Emotion Sickness
That night was the longest night Lauren had ever experienced. In the night, the orcs were quick and quiet on the small road, while Lauren staggered and tripped amongst them through the darkness.
"Legolas, I don't get it. They've led me in the forest again!"
"What? No, that can't be! I thought the orcs were driven out!"
"Well, I know this is Mirkwood. Please find me."
"You won't have to worry," Legolas said. "I'm not stopping till I find you."
Lauren coughed and sputtered when they finally came to a stop. She was soaked with sweat, grime, and her shirt was covered with whatever she had last eaten. They had made her run even though she was dehydrated. "Now, we will hide in this cave and sleep through the day! By next nightfall, we shall be with the rest!"
Lauren wondered what the orc chief meant when he said 'the rest', but she guessed it was another small orc group like this one, hopelessly wandering the forest. The orc chief grabbed her arm and steered her into the cave, but before they were in complete darkness, she caught a glimpse of a gold amulet hanging around a gold chain on the chief's neck. It was the amulet of Orodmir!
If she could only get it, her biggest problem would be over. If only she could just grab it, blow on it, and blast the orcs to pieces! But she was trapped with the beasts. A few other times, the chief had killed the weakest orc to eat, but what looked just as worse was the old meat they carried and gnawed on occasionally. It had a horrible reek and was rotten to the bone.
A few more days went by. With every day, it seemed that more orcs joined the group, until there was at least a hundred. Things were getting worse and the chief was having trouble dealing with all of them and their demands and complaints. So the heads still rolled, most of the remaining orcs stayed thick and well fed, where as Lauren was getting pale from the lack of light and the unbearable smells.
But not only that, the orcs were making her physically sick. She wouldn't eat any of the orc's meat and even if she would, it could only make things worse. She did have a few pieces of bread, but now the only bread left was stale and blue with mold. Within ten days, she had to be carried because the long runs were too hard for her.
The chief always took Lauren in her own spot away from the orcs and he guarded her. He didn't trust any anyone and especially didn't trust Lauren, but he still wasn't mean to her. Actually, she was the only one he talked to without yelling, but it hardly comforted her. The chief's desires were evil and Lauren knew he was lusting in his heart for her. She dreaded any sort of time where he could try something...like rape her. The thought scared her so she felt constantly afraid. She had read about orcs raping elves in some of Tolkein's writings.
Then another part of her couldn't believe he would do that. Yes, he was a cannibal, but he talked different from all the orcs. Normal.
"Eat," he said, tossing her some moldy bread.
Lauren lay down and ignored the piece of bread he had thrown. "EAT IT! You will die! You have been eating little this whole way."
"I can't eat," Lauren said softly. "I'll either die or get away. And I know I can't get away now. I have no strength. So I'll die. The sooner I can be free from orcs, one way or another, things will be fine."
The chief started cursing about something, but Lauren didn't care what he was saying. But then he got next to her and fell asleep. She couldn't smell the foul orcs any longer, but felt worse and worse all the time. There was an unbearable pain that made it hard for her to sleep.
"Legolas, I'm dying," Lauren said, but there was no answer. "Legolas? LEGOLAS?!"
"Lauren, is anything any better?" Legolas asked, but there was nothing. He called her over and over, feeling more frantic with every call. Only great sickness or death could stop the mind-link.
He, like her, was getting weak. He spent every night looking for her, whether on horseback or by Thorwen and through most of the day, he searched maps and looked for any signs of where the orcs could be. But it seemed that there were orc tracks everywhere, on every road and in every direction, and no sign of Lauren anywhere.
Legolas ran through the halls. Not long ago he had woken up from a catnap and he was going to grab a snack and leave again, when his father stopped him.
"Legolas, it is hopeless. I will not let you leave here again till you get over this obsession! You have a future ahead of you and I'm afraid it is without Lauren. We will have war again with the orcs and you must be at your full strength."
Legolas knew his father was right to some degree. He was the strongest, fastest of the warriors and was needed...but Lauren seemed so much more important than anything.
"I will leave one more time and if I don't find her this time, I will stop."
King Thranduil shook his head. He wasn't sure what to do. He knew his son's heart was breaking. "One more time..."
Lauren woke up shivering. It had gotten cold and she wasn't heavily dressed. She purposely showed signs that she was cold, but the orcs wouldn't give up any of their old tattered blankets. They'd be better than nothing!
Lauren stood when all of the orcs did. A large orc was appointed to carry Lauren that night, so like every night, she was slung over an orc's shoulder. Something about this night...she felt as if the end was near. Before she had been scared of death, but she couldn't wait for her gnawing pain to be over at last.
That cold, dark night Legolas road aimlessly through the forest and on the roads. He'd given up hope with maps! He continually called Lauren's name in his mind and occasionally out loud, but he heard nothing in return...
Lauren was drifting in and out of consciousness. She was being bounced around harder than ever. She had never seen the orcs run so fast. They acted as if something was coming after them!
