Chapter 7
"I should be allowed to go. It's my job, to heal the wounded!" Lalaith argued.
"Do you think that matters to the Uruk-hai?" King Thranduil asked. He was disappointed with this Elf's lack of respect to her betters. "They will kill, hold for ransom, eat alive, or rape any prisoner of war that they can get their hands on. I refuse to not only put an Elf in needless danger, but to bring you where you don't belong. Which, in this case is a battle field. I know that you feel that it is your duty as a Healer. However I feel that that would be the worst possible choice. I know that Legolas thinks himself in love with you, but to have you, Lalaith, on the front line would impair his judgment. And since he is one of Mirkwood's finest leaders. . .I will let you decide the outcome of this battle if he were to be distracted from fighting."
"You mean, he might die if I went?" Lalaith's eyes were big as she spoke the words that she never wanted to come true.
"Yes. My son could very well meet his death," King Thranduil agreed. "Which is why I don't want anyone he cares about on the front line with him."
"Then what reason do you have for sending Keladry out? He cares about her! And I know from the way that she looks at him that she loves him. I don't get you, and I hate her! I can tell that you, Highness are not going to let Legolas continue to see me after this is all over!"
"LADY Keladry is going because she is a sorceress and Gandalf's student. As for the supposed relationship between yourself and my son, you are right. It can not continue. In fact, I am in the process of arranging his marriage to a more suitable she-Elf. One that doesn't talk back and disrespect her elders and betters." King Thranduil gave her a cold glance as he stood from his throne. "If you will excuse me, I need to review the regiments before I am able to get what little sleep I can." He walked out of the room, knowing that Lalaith would go and tell Legolas about his 'marriage'. Legolas knew that the contract he had spoken of was broken and that a new bride had been found. The last had been driven insane by her mother's death. But now was not the time to think about it. He wanted to go to bed. He should not have to deal with every stuck-up brat that wanted to go to battle. Not his problem. Thranduil sighed deeply and walked to his bedroom.
* * *
Keladry stretched and pulled on her chosen clothes. Her 'chosen clothes' consisted of dirt colored pants, her heavy-duty boots, a dark green shirt and a leather vest. Strapping her sword to her belt, she wondered if she should tell Thranduil about her vision dream.
He had been arguing with Lalaith and when he left, she had burst into tears. Then Lalaith had stormed out of the throne room. The dream had blurred there and had focused to show Lalaith dressing in the same manner as Kel herself was now, in a Healer's colors of dark and sky blue. Lalaith had pulled on a dark-green hooded cape that hide her face and joined a regiment of troops in disguise. The dream had ended there.
"No reason to worry a worried man over someone who is as good as committing suicide. Even if it is his son's A'maelamin." Keladry pulled on a dove-grey cape that resembled Lalaith's in style to the extent that Kel grinned.
"What's so funny on the last hour before a huge battle?" Legolas' voice sounded from the door.
Kel whirled around and found Legolas looking at her as if he expected something. "I was just thinking about a dream I had last night. Nothing important. Not to the high and mighty Crown Prince of Mirkwood, anyway." She gave him her best smile. "What brings you here? Not for what I said to Lalaith last night is it? Because I swear, she started it!" Kel held up her hands in a defensive position.
"What about Lalaith? She didn't tell me anything. I have seen her since last night." Legolas looked thoughtful. "Did you threaten her with your power? I won't be able to forgive you if you did, you know."
"I did the exact opposite! I told her that I wouldn't interfere with the relationship that you two are fools for harboring, no matter how much I love-" Keladry broke off there. She had said too much already.
"No matter how much you love who?" Legolas questioned. "And why are we fools for harboring our love?"
"Do you really think that your father will let you continue to court her after this is all over?" Keladry asked as she turned to brush out her hair and watch Legolas's reaction in the mirror. "You are the Crown Prince. She is but a mere Healer from Rivendell. Thranduil must be planning your marriage. I just think that before you go off to war you should tell her this. I know some thing about her that I will prove soon enough. Just make sure that you stay away from the regiments." Keladry faced him, her hair streaming out over her shoulders. "If you will excuse me, I needed to go find Gandalf." Kel left the room and Legolas to stare after her.
