Author's Note: Hello once again!!! Like always, I love you guys soooo
much!!!! So, to show my affection, I have given you another speedy update!
Aint I nice? Alright then, I'll just let you all know now that I hope I
continue to surprise you with my little "plot twists". And what the hell
is up with Eirien and Legolas? Hmmm, I haven't the faintest idea..(evil
laughter). There also seems to be requests for more elf torture, so let's
just say that he aint out of the woods yet! And oh yeah, no I'm not
Tolkien yadda yadda, on with the story!!!
Chapter 20
"I will be found eventually," Eirien finally said, breaking the silence that had stretched to almost an hour. "My lord will be searching for me in the morning when I do not come to him and it will only be a matter of time before he thinks to look in here."
Legolas only looked at her unimpressed. "I know," he stated simply.
Eirien frowned, that was not the answer she wanted. "You will be punished much more severely than anything you have yet encountered," she warned.
Legolas nodded thoughtfully, "In all likelihood, yes."
Eirien suddenly leapt off of the bed, "Then just let me pass now. Save yourself the worry over your punishment and get it over with."
Legolas did not move, "I worry not for myself."
"You think only for yourself," Eirien spat out, "you and your father."
Legolas finally rose out of his seated position. Anger started to stir within him, he severely disliked the way she often regarded to his father. Loyalty was a delicate issue with him.
Eirien was slightly pleased when she saw him rise in anger. Finally he was starting to act in a way she could anticipate. She continued in goading him, "The elves are fading and your kind does nothing to help. Instead you let your forest fall and your people die. There is no more concern left in your hearts for Middle-Earth, as long as you still have the sea and the Grey Lands the actions here will not disturb you."
The anger continued to grow within Legolas, but confusion also rose to meet it. This was not some trick from the she-elf, Legolas could tell from her voice that she meant and believed in what she said. There had been much talk over the forests of Mirkwood from these people and Legolas was finally beginning to understand. It had to do with the growing threat of the shadow within it that they were referring to, but this concern did not make sense when dealing with Maeglin. Legolas had always encountered a different tone whenever Maeglin had spoken to him earlier over helping to save Mirkwood. He had other intentions, Legolas was sure. A new thought finally struck Legolas, was Maeglin deceiving his own people as well? It certainly would not be the first time.
"Why do you follow your lord?" Legolas suddenly asked just as Eirien looked as though she was getting ready to say something else.
She paused to regard the question for a moment. Legolas pressed the advantage of her momentary confusion, "If you know who he is then you know that he cannot be trusted."
Eirien's dark eyes flamed. Apparently loyalty was a delicate issue with her as well. "I trust him," she said, but Legolas detected the slightest quaver in her voice. He had struck a chord somewhere within her and he jumped on it.
"He is known for betraying his people," Legolas said quietly, starting to press closer towards her, crowding her. "What makes you think this time will be any different?"
Eirien stood her ground and held her chin up defiantly. Her words were hissed through her teeth, "He is not the same. He only wishes to restore Greenwood the Great and help our kind. He is not one to let the matters of Middle-Earth deteriorate past the point of any help."
"No," Legolas stopped only inches from her, "he is not one to let the matters go. He wants an active part in it. You said it yourself before, what is the use of having a throne that does not even exist?"
Her fist crashed into Legolas' jaw. It hurt, and his head was forced to the side from the impact, but it had hardly been unexpected. Legolas straightened up and caught her with a blow of his own. The she-elf swayed with the impact but she grit her teeth and launched herself straight at Legolas' mid-section. They collided and both tumbled down into a painful pile. The she-elf struggled but Legolas quickly rolled and pinned her down, straddling her and holding her arms down.
Eirien was down but now yet beaten and she tore one of her arms out of his grasp. She clawed at his face and when Legolas raised a hand to protect himself she arched her back and threw her weight to the side. Legolas fell aside and was trying to gain his feet when the she-elf tackled him forcefully. Legolas was surprised when she went immediately for his left hand, gripping the hidden knife and yanking it away. He had little time to spend pondering on how she had known it was there before being forced to jerk to the right to avoid a downward slash from her with the knife.
