Disclaimer: Don't own anything, except unknown characters.
Thanks for reviews. More. please..
Thanks so much annakas for being my beta. You are great!! I made some more modifications at your suggestion that I use names too often in my stories. I did change some stuff back though since that was more my style.
Thoughts denoted by .
This chapter is set at night a few hours after the last one. Sorry, it's kind of long.
Darius gets back into story! Yeah, I like Darius; he is funny. In case people are wondering, he is modeled off Sean Connery's character in highlander and Kenshin's master from the Rurouni Kenshin anime.
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Chapter 6: Come What May
The elves sat by the small fire in silence. The stranger had disappeared; given his wounds, all the elves, except for Elenor, were worried that ill had befallen him. Legolas couldn´t shake the feeling that they were being watched. He thought of the wounded defenseless stranger and his unease grew. "We must go look for him," Legolas stood up and said.
"Mirkwood is not what it once was, my prince. Dark creatures hide among the shadows of the forest. We must not risk our own safety for a man we scarcely know," Elenor countered, expecting his fellow guards to concur.
To his surprise, Lehnirer stood and spoke against him, "I disagree, Elenor. You are right to say that the forest is full of hidden dangers. That is precisely why we must find this stranger. Whoever he is, we will not abandon a man in need; our honor as elves forbids such a thing."
All the other elves were by now on their feet, prepared to head into the darkness of the forest to help the stranger.
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The feeble light of the waning moon could not penetrate the forest's gloom. The night was still, as the wind and trees listened in silent to the crickets' mournful song of loneliness and longing. A lone figure was hiding in the shadows, blending perfectly with the forest both in form and mind. He could not believe how close he had come to attacking the golden- haired elf earlier. ________________________________________________________________________
FLASHBACK:
Legolas was wandering alone. The other elf had not followed him, no doubt thinking to give his friend some privacy. Like a silent predator, Lucien followed Legolas deeper into the forest. When he was sure that they were alone and far from the others, he closed the distance between them. Now is the chance. I will have this elf, no matter what. Using his magic to conceal his presence, he moved into the shrubs behind the elf and prepared to pounce.
That was when the object of his desire saved him from making the worst mistake of his life. Legolas started to sing.
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place Suddenly you moved with such a perfect grace Suddenly my life doesn't seems such a waste With my arms around you There's no mountain too high, no river too wide Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side Storm clouds may gather; Stars may collide But I'll love you until the end of time...
Lucien did not stay to hear the rest of the song. He fled, as fast as his injured body would permit him. The pure golden voice had erased all jealously, rage and desire from his mind. Only pain remained, the pain of knowing the elf who brought him color and light loved another. ________________________________________________________________________
"You really need to put better safeguards around, you know," remarked a familiar voice, startling Lucien out of his reverie.
"What I do is none of your business, Darius. I am no longer your apprentice," Lucien snapped. Considering that Lazarus was probably still in the forest, he knew Darius was right; and the fact that Darius seemed to be always right annoyed him intensely.
"You are annoyed? Ah, I see. You have your feelings back . Not long ago, which explains your carelessness. But why are you alone? Where is your new lifemate? You are insufferable at times, but you cannot be so bad that she would leave you this soon."
The light-hearted banter elicited no response, save for a flicker of pain that Lucien quickly hid, but not quickly enough to escape Darius' notice.
"Tell me what is wrong, Lucien. I did not travel all this way just to get your world renowned silent treatment." Darius' playful tone could not hide his concern for his friend.
Lucien again made no answer. His suffering had become so great that Darius could feel it in the air around them. Before Darius could speak again, an elf appeared from behind a tree, bow in hand and arrow notched, aiming right at him.
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An irrational panic rose in Legolas as he felt the stranger's suffering. Before he knew it, he was shouting. "Get away from him. Now!! " Did I just shout? Why don't I do a song and dance while I'm at it; drawing my enemy's attention to me like that!