* * *
Keladry was scouting for Thranduil. Moving quietly through the brush, she thought about how she would get Lalaith to reveal herself. She was so caught up in her plotting ideas that she didn't notice when a Uruk-hai snuck behind her and grabbed her neck. It turned her so that she could see her capture.
The Uruk-hai spoke a few words of Orc, then said in Elvish that Keladry had to struggle to understand, "Lle naa amin."
'I wonder why it is saying that I am it's?' Keladry wondered as she sank into blackness from lack of air.
* * *
Lalaith had snuck away from the regiment as soon as she could. No one had recognized her and it was a matter of minutes before she was surrounded by trees, out of sight of rest of the Elves. Now all she had to do was wait for the fighting to begin. . . .
Lalaith perched herself in the branches of a tree and feel asleep, much to her dismay when she woke up to being thrown out of the tree. The Uruk-hai that had found her, dragged her for 10 minutes before they came to a clearing with a pair of crosses.
Lalaith noted that one of the crosses already had an occupant. On further investigation, she realized that it was an unconscious Lady Keladry. Lalaith smirked to herself. She wasn't the only one to get caught.
The Uruk-hai chained Lalaith to the second cross before another hit Lalaith over the head with a stick.
* * *
"So, in order to win this, we have to choose one of the two hostages they say that they caught to be the 'sacrifice' and the other can come back with us?" Legolas asked, astounded.
"That would be correct. Gandalf and I have talked of this at great length and we have decided that you should be the one to choose. It will be a wonderful opportunity for you to make life and death decisions. (A/N:Thranduil is just a bit off his rocker. .) What do you think?" Thranduil asked joyfully (A/N: See what I mean?)
"I suppose that it is a good idea." Legolas agreed. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
"I should be allowed to go. It's my job, to heal the wounded!" Lalaith argued.
"Do you think that matters to the Uruk-hai?" King Thranduil asked. He was disappointed with this Elf's lack of respect to her betters. "They will kill, hold for ransom, eat alive, or rape any prisoner of war that they can get their hands on. I refuse to not only put an Elf in needless danger, but to bring you where you don't belong. Which, in this case is a battle field. I know that you feel that it is your duty as a Healer. However I feel that that would be the worst possible choice. I know that Legolas thinks himself in love with you, but to have you, Lalaith, on the front line would impair his judgment. And since he is one of Mirkwood's finest leaders. . .I will let you decide the outcome of this battle if he were to be distracted from fighting."
"You mean, he might die if I went?" Lalaith's eyes were big as she spoke the words that she never wanted to come true.
"Yes. My son could very well meet his death," King Thranduil agreed. "Which is why I don't want anyone he cares about on the front line with him."
"Then what reason do you have for sending Keladry out? He cares about her! And I know from the way that she looks at him that she loves him. I don't get you, and I hate her! I can tell that you, Highness are not going to let Legolas continue to see me after this is all over!"
"LADY Keladry is going because she is a sorceress and Gandalf's student. As for the supposed relationship between yourself and my son, you are right. It can not continue. In fact, I am in the process of arranging his marriage to a more suitable she-Elf. One that doesn't talk back and disrespect her elders and betters." King Thranduil gave her a cold glance as he stood from his throne. "If you will excuse me, I need to review the regiments before I am able to get what little sleep I can." He walked out of the room, knowing that Lalaith would go and tell Legolas about his 'marriage'. Legolas knew that the contract he had spoken of was broken and that a new bride had been found. The last had been driven insane by her mother's death. But now was not the time to think about it. He wanted to go to bed. He should not have to deal with every stuck-up brat that wanted to go to battle. Not his problem. Thranduil sighed deeply and walked to his bedroom.
