Disclaimer: You know the story, Tolkien owns … (see previous chapters).

Author's Note: *This chapter is specially dedicated to my very good friend Shrike. GIRL!!! YOU'LL SEE WHAT I MEAN MAINLY WHEN YOU GET TO THE END OF THIS CHAPTER.

*Hope you all guys enjoy it

*Please, read and REVIEWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chapter 8

Legolas could not believe his eyes. He felt cheated by some evil spell, though his hope never withered in his heart. His very soul was parted by two disorienting opposite feelings: disbelief and faith.

She was alive. How could that be possible?. His elven eyes had captured the end of the torture that the beast had performed on Gwirith's body. He pretty much witnessed her death.

-This could not be happening. Grace the Valar!- uttered Legolas first relentless and doubtful, but filled with joy once he realized it was real.

Somehow, as if a new devilry had fell upon their shoulders, her eyes she was forced to close.

Legolas had to witness how she seemed to fall in the arms of solitude and darkness for the second time. Not willingly to letting her slip out of his life that easily for he had many questions to realize, the prince of Mirkwood placed his fingertips against her cheeks. Those sides that framed her face had contained some warmth in them only moments ago, a temperature that now seemed long forgotten by her skin . It felt cold to the touch, as if winter decided to reside permanently in the human whereabouts.

Shivers trickled down his spine like silver raindrops in a slippery surface.

-She had received the fatal kiss of Lady Death. How can this be possible?.- he thought, for he could not conceive the idea of such beauty leaving Middle Earth when her time most certainly had not come.- To my mind, she had still some life in her being, perhaps in the depth of her soul. She has to have it. My task has to reach an end but not this one.

To the human eyes her life had perished, redeeming itself to the endless void. To Legolas, hope was not an illusion. Rather, it was a solution to cling into.

The blonde elf was motionless, speechless. He intently observed her from head to toes and was instantly bewitched by her fair features. She reminded him of the mental image he had portrayed in his mind about the Lady Niniel, or also named Nienor.- a little bit of story interrelated to Gwirith.

-Special is this she-human; hence, her end must not have come. This I cannot fathom.- Legolas stated and stared at her for what seemed ages.- Why did I receive those striking portents about your being if this was meant to happen, if it meant to end with your passing?. These happenings are not as they should be. You have to live. There are so many queries I request to have an answer to. Awake from the dark places that haunt you!. Awake to life!- said Legolas seizing her by her shoulders, disturbing the rightness of her entire being. Perceiving that no changes were produced by this intent of resurrection, Legolas closed his eyes and brought her still body closer against his chest. Once he embraced her, as if to rest in his arms was his main purpose, his mouth produced a few lays of yore in the Sindarin tongue. The first of the lays referred to the story of all the Aftercamers, those creatures that Iluvatar provided with the gift of Death, those of Mortal kind that were meant to live and not being able to unforeseen it were given the kiss of Death. The lay also described how much sadness this occurrence evoked in the Elves that were closed to them or those Children of Iluvatar that had feelings for the dying mortals.

Unexpectedly, Gwirith opened her eyes for a third and last time and performed this action as wide as the Anduin River, and inhaled so loudly and deeply to compensate for all the oxygen she was not allowed to receive from the moment the beast snatched his earthly existence. Life was provided to her by the warmth of Legolas.

Surprise was in her eyes. Astonishment and confusion were in his. He was lost for words. He was not able to grasp the thought of her being genuinely alive. Though, he could not be in a merrier mood.

-'Twas no mere dream.- he uttered contentedly while a smirk was protruding in the corners of his elven lips.

-The fair creature from my sleeping vision!- said Gwirith to Legolas, who still was not able to trust what his elven eyes were informing the prince.

-Life is again residing in your body. Glad indeed I am - Legolas continued to mutter in amazement.

- Deceiving are your words to me; hence, I shall not believe in them. You were the one to ravish the life of the dolphin!. How can such a fair being be so full of cruelty and malice?.- she wondered, suspecting the living creature before her.

-Nay! I am not. I am the one you, my Lady, blame unjustly. However, what is of relevance at present is that you are alive. Praise the Valar!- he answered. Instinctively, the blonde elf hold her close to his torso anew.

-Do not touch me!- she yelled trying to break free, to unbound herself from his grasp.

She pushed herself away from the embrace of Legolas but as she had no strength yet and was not fully recovered, she fell unconscious. Despair was abiding in his soul one more time. Therefore, fathoming any fast solution, he tried to give her his warm air, so as to bring the life back into her being. The chiefly reason being the recurring sensation of a winter cold onto her limbs.

-I have to keep the warmth temperature in your body. How in the Iluvatar's name shall I do so?.- inquired Legolas to his surroundings. Concerned had become his look now.