As much as Legolas tried to avoid it, the knife caught his forearm and ripped a line in his clothing as well as the skin beneath it. The wound burned as blood began to pour forth but Legolas paid no heed to it. He swept out with his legs, catching the she-elf from where she had raised herself onto her knees and knocking her to the side. She hit the floor hard and the knife bounced out of her grip. Legolas had it within a second and raised it uncertainly. He still could not bring himself to use it against her, it went against everything he stood for. He had a small flash from their very first fight when he had used a dagger on her, but that had been before he had known she was an elf and female.
Despite his own moral conflicts, it was plain to Legolas that she had no qualms over using it so he instead threw it as hard as he could over to the far wall. The knife bit into the stone wall and imbedded the tip of itself into the wall. The wall was too strong to have the knife pass most of the way through as Legolas had hoped, but this way it was at least out of immediate reach and Legolas should be able to stop the she-elf before she got ahold of it again.
Legolas was distracted from the knife when a forceful blow caught him across the chest. He fell back but instinctively rolled as Eirien advanced on him, stomping the floor hard where his head had been a moment before. Legolas sprang to his feet and caught her leg as she aimed a kick at his middle. Immediately Legolas twisted her foot, throwing her off-balance and back down to the floor. He did not advance on her and watched when she was back on her feet in no time, but she now hobbled uncertainly on one foot.
A deep instinct he was beginning to resent caused him to step forward when he saw her standing unsteadily. Legolas stopped himself immediately, marveling momentarily at how gentlemanly instinct could very well get him killed, but he had gotten close enough. The she-elf threw all of her weight behind a blow aimed directly to the soft spot underneath his chin. She hit the mark accurately and Legolas' vision blurred dangerously as his head snapped back. He staggered for footing and it was in that time that he felt rather than saw the she-elf run past him. He heard the door being pulled open and then just as quickly be slammed shut once again. The sound of the lock was quite audible this time, but the thought seemed irrelevant to him at the time as his body gave out on him and the room went black.
Legolas woke in a matter of minutes. The blow had not been enough to put him out for a significant amount of time, but he knew that his neck and jaw would be sore for quite some time.
Legolas stood, cursing the she-elf and himself. He blamed her escape on the instincts that had been long instilled inside of him to be ever helpful to females of the species. He decided that if he did ever become king he would immediately get rid of the notion that males were supposed to protect females. Obviously they could do so themselves. Or so went the idle thoughts of a male's wounded pride.
Legolas' attention was diverted from his chin when the wound in his arm flared. He glanced down, even in the dim lighting he could make out a very dark stain that had spread across most of his sleeve. The arm of the tunic now hung in tatters, exposing the torn flesh beneath it. Deciding it was no good anymore anyway, Legolas ripped off the whole of the sleeve and then wrapped it around his arm. Tying it off took some time as he was working one-handed, but he managed it after a short struggle.
When he was done with that Legolas looked at of the small window. No light was filtering through the dense trees, but the atmosphere was not quite as oppressive. Morning would be here soon. And Legolas knew what would happen then. He would be getting a visit from Maeglin. He could only hope that he would not end up inadvertently betraying Glorfindel. Whatever Glorfindel was planning, Legolas was only sure that it would be shot as soon as his true intentions were revealed.
Legolas knew that once all of this was over, he himself would most likely be dead. As soon as he filled out whatever role Maeglin had planned for him he would be expendable. Legolas was aware of this, and though it tore at his heart that he would never be able to enjoy the beauties of Middle-Earth during a leisurely time again, the only hope that guided him was that Mirkwood and its people would not fall into Maeglin's twisted hands. Glorfindel seemed to be the only hope for this, for it took an elf lord of great power to match another. Legolas was fairly certain that even his own father, as experienced and powerful as he was, would not be a match for Maeglin. No, Glorfindel was the only one, and the thought that Legolas would be the one to single-handedly destroy Glorfindel's cover was almost too much to bear.