Finally, Lauren fully woke up. She heard a few breathless words in the group: elf, horse, gaining.
'Legolas?' Lauren wondered. 'Could it be?'
"LAUREN!!!" she heard her name being called by Legolas himself! His voice echoed through the cold night.
"LEGOLAS!!" Lauren screamed back. The orc chief turned to look at her, his eyes glowing a fiery red. Lauren had never seen him this angry towards her. "Take them down the road!" the chief ordered. "I will hide her and catch up with you back at the next stopping point!"
"LEGOLAS!!!" Lauren screamed again.
"I'm coming!" Legolas yelled.
"They're taking me a..." just then the chief hit her face and she felt as if her head was being knocked off. She couldn't scream at all, but fell limply and with a thud hit the ground.
The chief grabbed her shoulders and was prepared to pull her and hide her off the road...but it would be better if he left her. He couldn't decide, but the sound of hooves was drawing nearer. From the beginning he had lusted over Lauren, but now she looked half as bad as an orc! She was skinny, scrawny, raddy, and filthy. There was nothing to want any more or lust after, so the chief ran quickly after the group of orcs, leaving Lauren behind.
Lauren awoke with elves above her. She recognized the elf-doctor that had cared for her before. Then she saw Legolas and actually laughed. Tears streamed from her eyes. "Legolas!"
He kissed her wet cheek and smiled at her. "Shhh, crying and laughing can be for later. But now you must sleep," he said, then frowned. "You cannot walk and until you can, you must stay here."
"What's wrong with me, doctor? Will I be okay?"
"You've had stomach worms, viruses, colds, flu's and many other things I can't bear to tell you. You must sleep. You have been asleep for days and you're healing very quickly, but you must sleep more."
Lauren was grossed out beyond imaginable! Worms?
"Legolas, you'll be here when I wake up?"
Legolas smiled and stroked Lauren's face. "Would I leave you at all?"
The doctor looked on and grinned. "Legolas has hardly left your side since he brought you here." He then slipped away to give them some privacy.
Lauren smiled too. "No wonder why I love you so much, wonder-boy. Your perfect."
Legolas laughed. "Hardly! I was just told once: if you yearn for something, fight for it."
"And you yearned for...me?"
"With all of my heart," Legolas said and kissed her.
God that was so lame...
But will Lauren ever get her amulet back? When will she be going home? And if she does go home will that break Legolas's heart forever?
Dun, dun, dun! Wait and see youngin's! :)
Brilaglar
That night was the longest night Lauren had ever experienced. In the night, the orcs were quick and quiet on the small road, while Lauren staggered and tripped amongst them through the darkness.
"Legolas, I don't get it. They've led me in the forest again!"
"What? No, that can't be! I thought the orcs were driven out!"
"Well, I know this is Mirkwood. Please find me."
"You won't have to worry," Legolas said. "I'm not stopping till I find you."
Lauren coughed and sputtered when they finally came to a stop. She was soaked with sweat, grime, and her shirt was covered with whatever she had last eaten. They had made her run even though she was dehydrated. "Now, we will hide in this cave and sleep through the day! By next nightfall, we shall be with the rest!"
Lauren wondered what the orc chief meant when he said 'the rest', but she guessed it was another small orc group like this one, hopelessly wandering the forest. The orc chief grabbed her arm and steered her into the cave, but before they were in complete darkness, she caught a glimpse of a gold amulet hanging around a gold chain on the chief's neck. It was the amulet of Orodmir!
If she could only get it, her biggest problem would be over. If only she could just grab it, blow on it, and blast the orcs to pieces! But she was trapped with the beasts. A few other times, the chief had killed the weakest orc to eat, but what looked just as worse was the old meat they carried and gnawed on occasionally. It had a horrible reek and was rotten to the bone.
A few more days went by. With every day, it seemed that more orcs joined the group, until there was at least a hundred. Things were getting worse and the chief was having trouble dealing with all of them and their demands and complaints. So the heads still rolled, most of the remaining orcs stayed thick and well fed, where as Lauren was getting pale from the lack of light and the unbearable smells.
But not only that, the orcs were making her physically sick. She wouldn't eat any of the orc's meat and even if she would, it could only make things worse. She did have a few pieces of bread, but now the only bread left was stale and blue with mold. Within ten days, she had to be carried because the long runs were too hard for her.
The chief always took Lauren in her own spot away from the orcs and he guarded her. He didn't trust any anyone and especially didn't trust Lauren, but he still wasn't mean to her. Actually, she was the only one he talked to without yelling, but it hardly comforted her. The chief's desires were evil and Lauren knew he was lusting in his heart for her. She dreaded any sort of time where he could try something...like rape her. The thought scared her so she felt constantly afraid. She had read about orcs raping elves in some of Tolkein's writings.
Then another part of her couldn't believe he would do that. Yes, he was a cannibal, but he talked different from all the orcs. Normal.
