While Embyr was resting, Legolas and Haldir agreed that it would be best to get the girl to a healer as soon as possible. Her ankle was still swollen and the gash on her arm had turned a sickly purple. As a result, Embyr had lost much of her good humor.
After the girl had rested a few hours, the Elves decided it was time to press on. Hopefully, they would reach the borders of Mirkwood in a week's time.
"Embyr, you must wake," Legolas said as he shook the girl, rousing her from her sleep. "We're to take you to Mirkwood, my home. The healers there will be able to help you."
"Mirkwood…" Embyr blinked a few times to clear her head. "No, I need to find my friends… my people." As Legolas began shaking his head, Embyr continued to protest. "They're counting on me. Can't you understand that? They… they could be hurt."
"You are the one who is injured, Embyr. After you've been healed, perhaps – "
"You don't understand!" Unshed tears glistened in Embyr's eyes as she continued to argue, cutting Legolas off. "I told them I'd come for them, and so I shall!" With that, the girl pushed off of the forest floor and stood. She had time to grab at a tree trunk before she lost her balance. A feeling of vertigo overtook her as she fell, and she closed her eyes, waiting for the hard forest floor to once again caress her broken body. A touch that never came. Embyr felt herself rising, instead of falling. A warm heartbeat against her ear, Embyr felt herself being wrapped in a comforting embrace. She opened one eye, finding herself a good five feet above the forest floor. She murmured something unintelligible.
"Be silent, Embyr. A struggle will not prevail, with you in the condition you're in." Legolas tightened his grasp on her as Haldir began to pack up the camp.
The girl succumbed to the slumber beckoning her. It seemed strange; that so little effort had tired her. She nestled her head underneath Legolas' chin and fell into deep sleep.
Once the girl had stopped fidgeting, Haldir spoke. "Perhaps we should take her to Lothlórien, Legolas. It is closer."
Legolas shook his head quickly. "It will be difficult enough to cross the river Anduin, considering the girl's ankle. I do not want to cross another river, after that."
Haldir nodded and stood. "I've finished. Let's set out with haste. I do not like the scent on the wind, nor the sound." In response to Legolas' questioning look, Haldir pointed south, in the direction of the goblin cave. "I believe they've recovered from the fire. Let us get the human out of here, before they catch her scent." The Elf of Lothlórien began walking towards the opening that would take them out of the forest.
Following shortly afterward, Legolas quickened his pace to catch up with Haldir. "You don't think they will pursue us, do you?" Legolas seemed worried.
"I do not know the mind of the goblin-kind," Haldir replied, "but I feel that they will not come this far for one human. Of course, this is only from my few encounters with the beasts." The Elf paused. "Do you feel something? That they will come.. ?"
"No, Haldir. I am only anxious to get Embyr to my home." Legolas checked to see that Embyr was asleep. "I feel that she is feeling worse than she lets on. I will be much relieved once we step into the forest of Mirkwood."
"As will I, dear friend. I believe we may have a few trials ahead of us." Haldir's eyes scanned the wood before them, never focusing. "Let us quicken our pace. The more distance between us and the goblins, the lighter my heart will feel."
~~~ *** ~~~ *** ~~~ *** ~~~
The Elves pressed on for hours before they stopped for a rest. It was getting cold, and Legolas was worried about Embyr's wounds. Legolas set Embyr down at the base of a great Elm tree and began to build a fire a few yards away.
"She's been moaning in her sleep, Haldir," the Elf began. "Something along the lines of 'They can't break me…' What do you suppose that means?"
Haldir thought for a moment before replying. "You found her in a goblin cave… correct?" Legolas nodded. "Then… she probably was tortured for some knowledge that she possessed. She must be strong, for goblins are persistent, and oblivious of mercy."
Legolas frowned, then turned to look at Embyr. She was struggling in her sleep, curling up in fetal position. A soft whimper escaped her lips. The Elf stood and walked over to her, seeking to pull her from her own torment.
Softly grasping her shoulders, the Elf was surprised to see the girl wince at his touch. She curled inward further, and Legolas suspected she was mentally blocking herself from him, as well.
"Cut yourself off…" Legolas released his hold on the girl's shoulders. Had Embyr just spoken? It appeared she was still dreaming…
"They can only hurt you if you let them…" The Elf had seen her lips move this time; Embyr was speaking in her sleep. His heart dropped. Haldir's hypothesis had been correct. Embyr had been tortured. Legolas reached up a hand to stroke her brow, anything soothing to release her from the depths of her dreams.
The girl's forehead was covered in chilly beads of sweat. Poor child, Legolas thought, she's locked her fear inside. The Elf rubbed his knuckles against her cheek slowly, seeking to wake her. Embyr instinctively brought her face closer to the source of comfort. Her eyes flickered open and she looked around, dazedly.
"Ahh… you have awakened," Legolas said, for lack of anything better say. He was distressed over what he'd just discovered about Embyr. The girl nodded.
"I have." Embyr turned her head to face the warm fire Haldir had built. The flames danced in her eyes, and she thought of the last fire she had seen. The last fire before Legolas had found her. She had set the cave on fire, finding it quite easy. The goblins continually tracked dry forest debris in with them, and Embyr merely had to create a bit of friction and let a spark fall onto the leaves. Unfortunately, she barely had the strength to walk to the doorway of her room, much less the cave entrance.
