Chapter 18
It didn't take long. Not at all. Much less then usual. The worry had gone down and the suspense had disappeared. Elves all over Mirkwood celebrated, the palace most of all. The royal family couldn't have been happier when the Rivendell Royalties arrived just an hour before the feast.
Otrinity was never in the stables any more. She slept in the courtyard or in the palace. Nobody was worried about any mess she'd leave behind because she was always considerate about the others. Children in the kingdom would run up to her and stroke her whenever she was seen. The only place where she could find true peace, without noise or hassle, was in the woods with her friend.
Legolas healed quickly and barely scarred. He and Otrinity went into the woods everyday now and enjoyed every breath and every minute of it. Legolas would laugh as he hadn't in ages and Otrinity would toss her head, letting her silver mane fall perfectly back into place.
However, everything changed when that fateful night returned. For the last time.
*
"Where has Otrinity gone, my son?" asked Thranduil.
"She has decided to rest in the forest this night." replied Legolas, looking up from his meal to grin at his father.
"It is truly amazing how you two communicate so well." said Thranduil, swallowing the last of his potatoes. "Almost like she is talking."
"It sounds like she is, but for her lips not moving. I truly hope you shall be able to do it someday." Legolas completed the rest of his vegetarian meal in a content silence.
Thranduil left the table after him, walking silently towards the courtyard.
*
Legolas hadn't yet changed into his night clothes and was opening a drawer. Inside was a small book, a inkwell, and a thin light quill. He pulled out all of the items and placed them on his desk.
He decided while he was recovering from his injuries that he would write up a book on Unicorns since he hadn't found much in the library. He had started it and was planning to finish it later tonight, if it wasn't for that strange lingering feeling in his gut.
It came suddenly and quietly. He was about to sit down, but froze in the process. The hair on the back on his neck stood on end and goose bumps rose on his arms. He shivered with a sudden discomfort and unwelcome worry. When the hair-curling scream echoed throughout the corridors outside his bedchamber, he knew something was wrong.
He took a moment to gather his dagger that he now kept hidden just behind his bed. He uncovered it, revealing the glint that reflected the moonlight. Then, he darted out the door into the long, quiet hall.
Minor domes held up the roof many feet above the elf prince's head. There was nobody in this part of the castle, which was strange because the servants ought to have been watering the plants.
Legolas cautiously turned a corner before entering the throne hall. There was nobody there. Legolas stepped forward slowly, until the sound of broken glass cracked and popped underneath his boots. He looked ahead of him where broken shards and droplets of water were scattered. He gasped at the sight of a bloody leg being the only visible body part from behind a statue.
He stumbled back, the glass popped one last time underneath his heel until he wheeled around and ran.
It pushed himself as fast as he could down the hall, the dagger held tight in his fist. He remembered to pump his arms and take longs strides to get away as fast as he could. What he had forgot, was to look around corners as he dashed around him.
The blow was similar was running into a wall. So close that Legolas thought that was what he did as he fell back. The dagger clattered out of his hand and hit the wall to his left. His eyes darted up to meet the shadowed slits of a towering man.
"Well, well," he said grinning. Legolas hardly saw the large hand reach out and grab his hair, pulling him onto his feet and drawing him closer so that he was face-to-face with the human.
"We meet again, Legolas."
*
Deep in the forest and sudden pang hit Otrinity. Her head flew up from her grazing. Her eyes wild and alert.
Something wasn't right.
Something was very, very wrong.
It didn't take long. Not at all. Much less then usual. The worry had gone down and the suspense had disappeared. Elves all over Mirkwood celebrated, the palace most of all. The royal family couldn't have been happier when the Rivendell Royalties arrived just an hour before the feast.
Otrinity was never in the stables any more. She slept in the courtyard or in the palace. Nobody was worried about any mess she'd leave behind because she was always considerate about the others. Children in the kingdom would run up to her and stroke her whenever she was seen. The only place where she could find true peace, without noise or hassle, was in the woods with her friend.
Legolas healed quickly and barely scarred. He and Otrinity went into the woods everyday now and enjoyed every breath and every minute of it. Legolas would laugh as he hadn't in ages and Otrinity would toss her head, letting her silver mane fall perfectly back into place.
However, everything changed when that fateful night returned. For the last time.
*
"Where has Otrinity gone, my son?" asked Thranduil.
"She has decided to rest in the forest this night." replied Legolas, looking up from his meal to grin at his father.
"It is truly amazing how you two communicate so well." said Thranduil, swallowing the last of his potatoes. "Almost like she is talking."
"It sounds like she is, but for her lips not moving. I truly hope you shall be able to do it someday." Legolas completed the rest of his vegetarian meal in a content silence.
Thranduil left the table after him, walking silently towards the courtyard.
*
Legolas hadn't yet changed into his night clothes and was opening a drawer. Inside was a small book, a inkwell, and a thin light quill. He pulled out all of the items and placed them on his desk.
He decided while he was recovering from his injuries that he would write up a book on Unicorns since he hadn't found much in the library. He had started it and was planning to finish it later tonight, if it wasn't for that strange lingering feeling in his gut.
It came suddenly and quietly. He was about to sit down, but froze in the process. The hair on the back on his neck stood on end and goose bumps rose on his arms. He shivered with a sudden discomfort and unwelcome worry. When the hair-curling scream echoed throughout the corridors outside his bedchamber, he knew something was wrong.
He took a moment to gather his dagger that he now kept hidden just behind his bed. He uncovered it, revealing the glint that reflected the moonlight. Then, he darted out the door into the long, quiet hall.
Minor domes held up the roof many feet above the elf prince's head. There was nobody in this part of the castle, which was strange because the servants ought to have been watering the plants.
Legolas cautiously turned a corner before entering the throne hall. There was nobody there. Legolas stepped forward slowly, until the sound of broken glass cracked and popped underneath his boots. He looked ahead of him where broken shards and droplets of water were scattered. He gasped at the sight of a bloody leg being the only visible body part from behind a statue.
He stumbled back, the glass popped one last time underneath his heel until he wheeled around and ran.
It pushed himself as fast as he could down the hall, the dagger held tight in his fist. He remembered to pump his arms and take longs strides to get away as fast as he could. What he had forgot, was to look around corners as he dashed around him.
The blow was similar was running into a wall. So close that Legolas thought that was what he did as he fell back. The dagger clattered out of his hand and hit the wall to his left. His eyes darted up to meet the shadowed slits of a towering man.
"Well, well," he said grinning. Legolas hardly saw the large hand reach out and grab his hair, pulling him onto his feet and drawing him closer so that he was face-to-face with the human.
"We meet again, Legolas."
*
Deep in the forest and sudden pang hit Otrinity. Her head flew up from her grazing. Her eyes wild and alert.
Something wasn't right.
Something was very, very wrong.