Darius' eyes darkened as he regarded the elf threatening him. How is it that I did not sense his approach at all? Even the most powerful of immortal high witches or dark sorcerers could not pass by him unnoticed, least say aim an arrow at him. Darius may be playful to his friends; but in battle, his skills were legendary. This elf injured his pride by sneaking up on him. As if to add insult to injury, the elf had the audacity to command him to move away from Lucien. The elf would pay for the insult with his life.
Lucien did not realize what Darius was doing until it was too late. His mentor was one of the very few witches who could cast spells without speaking, only by thinking the words in his mind. He barely had time to let out a strangled cry as wind formed giant blades in front of Darius' outstretched hand and raced towards his golden elf.
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On the sound of Lucien's cry, Legolas released his arrow; only to see it cut to shreds by blades of air. Now the same invisible knives rushed towards him. There were too many to dodge them all. If this is the end, he will face it proudly, standing his ground. Before the blades hit, pain exploded in his heart, soon followed by the sensation of a strange energy flowing through him. Suddenly, a blinding light surrounded him; at the edge of the light, the blades of wind dissipated harmlessly. He was saved. But his joy was short-lived as a sudden weariness overtook him, spiraling him into darkness.
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Darius could not believe the sequence of events that had just passed: Lucien warning the elf; the mysterious shield of light protecting the archer; and finally, Lucien rushing forward to gather the fallen elf into his arms.
"Please, Legolas, come back. Please, you are my light," Lucien sobbed, cradling the unconscious elf to his chest.
Lucien.shedding tears.now that was a sight that Darius never thought he would see in his life. Tonight is indeed a night of surprises; I think I will stay with them for a while. This will definitely be more interesting than council meetings.
When Darius had decided that his former apprentice had suffered quite enough, he spoke. "If you calm down, you will notice that the elf is still breathing. He is just exhausted from that outburst of power." When Lucien ignored him, Darius added, "You might consider loosening your embrace a little before you smother him. I will not take responsibility if that happens."
Darius' chuckles were met by an icy glare. "You.did.this. If anything happens to Legolas, I will NEVER forgive you," Lucien whispered in a deadly voice.
Darius responded with a laugh as he turned and walked away, into the forest. He knew the other elves were coming, having heard Lucien's cry. When his form was but a silhouette in the forest, he called back, "Nothing is going to happen to your precious Legolas, my friend." Feeling this opportunity to torment Lucien was too good to waste, he added meaningfully, "unless you wish to do something to him, of course."
He chuckled as he heard Lucien's soft curse. Scanning the area for Lazarus one last time, he headed towards the approaching elves. I guess I will have to make some new 'friends' and entertain myself with them while Lucien and Legolas get acquainted in private.
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Though unconscious, a soft glow emanated from Legolas, banishing darkness from the surrounding forest. The crickets were now silent, as if enchanted by the gentle rhythmic breathing of the golden elf. The wind moved gently to smooth the flowing hair of its beloved prince, muttering quiet apologies for its actions under the witch's spell. Lucien watched the prone elf lying peacefully in his arms; this golden one who seemed to bring light to all he encountered. At that moment, he realized it no longer mattered that Legolas may not be his lifemate or that his feelings would never be requited; he would protect the elven prince with his life.
"With the earth, the wind and the moon as my witness, I give this oath. If by my life or death, I can protect this being of light, I will." With that vow, Lucien lifted Legolas gently and moved to rejoin the others.
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It was dark in Legolas' dreams. Despite the darkness, he felt warm and comforted. He was singing in his dreams, the same song he sang earlier that night. Only now, he was no longer alone. A deep, husky voice has joined him in a duet: ".. Come what may, come what may. I will love you, until my dying day.."
************************************************************************
Yes. Song is from Moulin Rouge, which I am also slightly obsessed about =) And, Lucien's vow to Legolas is supposed to sound like Aragorn's in FOTR movie.
Please, please review.
Thanks for reviews. More. please..