Chapter 20
"I will be found eventually," Eirien finally said, breaking the silence that had stretched to almost an hour. "My lord will be searching for me in the morning when I do not come to him and it will only be a matter of time before he thinks to look in here."
Legolas only looked at her unimpressed. "I know," he stated simply.
Eirien frowned, that was not the answer she wanted. "You will be punished much more severely than anything you have yet encountered," she warned.
Legolas nodded thoughtfully, "In all likelihood, yes."
Eirien suddenly leapt off of the bed, "Then just let me pass now. Save yourself the worry over your punishment and get it over with."
Legolas did not move, "I worry not for myself."
"You think only for yourself," Eirien spat out, "you and your father."
Legolas finally rose out of his seated position. Anger started to stir within him, he severely disliked the way she often regarded to his father. Loyalty was a delicate issue with him.
Eirien was slightly pleased when she saw him rise in anger. Finally he was starting to act in a way she could anticipate. She continued in goading him, "The elves are fading and your kind does nothing to help. Instead you let your forest fall and your people die. There is no more concern left in your hearts for Middle-Earth, as long as you still have the sea and the Grey Lands the actions here will not disturb you."
The anger continued to grow within Legolas, but confusion also rose to meet it. This was not some trick from the she-elf, Legolas could tell from her voice that she meant and believed in what she said. There had been much talk over the forests of Mirkwood from these people and Legolas was finally beginning to understand. It had to do with the growing threat of the shadow within it that they were referring to, but this concern did not make sense when dealing with Maeglin. Legolas had always encountered a different tone whenever Maeglin had spoken to him earlier over helping to save Mirkwood. He had other intentions, Legolas was sure. A new thought finally struck Legolas, was Maeglin deceiving his own people as well? It certainly would not be the first time.
"Why do you follow your lord?" Legolas suddenly asked just as Eirien looked as though she was getting ready to say something else.
She paused to regard the question for a moment. Legolas pressed the advantage of her momentary confusion, "If you know who he is then you know that he cannot be trusted."
Eirien's dark eyes flamed. Apparently loyalty was a delicate issue with her as well. "I trust him," she said, but Legolas detected the slightest quaver in her voice. He had struck a chord somewhere within her and he jumped on it.
"He is known for betraying his people," Legolas said quietly, starting to press closer towards her, crowding her. "What makes you think this time will be any different?"
Eirien stood her ground and held her chin up defiantly. Her words were hissed through her teeth, "He is not the same. He only wishes to restore Greenwood the Great and help our kind. He is not one to let the matters of Middle-Earth deteriorate past the point of any help."
"No," Legolas stopped only inches from her, "he is not one to let the matters go. He wants an active part in it. You said it yourself before, what is the use of having a throne that does not even exist?"
Her fist crashed into Legolas' jaw. It hurt, and his head was forced to the side from the impact, but it had hardly been unexpected. Legolas straightened up and caught her with a blow of his own. The she-elf swayed with the impact but she grit her teeth and launched herself straight at Legolas' mid-section. They collided and both tumbled down into a painful pile. The she-elf struggled but Legolas quickly rolled and pinned her down, straddling her and holding her arms down.
Eirien was down but now yet beaten and she tore one of her arms out of his grasp. She clawed at his face and when Legolas raised a hand to protect himself she arched her back and threw her weight to the side. Legolas fell aside and was trying to gain his feet when the she-elf tackled him forcefully. Legolas was surprised when she went immediately for his left hand, gripping the hidden knife and yanking it away. He had little time to spend pondering on how she had known it was there before being forced to jerk to the right to avoid a downward slash from her with the knife.
