Chapter 25
Otrinity was hastily taken down the street towards the stables where many women and children were hiding. To the west she could here battle cries of men and elves. An elf led her into a stall. The children's faces immediately brightened at the sight of her, but dimmed once more when they saw the sorrow in her eyes.
She lied down in the stall and let her head bob as she drifted off into a woeful sleep.
*
Something very large was crushing his stomach and legs. He kept his eyes shut tightly, scared to open them and see the result of the past disaster.
He shifted slightly, causing a flare of pain to rise up one leg and up his back. Memories that he wanted forgotten flowed back to him. His father, Otrinity's choice, and the knife. He was glad that his father was safe, but he could be paying the ultimate price for it.
He shifted again, attempting to move his arms. He could feel barriers in most directions except straight above his head. He let his eyes open slowly. Dust was floating above him and the stocky hot smell of blood was in the air.
He got his hands under the rock on his stomach and managed to push it off. Relief grew as he sat up and breathed easier once more. Smoke mingled with clouds of murk around him. He winced as his leg flared up again. He shoved with all his might until the boulders lifted off his legs. He stood slowly, testing weight on each one. He nearly collapsed when he tried his left leg, due to the wound in his thigh.
He slowly limped away from the wreckage, struggling to stay standing. His head spun and buzzed as he moved. At one point he tripped. He landed upon something stinking and soft. He looked down to see a body with a tear slashing across the stomach.
"You..." said a voice. Legolas watched in surprise as a hand clutched his tunic and pulled him towards the face of the torso. "You... you..." the eyes of Helwar were far away and struggling to focus. Legolas stared in fear as his bloodied free hand jerkily lifted a shattered blade with only half a hilt. Helwar's breathing was taken in short, quick gasps. "Damn you!" he cried. Legolas shut his eyes, waiting for the blade to strike him.
Instead, Helwar's grip loosened and let go on Legolas's front. The shards fell and the breathing stopped. Legolas watched as his eyes dimmed until they seemed faded over. He waited and watched. Then he felt it. The coldness of death swarming the area. He stared into those dark, cruel, dead eyes.
Clenching his fists, he punched him across the face.
He stood and walked away quickly, forgetting that he had ever watched him die.
*
Otrinity awoke. Night had almost come. The villagers around her were becoming restless as the battle between the men and the elves on the west side of the city grew uncomfortably close. Grief still swam in her. She dreamt of Legolas and when he rescued her so many times before.
'This is all my fault.' she thought. 'I shouldn't have ran. I should have let them kill me so long ago. If I had just given up, so many elves would still be alive. Including...' she couldn't even remember his face, knowing that it was no longer more. Her heart heaved with sorrow. A tear fell down her damp cheek. She felt as though there was no longer a reason to live.
The dust outside the stable rose as a horse was lead outside. Otrinity glanced towards it, seeing the lights of the sunset. She could hear the crying of a widow outside. Otrinity stood, unable to look away from the entrance.
Slowly, impassably slowly, an elf entered. He limped and ignored the stares at him from the elves outside. Otrinity stepped out the open gate to her stable, standing in the aisle. The elf came closer. She squinted, unable to see his features against the strong light of the sun.
He paused, staring at her. Otrinity stared back. Suddenly, her body lost all tensity and stiffness at the sound of his voice.
"We're One." Otrinity leaped and pranced. Legolas ran towards her, ignoring the pain in his leg. Legolas threw his arms around her neck and Otrinity rubbed her cheek against his.
'I thought you were dead.' she said to him.
"I won't leave you!" Legolas promised.
The villagers and children couldn't help but grin. Some even laughed, despite the deadly situation.
"It's almost over." said Legolas, pulling out of the embrace. "They will not bother us again after this. Otrinity nickered happily. Her eyed wandered down to his leg. Grinning, she backed away and gently put down her head. The horn was inches from his wound. Legolas watched as it suddenly closed up. Not even a scar remained through his ripped leggings. Otrinity looked back up at him.
"Ready?" Legolas asked. A cry suddenly issued from the outside. The ground began to shake as the sound of an explosion tore through the air. Women screamed and children began to weep.
'Looks like we don't have a choice!' cried Otrinity.