Thanks so much annakas for being my beta. You are great!! I made some more modifications at your suggestion that I use names too often in my stories. I did change some stuff back though since that was more my style.
Thoughts denoted by .
This chapter is set at night a few hours after the last one. Sorry, it's kind of long.
Darius gets back into story! Yeah, I like Darius; he is funny. In case people are wondering, he is modeled off Sean Connery's character in highlander and Kenshin's master from the Rurouni Kenshin anime.
************************************************************************
Chapter 6: Come What May
The elves sat by the small fire in silence. The stranger had disappeared; given his wounds, all the elves, except for Elenor, were worried that ill had befallen him. Legolas couldn´t shake the feeling that they were being watched. He thought of the wounded defenseless stranger and his unease grew. "We must go look for him," Legolas stood up and said.
"Mirkwood is not what it once was, my prince. Dark creatures hide among the shadows of the forest. We must not risk our own safety for a man we scarcely know," Elenor countered, expecting his fellow guards to concur.
To his surprise, Lehnirer stood and spoke against him, "I disagree, Elenor. You are right to say that the forest is full of hidden dangers. That is precisely why we must find this stranger. Whoever he is, we will not abandon a man in need; our honor as elves forbids such a thing."
All the other elves were by now on their feet, prepared to head into the darkness of the forest to help the stranger.
************************************************************************
The feeble light of the waning moon could not penetrate the forest's gloom. The night was still, as the wind and trees listened in silent to the crickets' mournful song of loneliness and longing. A lone figure was hiding in the shadows, blending perfectly with the forest both in form and mind. He could not believe how close he had come to attacking the golden- haired elf earlier. ________________________________________________________________________
FLASHBACK:
Legolas was wandering alone. The other elf had not followed him, no doubt thinking to give his friend some privacy. Like a silent predator, Lucien followed Legolas deeper into the forest. When he was sure that they were alone and far from the others, he closed the distance between them. Now is the chance. I will have this elf, no matter what. Using his magic to conceal his presence, he moved into the shrubs behind the elf and prepared to pounce.
That was when the object of his desire saved him from making the worst mistake of his life. Legolas started to sing.
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place Suddenly you moved with such a perfect grace Suddenly my life doesn't seems such a waste With my arms around you There's no mountain too high, no river too wide Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side Storm clouds may gather; Stars may collide But I'll love you until the end of time...
Lucien did not stay to hear the rest of the song. He fled, as fast as his injured body would permit him. The pure golden voice had erased all jealously, rage and desire from his mind. Only pain remained, the pain of knowing the elf who brought him color and light loved another. ________________________________________________________________________
"You really need to put better safeguards around, you know," remarked a familiar voice, startling Lucien out of his reverie.
"What I do is none of your business, Darius. I am no longer your apprentice," Lucien snapped. Considering that Lazarus was probably still in the forest, he knew Darius was right; and the fact that Darius seemed to be always right annoyed him intensely.
"You are annoyed? Ah, I see. You have your feelings back . Not long ago, which explains your carelessness. But why are you alone? Where is your new lifemate? You are insufferable at times, but you cannot be so bad that she would leave you this soon."
The light-hearted banter elicited no response, save for a flicker of pain that Lucien quickly hid, but not quickly enough to escape Darius' notice.
"Tell me what is wrong, Lucien. I did not travel all this way just to get your world renowned silent treatment." Darius' playful tone could not hide his concern for his friend.
Lucien again made no answer. His suffering had become so great that Darius could feel it in the air around them. Before Darius could speak again, an elf appeared from behind a tree, bow in hand and arrow notched, aiming right at him.
************************************************************************
An irrational panic rose in Legolas as he felt the stranger's suffering. Before he knew it, he was shouting. "Get away from him. Now!! " Did I just shout? Why don't I do a song and dance while I'm at it; drawing my enemy's attention to me like that!