"Eat," he said, tossing her some moldy bread.
Lauren lay down and ignored the piece of bread he had thrown. "EAT IT! You will die! You have been eating little this whole way."
"I can't eat," Lauren said softly. "I'll either die or get away. And I know I can't get away now. I have no strength. So I'll die. The sooner I can be free from orcs, one way or another, things will be fine."
The chief started cursing about something, but Lauren didn't care what he was saying. But then he got next to her and fell asleep. She couldn't smell the foul orcs any longer, but felt worse and worse all the time. There was an unbearable pain that made it hard for her to sleep.
"Legolas, I'm dying," Lauren said, but there was no answer. "Legolas? LEGOLAS?!"
"Lauren, is anything any better?" Legolas asked, but there was nothing. He called her over and over, feeling more frantic with every call. Only great sickness or death could stop the mind-link.
He, like her, was getting weak. He spent every night looking for her, whether on horseback or by Thorwen and through most of the day, he searched maps and looked for any signs of where the orcs could be. But it seemed that there were orc tracks everywhere, on every road and in every direction, and no sign of Lauren anywhere.
Legolas ran through the halls. Not long ago he had woken up from a catnap and he was going to grab a snack and leave again, when his father stopped him.
"Legolas, it is hopeless. I will not let you leave here again till you get over this obsession! You have a future ahead of you and I'm afraid it is without Lauren. We will have war again with the orcs and you must be at your full strength."
Legolas knew his father was right to some degree. He was the strongest, fastest of the warriors and was needed...but Lauren seemed so much more important than anything.
"I will leave one more time and if I don't find her this time, I will stop."
King Thranduil shook his head. He wasn't sure what to do. He knew his son's heart was breaking. "One more time..."
Lauren woke up shivering. It had gotten cold and she wasn't heavily dressed. She purposely showed signs that she was cold, but the orcs wouldn't give up any of their old tattered blankets. They'd be better than nothing!
Lauren stood when all of the orcs did. A large orc was appointed to carry Lauren that night, so like every night, she was slung over an orc's shoulder. Something about this night...she felt as if the end was near. Before she had been scared of death, but she couldn't wait for her gnawing pain to be over at last.
That cold, dark night Legolas road aimlessly through the forest and on the roads. He'd given up hope with maps! He continually called Lauren's name in his mind and occasionally out loud, but he heard nothing in return...
Lauren was drifting in and out of consciousness. She was being bounced around harder than ever. She had never seen the orcs run so fast. They acted as if something was coming after them!
Finally, Lauren fully woke up. She heard a few breathless words in the group: elf, horse, gaining.
'Legolas?' Lauren wondered. 'Could it be?'
"LAUREN!!!" she heard her name being called by Legolas himself! His voice echoed through the cold night.
"LEGOLAS!!" Lauren screamed back. The orc chief turned to look at her, his eyes glowing a fiery red. Lauren had never seen him this angry towards her. "Take them down the road!" the chief ordered. "I will hide her and catch up with you back at the next stopping point!"
"LEGOLAS!!!" Lauren screamed again.
"I'm coming!" Legolas yelled.
"They're taking me a..." just then the chief hit her face and she felt as if her head was being knocked off. She couldn't scream at all, but fell limply and with a thud hit the ground.
The chief grabbed her shoulders and was prepared to pull her and hide her off the road...but it would be better if he left her. He couldn't decide, but the sound of hooves was drawing nearer. From the beginning he had lusted over Lauren, but now she looked half as bad as an orc! She was skinny, scrawny, raddy, and filthy. There was nothing to want any more or lust after, so the chief ran quickly after the group of orcs, leaving Lauren behind.
Lauren awoke with elves above her. She recognized the elf-doctor that had cared for her before. Then she saw Legolas and actually laughed. Tears streamed from her eyes. "Legolas!"
He kissed her wet cheek and smiled at her. "Shhh, crying and laughing can be for later. But now you must sleep," he said, then frowned. "You cannot walk and until you can, you must stay here."
"What's wrong with me, doctor? Will I be okay?"
"You've had stomach worms, viruses, colds, flu's and many other things I can't bear to tell you. You must sleep. You have been asleep for days and you're healing very quickly, but you must sleep more."
Lauren was grossed out beyond imaginable! Worms?
"Legolas, you'll be here when I wake up?"
Legolas smiled and stroked Lauren's face. "Would I leave you at all?"
The doctor looked on and grinned. "Legolas has hardly left your side since he brought you here." He then slipped away to give them some privacy.
Lauren smiled too. "No wonder why I love you so much, wonder-boy. Your perfect."
Legolas laughed. "Hardly! I was just told once: if you yearn for something, fight for it."
"And you yearned for...me?"
"With all of my heart," Legolas said and kissed her.
God that was so lame...
But will Lauren ever get her amulet back? When will she be going home? And if she does go home will that break Legolas's heart forever?
Dun, dun, dun! Wait and see youngin's! :)
Brilaglar