Otrinity was hastily taken down the street towards the stables where many women and children were hiding. To the west she could here battle cries of men and elves. An elf led her into a stall. The children's faces immediately brightened at the sight of her, but dimmed once more when they saw the sorrow in her eyes.
She lied down in the stall and let her head bob as she drifted off into a woeful sleep.
*
Something very large was crushing his stomach and legs. He kept his eyes shut tightly, scared to open them and see the result of the past disaster.
He shifted slightly, causing a flare of pain to rise up one leg and up his back. Memories that he wanted forgotten flowed back to him. His father, Otrinity's choice, and the knife. He was glad that his father was safe, but he could be paying the ultimate price for it.
He shifted again, attempting to move his arms. He could feel barriers in most directions except straight above his head. He let his eyes open slowly. Dust was floating above him and the stocky hot smell of blood was in the air.
He got his hands under the rock on his stomach and managed to push it off. Relief grew as he sat up and breathed easier once more. Smoke mingled with clouds of murk around him. He winced as his leg flared up again. He shoved with all his might until the boulders lifted off his legs. He stood slowly, testing weight on each one. He nearly collapsed when he tried his left leg, due to the wound in his thigh.
He slowly limped away from the wreckage, struggling to stay standing. His head spun and buzzed as he moved. At one point he tripped. He landed upon something stinking and soft. He looked down to see a body with a tear slashing across the stomach.
"You..." said a voice. Legolas watched in surprise as a hand clutched his tunic and pulled him towards the face of the torso. "You... you..." the eyes of Helwar were far away and struggling to focus. Legolas stared in fear as his bloodied free hand jerkily lifted a shattered blade with only half a hilt. Helwar's breathing was taken in short, quick gasps. "Damn you!" he cried. Legolas shut his eyes, waiting for the blade to strike him.
Instead, Helwar's grip loosened and let go on Legolas's front. The shards fell and the breathing stopped. Legolas watched as his eyes dimmed until they seemed faded over. He waited and watched. Then he felt it. The coldness of death swarming the area. He stared into those dark, cruel, dead eyes.
Clenching his fists, he punched him across the face.
He stood and walked away quickly, forgetting that he had ever watched him die.
*
Otrinity awoke. Night had almost come. The villagers around her were becoming restless as the battle between the men and the elves on the west side of the city grew uncomfortably close. Grief still swam in her. She dreamt of Legolas and when he rescued her so many times before.
'This is all my fault.' she thought. 'I shouldn't have ran. I should have let them kill me so long ago. If I had just given up, so many elves would still be alive. Including...' she couldn't even remember his face, knowing that it was no longer more. Her heart heaved with sorrow. A tear fell down her damp cheek. She felt as though there was no longer a reason to live.
The dust outside the stable rose as a horse was lead outside. Otrinity glanced towards it, seeing the lights of the sunset. She could hear the crying of a widow outside. Otrinity stood, unable to look away from the entrance.
Slowly, impassably slowly, an elf entered. He limped and ignored the stares at him from the elves outside. Otrinity stepped out the open gate to her stable, standing in the aisle. The elf came closer. She squinted, unable to see his features against the strong light of the sun.
He paused, staring at her. Otrinity stared back. Suddenly, her body lost all tensity and stiffness at the sound of his voice.
"We're One." Otrinity leaped and pranced. Legolas ran towards her, ignoring the pain in his leg. Legolas threw his arms around her neck and Otrinity rubbed her cheek against his.
'I thought you were dead.' she said to him.
"I won't leave you!" Legolas promised.
The villagers and children couldn't help but grin. Some even laughed, despite the deadly situation.
"It's almost over." said Legolas, pulling out of the embrace. "They will not bother us again after this. Otrinity nickered happily. Her eyed wandered down to his leg. Grinning, she backed away and gently put down her head. The horn was inches from his wound. Legolas watched as it suddenly closed up. Not even a scar remained through his ripped leggings. Otrinity looked back up at him.
"Ready?" Legolas asked. A cry suddenly issued from the outside. The ground began to shake as the sound of an explosion tore through the air. Women screamed and children began to weep.
'Looks like we don't have a choice!' cried Otrinity.
