Chapter Five
Legolas ran to her house late that night through the rain after leaving his horse in the stable. He knocked on the door, seeing the dull glow of a lamp through the window. He knocked again impatiently and finally opened the door, walking quickly into the house and looking around for her. She was sitting in the single chair by the window in the room with the desk, curled up and starring down at her lap. She looked up at him, one eye black and blue and both her forehead and lip cut. He stood in the doorframe, breathing heavily.
"I was told."
"You didn't have to come." She said softly. He walked to her and knelt in front of her, gently cupping her cheek with his hand. She moved her face so that his hand was between her cheek and shoulder, and felt a tear come to her eye. She tried to fight it, then finally gave up and let it fall. "No one ever told me." She whispered. "I don't understand why no one ever told me."
"No one was here to tell you." Legolas said. "It is why you can see more than what others around you can."
"I wish I would have never gone into town today." She said. He sighed and slowly pulled her into a hug, running his fingers slowly through her hair.
"You have a gift, Rose."
"I know. But that gift is going to get me killed." She whispered. "It killed my mother. And my grandmother." She felt him loosen his hold on her slightly. "But if they were to come to my door tonight with their fire and weapons and demanded me to pick my life or you, I don't think I could stop seeing you if I tried." He looked into her eyes, surprised.
"You would be willing to give up everything." He said. She nodded.
"Although there isn't much to give up." She said. They sat in silence together until the sky went from black to grey, the rain still pouring down. Legolas looked at her, seeing she had dozed off in his arms. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, watching her sleep peacefully in the comfort she was receiving from him.
She woke up with a start a few hours later and looked up at Legolas, relaxing when she saw that it was him.
"Are you alright?" He asked. She nodded, sitting up.
"Would you like breakfast?" She asked. He nodded, and she went into the kitchen. Legolas walked out onto the porch, looking at the surroundings. He sighed, deep in thought. He could see something moving out of the corner of his eye, and focused on it.
"Rose?" He called into the house. She joined him on the porch. "Are you expecting someone?" He looked at her, and reached for his bow when she got a frightened look on her face.
"No." She said quickly, taking his hand away from the bow. "Come with me." She said, and led him into the house and into her bedroom. She threw him a cloak, and took his bow and arrows from him, throwing them underneath the bed. "Go to the kitchen." She said and he nodded, walking into the kitchen and sitting with his back to the door. She set a plate of food in front of him and he bent his head down, slowly eating his breakfast.
Rose walked out onto the porch and waited for the rider to approach the house before taking the reigns and tying the horse to the porch as the rider dismounted.
"What brings you out here in the rain?" She asked, not looking at him.
"There are rumors around town of a lynching against you." He said. "You acting against the son of the town has spread even to the outskirts. I was not in town that day." He stepped onto the porch and removed the hood of his cloak, pushing his hair back with one hand. Rose looked at him.
"There have been rumors of lynching me since I was born, according to what I was told yesterday."
"May I come in?" He asked, ignoring her last statement. She slowly nodded, walking in front of him. She signaled for him to sit in one of the chairs in the front room but he looked past her, into the kitchen. "Who is that?" He asked, pointing at Legolas.
"A weary traveler who lost his way in the rain." She answered, and signaled for him to sit again. He did, and she sat rigidly in the opposite chair.
"This is awfully out of the way from town." He said. "Where would a traveler be headed to or coming from to end up out here with you?"
"That is not the reason you came here Brendan." She said.
"There is only one way to save you, Rose." He said, his face changing from curious to serious. He was looking at her for a reaction. She starred at him, waiting for him to continue. "If you were to marry me and move into town, showing people that you can be normal, then-"
"I would never marry you, nor move into the wretched town." Rose said. "The people who live there are nothing but stale and blind to what-"
'They are what make up this world." Brendan said, standing up. "I am one of them. They are the reason you are here. If it were not for them your family would not exist, just as mine wouldn't. Our families came over together and looked after one another. I will not hold against you what your ancestors did, because they are no longer here. You must prove to the town that you do not truly believe in this elf rubbish."
"My family would be alive if it were not for them." Rose said, standing as well. "I am not afraid of them."
"You should be." He said, stepping towards her until she was backed into a corner. "You insulted and kicked the son of the town. The town is rallying against you.'
"I do not care about the town, nor what they think of me. I believe in the elves because they are real, and they are a part of me."
"You are going to die Rose!" He shouted. "You are stuck in your wild fantasies. They will burn you on the steak if you do not confess that they do not exist!"
"I will not lie for their sake."
"You are a threat to society." He growled, taking a threatening step towards her, putting a hand just below her throat and holding her against the wall. Legolas stood up, spinning around. "And if you are not going to let me help you then you are a fool." He hissed close to her face. Legolas pulled him back, throwing him into the wall and getting into his face as he has done to Rose.
"You will die before you lay another finger upon her." Legolas hissed. Rose stepped between the two, glaring harshly at Brendan.
"Leave now, and never come back to this place." Rose said powerfully, pointing at the door.
"You are a fool." Brendan growled before rising to his feet and fleeing from the house upon his horse, not looking back until he was in the town.
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