* * *
Keladry stretched and pulled on her chosen clothes. Her 'chosen clothes' consisted of dirt colored pants, her heavy-duty boots, a dark green shirt and a leather vest. Strapping her sword to her belt, she wondered if she should tell Thranduil about her vision dream.
He had been arguing with Lalaith and when he left, she had burst into tears. Then Lalaith had stormed out of the throne room. The dream had blurred there and had focused to show Lalaith dressing in the same manner as Kel herself was now, in a Healer's colors of dark and sky blue. Lalaith had pulled on a dark-green hooded cape that hide her face and joined a regiment of troops in disguise. The dream had ended there.
"No reason to worry a worried man over someone who is as good as committing suicide. Even if it is his son's A'maelamin." Keladry pulled on a dove-grey cape that resembled Lalaith's in style to the extent that Kel grinned.
"What's so funny on the last hour before a huge battle?" Legolas' voice sounded from the door.
Kel whirled around and found Legolas looking at her as if he expected something. "I was just thinking about a dream I had last night. Nothing important. Not to the high and mighty Crown Prince of Mirkwood, anyway." She gave him her best smile. "What brings you here? Not for what I said to Lalaith last night is it? Because I swear, she started it!" Kel held up her hands in a defensive position.
"What about Lalaith? She didn't tell me anything. I have seen her since last night." Legolas looked thoughtful. "Did you threaten her with your power? I won't be able to forgive you if you did, you know."
"I did the exact opposite! I told her that I wouldn't interfere with the relationship that you two are fools for harboring, no matter how much I love-" Keladry broke off there. She had said too much already.
"No matter how much you love who?" Legolas questioned. "And why are we fools for harboring our love?"
"Do you really think that your father will let you continue to court her after this is all over?" Keladry asked as she turned to brush out her hair and watch Legolas's reaction in the mirror. "You are the Crown Prince. She is but a mere Healer from Rivendell. Thranduil must be planning your marriage. I just think that before you go off to war you should tell her this. I know some thing about her that I will prove soon enough. Just make sure that you stay away from the regiments." Keladry faced him, her hair streaming out over her shoulders. "If you will excuse me, I needed to go find Gandalf." Kel left the room and Legolas to stare after her.
* * *
Keladry was scouting for Thranduil. Moving quietly through the brush, she thought about how she would get Lalaith to reveal herself. She was so caught up in her plotting ideas that she didn't notice when a Uruk-hai snuck behind her and grabbed her neck. It turned her so that she could see her capture.
The Uruk-hai spoke a few words of Orc, then said in Elvish that Keladry had to struggle to understand, "Lle naa amin."
'I wonder why it is saying that I am it's?' Keladry wondered as she sank into blackness from lack of air.
* * *
Lalaith had snuck away from the regiment as soon as she could. No one had recognized her and it was a matter of minutes before she was surrounded by trees, out of sight of rest of the Elves. Now all she had to do was wait for the fighting to begin. . . .
Lalaith perched herself in the branches of a tree and feel asleep, much to her dismay when she woke up to being thrown out of the tree. The Uruk-hai that had found her, dragged her for 10 minutes before they came to a clearing with a pair of crosses.
Lalaith noted that one of the crosses already had an occupant. On further investigation, she realized that it was an unconscious Lady Keladry. Lalaith smirked to herself. She wasn't the only one to get caught.
The Uruk-hai chained Lalaith to the second cross before another hit Lalaith over the head with a stick.
* * *
"So, in order to win this, we have to choose one of the two hostages they say that they caught to be the 'sacrifice' and the other can come back with us?" Legolas asked, astounded.
"That would be correct. Gandalf and I have talked of this at great length and we have decided that you should be the one to choose. It will be a wonderful opportunity for you to make life and death decisions. (A/N:Thranduil is just a bit off his rocker. .) What do you think?" Thranduil asked joyfully (A/N: See what I mean?)
"I suppose that it is a good idea." Legolas agreed. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