Darius' eyes darkened as he regarded the elf threatening him. How is it that I did not sense his approach at all? Even the most powerful of immortal high witches or dark sorcerers could not pass by him unnoticed, least say aim an arrow at him. Darius may be playful to his friends; but in battle, his skills were legendary. This elf injured his pride by sneaking up on him. As if to add insult to injury, the elf had the audacity to command him to move away from Lucien. The elf would pay for the insult with his life.
Lucien did not realize what Darius was doing until it was too late. His mentor was one of the very few witches who could cast spells without speaking, only by thinking the words in his mind. He barely had time to let out a strangled cry as wind formed giant blades in front of Darius' outstretched hand and raced towards his golden elf.
************************************************************************
On the sound of Lucien's cry, Legolas released his arrow; only to see it cut to shreds by blades of air. Now the same invisible knives rushed towards him. There were too many to dodge them all. If this is the end, he will face it proudly, standing his ground. Before the blades hit, pain exploded in his heart, soon followed by the sensation of a strange energy flowing through him. Suddenly, a blinding light surrounded him; at the edge of the light, the blades of wind dissipated harmlessly. He was saved. But his joy was short-lived as a sudden weariness overtook him, spiraling him into darkness.
************************************************************************
Darius could not believe the sequence of events that had just passed: Lucien warning the elf; the mysterious shield of light protecting the archer; and finally, Lucien rushing forward to gather the fallen elf into his arms.
"Please, Legolas, come back. Please, you are my light," Lucien sobbed, cradling the unconscious elf to his chest.
Lucien.shedding tears.now that was a sight that Darius never thought he would see in his life. Tonight is indeed a night of surprises; I think I will stay with them for a while. This will definitely be more interesting than council meetings.
When Darius had decided that his former apprentice had suffered quite enough, he spoke. "If you calm down, you will notice that the elf is still breathing. He is just exhausted from that outburst of power." When Lucien ignored him, Darius added, "You might consider loosening your embrace a little before you smother him. I will not take responsibility if that happens."
Darius' chuckles were met by an icy glare. "You.did.this. If anything happens to Legolas, I will NEVER forgive you," Lucien whispered in a deadly voice.
Darius responded with a laugh as he turned and walked away, into the forest. He knew the other elves were coming, having heard Lucien's cry. When his form was but a silhouette in the forest, he called back, "Nothing is going to happen to your precious Legolas, my friend." Feeling this opportunity to torment Lucien was too good to waste, he added meaningfully, "unless you wish to do something to him, of course."
He chuckled as he heard Lucien's soft curse. Scanning the area for Lazarus one last time, he headed towards the approaching elves. I guess I will have to make some new 'friends' and entertain myself with them while Lucien and Legolas get acquainted in private.
************************************************************************
Though unconscious, a soft glow emanated from Legolas, banishing darkness from the surrounding forest. The crickets were now silent, as if enchanted by the gentle rhythmic breathing of the golden elf. The wind moved gently to smooth the flowing hair of its beloved prince, muttering quiet apologies for its actions under the witch's spell. Lucien watched the prone elf lying peacefully in his arms; this golden one who seemed to bring light to all he encountered. At that moment, he realized it no longer mattered that Legolas may not be his lifemate or that his feelings would never be requited; he would protect the elven prince with his life.
"With the earth, the wind and the moon as my witness, I give this oath. If by my life or death, I can protect this being of light, I will." With that vow, Lucien lifted Legolas gently and moved to rejoin the others.
************************************************************************
It was dark in Legolas' dreams. Despite the darkness, he felt warm and comforted. He was singing in his dreams, the same song he sang earlier that night. Only now, he was no longer alone. A deep, husky voice has joined him in a duet: ".. Come what may, come what may. I will love you, until my dying day.."
************************************************************************
Yes. Song is from Moulin Rouge, which I am also slightly obsessed about =) And, Lucien's vow to Legolas is supposed to sound like Aragorn's in FOTR movie.
Please, please review.