A/N: I really should be studying for exams... but, I won't tell if you don't! *^^*
A Sunset Love
Chapter 19: Half truth
Mithdelothwen was roughly awoken when she felt someone grasp her arms and drag her across the rough, cold stone floor. As she drowsily opened her eyes, she saw blurry figures clothed in black bringing her somewhere. As her eyes focused some more, she saw they were Uruk-hai. She pretended to be asleep, not wanting them to know she was awake. When they threw her down on the floor, she heard a soft gasp. Lying motionless on the floor, Mithdelothwen waited until she heard the door being shut and locked, and waited until she heard nothing inside her 'new' cell. Letting out a soft groan, Mithdelothwen barely managed to prop herself up on her forearms to look around her. Indeed, she was in a different cell, for this one was larger, colder, had a barred door and had only one window: in the east side of the wall. She shivered, making her teeth chatter, as she looked about. She was still alone. In some ways, more than just physically. She felt empty inside, utter despair.
I didn't want this to happen...She thought sadly. I... She paused. What had she been seeking when she came on this journey? Time to get away from her home, the one place where she had once found comfort and safety was no longer safe when Enantoion had done his evil deed. She had wanted to follow Legolas... and she wanted to be able to prove herself. Prove herself, as a capable she-elf who could fight.
Some good that did...She thought bitterly. I should have known... going on the most dangerous and potentially most important mission in the history of Middle Earth is no place to 'prove' oneself. I am so selfish.. I should have listened to Legolas. But no... my stubbornness wouldn't allow me to see that he was only concerned about my safety. He didn't want to see me to die. He didn't want to see me to get hurt. Why couldn't I understand that, instead of thinking that he didn't want me to follow him out of male chivalry?!
Now.. what am I to do? Mithdelothwen closed her eyes as she felt shame and guilt. What had she done?
**********
Legolas was gazing at the floor in boredom when Gimli threw a small pebble at his shoulder. Legolas looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Aragorn looked at Gimli as well, in a questioning gaze. Gimli gave a half-hearted smile and waved, making his chains make a 'clink' noise. Boromir was just confused.
"Gimli, what an earth was that for?" Gimli shurgged.
"I was bored. And Master Elf looked bored too. I couldn't resist." Was the astounding answer.
"You were 'bored'?!" Aragorn asked. Gimli gave an exasperated sigh.
"You actually believed that piece of nonsense I told you?! What do you take me for, a stupid fool?" Gimli asked. There was silence. "Oh shut up. In any case, the real answer is that Legolas looked like he was dead, so I threw a pebble at him to see if he was alive, and just not blinking, or truly dead." Gimli huffed. Legolas gave a small sigh and a bitter chuckle.
"You're not that far off, Gimli." Gimli stared.
"You're dying?!" he asked incredibly, immediately sorry for throwing the tiny stone.
"Not quite. But almost. I feel the great darkness closing over my heart, and I fear for Mithdelothwen's life. If she dies, so do I." Boromir looked up.
"Surely, you cannot say that. It's not like the two of you share the same heart or something." he stated. "Are you?" he added, after a bit of silence.
"It is possible, Boromir. She's bound herself to me." Legolas whispered, his voice cracking slightly. Aragorn decided to explain, to save Legolas the trouble of explaining to the other human and dwarf what it meant to be bound.
"When elves bind themselves to their partner, they can feel each other at pretty much all times. They can feel each other's emotions, and if one dies, the other is almost sure to die as well. Binding is done only out of the purest, most unconditional love that does not die; it intertwines the two lives together. That means, they are essentially sharing the same heart." Aragorn explained. Boromir was speechless- he had not known Legolas was carrying this burden while he was so quiet in the cell.
"Do you miss her, Legolas?" Legolas was tempted to contort his face into the most obvious "are you an idiot?" look, but decided against it, and he was feeling too much in pain to do it anyway.
"yes. With all my heart and soul." He answered quietly, and Boromir could see the emptiness and the haunted look in Legolas' eyes.
"I am sorry, my friend. I'm sure she misses you as well." Boromir said, not quite thinking it was the right thing to say. Legolas just tipped his head back to rest against the wall when he heard footsteps. He glanced to his left, but what he saw made him turn fully to grasp the bars of his prison (The door of the celsl are like a jail door: bars). The Uruk-hai were clomping down the hallway, and were dragging a figure with them. It was Mithdelothwen! The Uruk-hai dropped her into the cell across from theirs, and shut the door. Legolas couldn't tell if her was alright or not, because she lay motionless in the far corner of her cell.
She's alive! Legolas thought, new hope arising within his soul. And, her cell was closer to theirs now. Legolas watched as the Uruk-hai stomped away from Mithdelothwen's cell, and saw her struggling to get up.
Legolas was tempted to speak to her, but was worried if there might be guards hanging around. Grasping the bars of the cell, he craned his neck as much as he could to look outside the prison. Surprisingly, no guards. Aragorn could see the desperation in Legolas' eyes, and felt pity upon the elf: he loved Mithdelothwen so much, even though they had not known each other for more than a month. (or so he thinks: he didn't know Mithdelothwen and Legolas met before) Aragorn motioned for the other two to remain quiet and let the two elves have their little chat.
"Melamin! [my love!]" Legolas whispered. Mithdelothwen looked up suddenly.
"Legolas! By Valar, I can't believe I'm seeing you!" Mithdelothwen whispered happily as she moved as fast as she could to her cell door. Legolas saw his love covered with dirt, a few bruises and messy hair, but seeing the genuine smile upon her face made him so happy.
" Mithdelothwen... we need to talk." Mithdelothwen's smile faded slightly.
"Legolas, I know, it was... wrong for me to follow you-" She was cut off.
"No no... not about that. About something far more important." Legolas rushed, not knowing how long they would be left unguarded. "Mela [love], do you remember what you said to me when we were in Lorien, and we were talking off to the side?"
"yes... I asked if all men were so chauvanistic,.." again she was cut off.
"no, the other thing you said." Mithdelothwen stared at him for a moment.
"I said... that I would die for you if needed... why?" Mithdelothwen wondered.
"We're bonded." Was all Legolas needed to say. recognition passed over Mithdelothwen's face, and she looked down at the floor, almost in shame. Aragorn couldn't help but over hear, and hoped that both of them wouldn't say something to anger the other.
"Do you regret it?" She asked, almost inaudibly. When Legolas had said they were bonded, it seemed almost as if as he didn't want it to happen. And She knew that bonds were rare these days, but she thought their love was truly special and extrordinary. But even if he didn't want the bond... she couldn't take it back.
"pardon?" Legolas asked, as she had uttered something so softly that even his elven hearing couldn't pick it up.
"Do you regret it?" She asked again, slightly louder. She almost didn't want to hear the answer. Legolas looked at Mithdelothwen whose eyes refused to meet his. Truthfully, he didn't know how to answer. If they weren't at war, he wouldn't have minded at all. But, at this time, things were difficult. But he knew he loved her more than anything in this world. She was worth all troubles of the world.
"No mela. [love] I do not regret it." Mithdelothwen raised her head slightly, to see Legolas smiling slightly at her. "I'm simply telling you, that's all." Legolas decided not to explain the complications, since it seemed she was very delicate on this subject. However, he knew he would have to tell her.. and soon.
~A/N: Blegh. That's all my poor brain could conjure up at the moment. :p... I know, it's really mushy, but trust me, it'll get mushier later. Anywho, will someone please shoot me so I don't have to take my English and History exam on Thursday and Friday?? PLEASE?! lol. ~Feathers of the Wind [01.29.03]