Legolas was trying his best to work out a swift solution to this new predicament. He could not allow himself to let her go again. Not this time.

Hence, he proceeded to practice his short knowledge about the elvish techniques of healing. The first and foremost measure to take was to lay her body down in a full horizontal position. And that was what he did.

Then, the elf rubbed her arms and legs, and continued to chaff her delicate hands. Furthermore, he tried to bring life to her body by giving his warm air afresh. Her lips tasted like bits of frozen mint, her moisture tasted like condensed snowflakes . Since all his attempts seemed not to be enough, he produced from a little bag he carried not only a bottle of elvish medicine, which he made her drink it, but also his elvish cloak, which he threw over her. He needed to cover her entirely and maintained whatever warmness resided in her still.

However, there was still nothing. No response from the she-human. Her body still conveyed that image of spiritless. As a final effort, he enclosed his warm body as if surrounding, almost invading hers in order to rescue her from the senseless world. He reproached himself: This life was too precious to be spent.

Suddenly, the sound of birds in the surroundings faltered.

He was drawn to look in that direct. Silence.

A few instants later, he heard some queer noises approaching.

Another form of life was watching them. These living creature was observing every step they had made since the gate that connected the Underground with the Surface World.

-I must not linger here long. Even though it is a safe place for me, these woods are not safe for her.- he uttered to himself. - Probably a new devilry was brewing not far from whence we laid. Therefore, we should hurry.-

Alert his stance was now, his body growing in full stature as he rose to his feet, ever watchful and not taking a single movement or noise for granted.

He saw afar off.

However, Legolas elf' s eyes could not perceive the imminent danger gathering near them.

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Meanwhile, some moments ago …

-The deceased matron, Elvanshalee, ruler of the Underground lies here.-read the grave.

-She deserved an honourable entombment.- said Binshalee, the matron's heir with anger in her voice.- Revenge is our main, and perhaps, last aim as a community. We, dark elves, shall revenge this incredible loss that touches us very closely. She was a great leader, I shall merely attempt to accomplish her wishes and be as a majestic ruler as she had become over the passing of entire earth cycles. I, Binshalee, as the heir to the throne, shall take this matter into my own hands and those mortal surface animals shall receive what they deserve. They shall hear our anger, shall fear our wrath. This means WAR to the surface imbeciles abiding the sphere of Middle Earth. TO WARRR!!!!!!- yelled the new matron, encouraging her audience: the best army the Underground had ever assembled and witnessed in earth cycles.

-Those arrogant Silvan elves with their stupid peacefulness will taste our wrath, will taste the rage of our people. And when our fists enclose their thin necks, they shall pray to Iluvatar and ask for redemption, beg for their pathetic lives and wish for Mandos to call their names- said the chief commander of the dark elves' army, who was non other than Belgos, the protector of the new matron, Binshalee.

Belgos and Binshalee had been lovers for a long time now, and she always had him if she ever inherited the throne.

Now, they were enjoying the bittersweet pleasures of life.

After they had sex, since that was her will, they were conversing.

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~*Gwirith's POV*~

My body was light as a feature, so light I felt like flying.

For a moment, it seemed as if I was flouting through the confines of a land vaster than Arda itself.

Then cold. One more time, that freezing sensation immobilized my every extremity of my skin. That coldness remained until all of a sudden a warm liquid entity was perceived burning down my throat and captured by skin.

Ere long, my body started to react to the warmth, no matter whence it proceeded from.

I could feel my nipples harden to that cold-warm chemical mixture.

I could smell something. A scent. A wild scent as of chestnuts and mint.

Thence, a cold liquefied sensation wetted my lips and I saw a light …

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~*Legolas POV*~

Once I got down on my knees to check on the mortal's condition, I realized that she was not cold to the touch any longer.

However, what dazzled my eyes was to witness how the peaks of her womanhood arouse as to confront the chilly atmosphere that surrounded both of us.

My eyes widen as did hers.

My mind was about to enter in a trance but a raindrop prevented it to happen.

A storm was breaking above our very heads.

I looked down on her again, and I caught her looking back at me. Her glance seemed confused, as if obscure thoughts were dancing through her mind. But an army of needled-like raindrops brought us back to Middle Earth, and I noticed that her and I rose our heads and elevated our eyes to the sky, confronting with our bare faces the watery attack.

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The rain fell for several moments, flooding every single corner of the forest.

Legolas and Gwirith appreciated that natural phenomenon with their five senses as if trying to find peace to their minds and leave all worries that were tormenting their spirits.

They just wanted to enjoy that magic instant when Heaven merged with the Earth.

To be continue …