"Do you wish to be closer to the warmth, Embyr?" Legolas' words brought her back to the present. She hadn't noticed the Elves' worried glances in her direction, as she remembered…
Embyr shivered in response to Legolas' question. "It's warm enough here, Legolas." She did not want to be anywhere near that fire.
Legolas did not want to argue, but he was worried. He could tell she was cold. "Embyr, you cannot possibly be warm – "
"I am fine, thank you. I will tell you if I'm otherwise." Embyr's words were sharp, filled with pain. She leaned her head against the trunk of the Elm and closed her eyes, in feigned sleep.
Legolas stood and walked over to the fire, leaving the girl to think on her own. He knew she was frightened. She had been through more than he could imagine, and still she had to press on.
Both Elves heard her when her breath deepened and slowed. She had fallen asleep.
"Beleger mighty one, dream well." Legolas kept his gaze on her, while she continued to sleep through the night.
~~~ *** ~~~ *** ~~~ *** ~~~
Embyr's eyelids fluttered open. She found herself back in her village, lying on her bed… staring at her ceiling. A breath that she did not know she was holding seeped out of her, as if in relief. So… it was all a dream. Her village had not been attacked, she had not been captured, and a particularly charming young Elf had not released her from the goblin's cave.
Her ears picked up a faint sound, coming from outside. She walked over to the window and opened it, letting in the biting air. A horn… not far off. She smiled. Her husband must be returning from the long-fought battle between the humans of Rohan and the dark beasts that lurked near them.
Another blow from the horn, but this time it stung the ears. This was not the horn of her people, returning from a victorious battle! This was the horn of their foes…
And then Embyr remembered: this was how it all began. The goblins would come and mercilessly kill any humans that got in the way of their path of ultimate destruction. Well, she wouldn't let the same thing happen!
Embyr ran from her room, warning those within earshot of the goblins. But… Embyr saw an accumulation of her people running out to meet who they thought were the returning victors. She gave out an anguished cry and ran to the humans, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"They're goblins!" she cried. "Flee! Run into the forest!"
But her people would not listen. Their elation countered the slight fear that Embyr was speaking the truth, however high a rank the girl held within the village. Their warriors, husbands, sons, and friends were returning from the war. Why was this woman yelling at them to flee?
Embyr clenched her fists in frustration. Somehow… she needed to distract the goblins, and get them away from her people. Movement in the corner of her eye had her gasping with fear. A force of goblins at least seven hundred strong was making its way through the foothills, directly towards the village. She needed to bring attention to herself… attract the goblin force to her. She grabbed a bright flag with her village's emblem on it, and bolted. She ran straight towards the goblin army.
Embyr grinned; the goblins had obviously noticed her. The girl cut sharply to the left, hoping the army would follow her. She could only pray that the goblins hadn't caught sight of her village. Thankfulness suddenly turned to fear, as she noticed that not only had they followed her, but they were gaining on her. She tried to pick up her pace and dart through the trees, with a swiftness she had never noticed before.
Her heart skipped a beat. She heard the unmistakable "whir" of arrows being shot directly at you. Weaving ever more deftly through the trunks of trees, Embyr judged she had a good couple of minutes before they outran her… she hoped.
Embyr almost cried in relief as she spotted the refuge she was looking for: a formation of rocks. These three rocks sat against each other in such a way that left a minute cave between them, though the space looked completely sealed from the outside. Embyr fell to her hands and knees and pulled away the rock that would reveal the hidden cave.
Whir… thop! A goblin's arrow found its mark in the flesh of the girl's side. Embyr cried out and stood to face her attackers. They were surrounding her, noticing she had no weapon. Embyr grabbed a heavy rock from the ground and had two goblins down by the time the second arrow lodged itself between two of her lower ribs. Embyr doubled over in defeat.
~~~***~~~***~~~***~~~
"Embyr! Wake up!" Legolas' face swam into view. Embyr was lying on her back, trembling. Legolas had been shaking her, hard. The girl winced at his grip on her shoulders. Immediately, Legolas released her.
"What… who… oh. It's you, Legolas." Embyr sighed sadly. "Then it was a dream."
Legolas looked perplexed. "I am sorry for saying this if I'm wrong, Embyr, but I believe you were having a bad dream."
Embyr nodded, adding even more confusion to Legolas' face. "It was… but at that point in my dream, it hadn't happened yet."
Legolas scrunched up his eyebrows, wondering if he should ask her what "it" meant. Unfortunately, he did not have the time. Embyr seemed to realize how much she had said, and her eyes clouded over. The girl pulled her knees to her chest and began rocking back and forth. The Elf was very confused, at this point. He did not know how to comfort the human… or even if she would accept the comfort he gave.
The Elf pulled himself next to Embyr and put an arm around her, hoping she wouldn't refuse his touch. She didn't respond… which… considering the options, was a start.
Haldir, who until that moment had been watching silently from a distance, approached Legolas. "Legolas," he said, "I feel we are being watched. Do you think we can continue on our path?"
Legolas tensed, finally tuning in to the sounds further away… the sounds of the forest. A twig snapped, a grunt was smothered… a group of ten or more was trying to surround them. "Swiftly, Haldir. Gather what we need, then let us flee."
Haldir crept to the fire that had long since burned out and grabbed the packs, then motioned for Legolas to stand. Legolas nodded and pulled the still-rocking Embyr into his arms. He stood, and the party quickly made their way through the trees and back to their course.