough to help her fight against the despair that had seized her heart and taken it in its iron grip? Could he make the ghosts of the past disappear by just taking her into his arms? Could he shelter her for from those emotions that were lurking in the depths of her soul? She was not ready to face them yet and would not speak to anyone about it.
Her voice was shaky and hoarse when she spoke his name, it was a secret ply for help, "Legolas?"
~
Within the few moments the little room was crowded by visitors. Alarmed by the commotion that could be heard from inside, Aragorn, Gandalf and Gimli stormed in. They hugged her enthusiastically, almost crushing her bones in the process. Now the three men were looking at her, grinning happily from ear to ear.
"It's good to see you awake and well," Aragorn exclaimed.
"Aye, I can see why you're happy, Master Aragorn. Now that your castle will be spared from my wrath and my sharp axe," the dwarf said in a joking tone.
Gandalf squeezed her hand affectionately, "I knew you had the strength in you to overcome this last obstacle."
"Thank you! All of you!" Selina said with a smile grazing her fair features.
Gimli nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other as if he had something to say.
"Come on, spit it out, dwarf," Selina said to him good-naturedly.
He reached into his pocket, rummaging inside of it, searching for a particular item he had hidden there. After a few seconds he produced a golden chain with a ruby pendant to it. It was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. The precious stone sparkled in the sun, encompassed by tiny golden leaves that formed its delicate setting. Gimli shyly opened her hand and laid the piece of jewellery inside of it. "This is a gem I found during my visit to the Glittering Caves. It reminded me of your fiery spirit, because it equalled its wild and untamed nature. I wanted you to have it."
A beautiful smile lit up Selina's face and she kissed her friend on the cheek affectionately, "This is the most beautiful present I have ever received. Thank you so much, Gimli."
The dwarf rubbed his head nervously. "Well, I had a lot of time on my hands in the last few days and I had to keep myself busy somehow..," he trailed of, mumbling incoherent things into his beard.
"Maybe, we should leave now. Selina will surely need some rest, because she is still weakened by her injuries," Aragorn announced and was about to usher everybody, including a grudgingly obeying Legolas, outside the room.
Selina dreaded the idea of being alone. Then she would have to face her demons, sort out the turmoil of emotions raging inside of her. "Wait!", she exclaimed, her voice sounding almost desperate.
Her friends didn't notice anything unusual about her behaviour. They were just happy that she desired to stay in their company a little longer and did not sent them away after they spent four endless days in agonising uncertainty about the fact whether she would survive or not. Only Legolas began to become suspicious. A shadow flitted over his fair face, as he briefly wondered why he felt like something wasn't alright with her.