As much as Legolas tried to avoid it, the knife caught his forearm and ripped a line in his clothing as well as the skin beneath it. The wound burned as blood began to pour forth but Legolas paid no heed to it. He swept out with his legs, catching the she-elf from where she had raised herself onto her knees and knocking her to the side. She hit the floor hard and the knife bounced out of her grip. Legolas had it within a second and raised it uncertainly. He still could not bring himself to use it against her, it went against everything he stood for. He had a small flash from their very first fight when he had used a dagger on her, but that had been before he had known she was an elf and female.
Despite his own moral conflicts, it was plain to Legolas that she had no qualms over using it so he instead threw it as hard as he could over to the far wall. The knife bit into the stone wall and imbedded the tip of itself into the wall. The wall was too strong to have the knife pass most of the way through as Legolas had hoped, but this way it was at least out of immediate reach and Legolas should be able to stop the she-elf before she got ahold of it again.
Legolas was distracted from the knife when a forceful blow caught him across the chest. He fell back but instinctively rolled as Eirien advanced on him, stomping the floor hard where his head had been a moment before. Legolas sprang to his feet and caught her leg as she aimed a kick at his middle. Immediately Legolas twisted her foot, throwing her off-balance and back down to the floor. He did not advance on her and watched when she was back on her feet in no time, but she now hobbled uncertainly on one foot.
A deep instinct he was beginning to resent caused him to step forward when he saw her standing unsteadily. Legolas stopped himself immediately, marveling momentarily at how gentlemanly instinct could very well get him killed, but he had gotten close enough. The she-elf threw all of her weight behind a blow aimed directly to the soft spot underneath his chin. She hit the mark accurately and Legolas' vision blurred dangerously as his head snapped back. He staggered for footing and it was in that time that he felt rather than saw the she-elf run past him. He heard the door being pulled open and then just as quickly be slammed shut once again. The sound of the lock was quite audible this time, but the thought seemed irrelevant to him at the time as his body gave out on him and the room went black.
Legolas woke in a matter of minutes. The blow had not been enough to put him out for a significant amount of time, but he knew that his neck and jaw would be sore for quite some time.
Legolas stood, cursing the she-elf and himself. He blamed her escape on the instincts that had been long instilled inside of him to be ever helpful to females of the species. He decided that if he did ever become king he would immediately get rid of the notion that males were supposed to protect females. Obviously they could do so themselves. Or so went the idle thoughts of a male's wounded pride.
Legolas' attention was diverted from his chin when the wound in his arm flared. He glanced down, even in the dim lighting he could make out a very dark stain that had spread across most of his sleeve. The arm of the tunic now hung in tatters, exposing the torn flesh beneath it. Deciding it was no good anymore anyway, Legolas ripped off the whole of the sleeve and then wrapped it around his arm. Tying it off took some time as he was working one-handed, but he managed it after a short struggle.
When he was done with that Legolas looked at of the small window. No light was filtering through the dense trees, but the atmosphere was not quite as oppressive. Morning would be here soon. And Legolas knew what would happen then. He would be getting a visit from Maeglin. He could only hope that he would not end up inadvertently betraying Glorfindel. Whatever Glorfindel was planning, Legolas was only sure that it would be shot as soon as his true intentions were revealed.
Legolas knew that once all of this was over, he himself would most likely be dead. As soon as he filled out whatever role Maeglin had planned for him he would be expendable. Legolas was aware of this, and though it tore at his heart that he would never be able to enjoy the beauties of Middle-Earth during a leisurely time again, the only hope that guided him was that Mirkwood and its people would not fall into Maeglin's twisted hands. Glorfindel seemed to be the only hope for this, for it took an elf lord of great power to match another. Legolas was fairly certain that even his own father, as experienced and powerful as he was, would not be a match for Maeglin. No, Glorfindel was the only one, and the thought that Legolas would be the one to single-handedly destroy Glorfindel's cover was almost too much to bear.