Gwyn: Well to tell ya the truth, they did have a rather easy escape but I didn't think Legolas could sustain any more injuries and still be able to walk under his own steam. grins I thought a good distraction was in order, so they could make a clean, quick getaway. J Hope you think this chapter is worth the wait. Sorry it took so long and thanks for ya review!
Littlesaiyangirl: I tried to update in a pattern but things lately have been very difficult. But I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for your encouragement.
To any ANON: If you cant leave any positive criticism or feedback, then please, keep it to yourself. And before you start saying what is it and what it isn't, be sure to read all disclaimers and information given on the first chapter. Everything is covered there. Thank you
Elenillor: blush Yes, I thought it was rather important. Even if there is no action or torture, there needs to be a character involvement and 'private time' to sort out their feelings and problems. Cant rely on all action all the time. And NOTHING is corny to me… unless we're talking Hallmark cards and lately I have seen enough to last me a lifetime! I hate it when people give things away too… sometimes I like spoilers, but mostly I like a good build up an drama. I saw an interview with JK as well, I 'think' it was on ET or something like that and she said that there will be a major character death each book and the last will probably be considered a blood bath…. I just hope she doesn't kill off my other fave, Remus Lupin. Poor wittle cute wolfie!! EG Oh.. I had a few choice words for Umbridge myself, especially when she was forcing Harry to write lines in his own blood and it scarring him. Wonder if Dumbledore found out and if he did, wonder if he tried to get the Ministry to can her ass? I bet parents would be PISSED to find their children being punished enough to bring blood….. I can just imagine all the Howlers right now. EG Thanks for your reviews, hope you like this chapter, though it's a bit rushed through.
Nikki: Unfortunately, the mean guards wont find out who Legolas is, cause now they are a moot point. They were only there for some elf torture, b ut I may mention in a later story what happens to the village, depending on the responses to this story and inquiries. As for Legolas being weak, I tried to give the idea that he was REALLY pounded on, and after asking Cassia if it was alright, I used the sensitive spot behind the Elves ears that renders them unconscious. And I didn't want hurt the poor little elf too much and I tried to give him time to recover before the next bout. Don't really know how long it would take to heal if those injuries were actually incurred, but I tried to keep it believable… some fics irk me that Legolas is hovering near death and then BOOM…. He's walking away from a huge battle and not feeling a thing. Don't think Elves could heal THAT quickly! Lol Thanks for your review and I hope you like this chapter as well. J
Supergurl15: WOO HOO! Glad ya made it through camp! It can be a beast! I was assistant leader of a Girl Scout Troop, and also the First Aid/Water Safety/Lifeguard for a camp of over 400 girls and 50 adults. Talk about tiring… and we didn't have computers anywhere NEAR us! Talk about withdrawl! Lol Glad to have ya back and I hope you enjoy this chapter, though its mainly background and understanding time. J
Liza: Thank you! Hope this chapter keeps the story going, especially where I plan to take it. J
AN: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out but I had a death in the family and as you probably know, relatives come out of the woodwork and it takes days for things calm back down again. Thanks for your patience!
**This chapter is just talk and basically getting into the history and emotional state of the characters. It will be important, and come into play later on, at least I hope so. :D Please forgive any mistakes and in case anyone has any questions, all disclaimers and legal mumbo jumbo is in chapter ONE. I hope to have the next installment ready within a couple days, pending any more things happening. Oh, and before I forget… sends out Elves to all those who reviewed Play nice kids! EG
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Chapter Six
The predawn light changed the surrounding forest from blackness, to a steel gray, then lighter into a pale purple sky, peeking through the leafy canopy overhead and dotting the forest floor with glimmering wavers of sunshine. The light danced across the soft bed of earth, tickling the ground with its unseen fingers and awakening the creatures below the boughs.
Yarna slowly opened her eyes as light flitted across her vision, the shadows playing a game of tag with the ray of light penetrating the trees above. The sounds of splashing caught Yarna's attention, and she rolled over to find the Elf stripped down to his waist and using a bandage to clean his now almost completely healed wounds.
Yarna's mouth dropped as she took in the fading red marks, which were once large open, freely bleeding wounds, caused by the cruel Lord and his guards a few days ago. The deep bruising was gone, replaced with soft, flawless skin that glowed faintly in the morning light. She sat up, taking in more of the picture before her.
The sudden movement caught Legolas off-guard and he spun quickly, assuming a defensive posture. When he realized it was Yarna, he lowered his guard and grabbed his shredded shirt, pulling it easily over his head and wincing slightly from the still tender internal wounds he had sustained.
"I am sorry if I woke you," Legolas smiled as he approached her. "I could not in good grace, go any longer covered in blood. It is most uncomfortable."
Yarna's jaw remained slack as she took in the exposed skin on his sleeve where a whip had torn the material; a hint of blood still lingered faintly, staining the mossy green with its faded crimson tint. Before she realized what she was doing, her hand extended out, caressing the rips in the fabric, and then examining the skin below the tears, where ugly wounds once marred the delicate skin. The Elf had said that Elves heal quickly, but she had not estimated this speed.
Legolas held perfectly still as she explored the healed wound on his forearm, her eyes roaming incredulously over the loose hanging shirt draped over his body, and took in the healed ghostly abrasions that had littered his chest, neck and stomach. He knew that, though now free and trusting of him, she was still skittish, and the least bit of movement would frighten her and that's something the Prince wanted to avoid. He wanted to build as much trust as he could between them, thinking that if she befriended one being, then her fear of torment of punishment would diminish, realizing that not all people are harsh and cruel.
When Yarna finished her inspection, her mind registered the proximity and withdrew her hand quickly. She closed her mouth, which had remained open in awe, and blinked furiously, wondering the type of reaction the elf was going to have.
Legolas inclined his head and explained as he easily tucked in his shirt, "My people heal quickly. By dusk, I will have no sign of my injuries."
"Do they still hurt?" Yarna wondered.
Legolas ran a lithe hand over his forearm, where the gashes of the whip had cut into him. "Soreness lingers, but it does not hurt as it once did."
Yarna nodded and the two sat for a moment in complete silence until Legolas pointed to a small branch. "You should eat. We have a long walk ahead of us, and you need your strength."
Yarna gratefully ate the berries that clung to the branch.
Between mouthfuls she asked, "Where did these come from? They were not here
when I fell asleep last night."
Legolas smiled, chewing on his own berry breakfast. "I picked them this morning, while you were asleep." Yarna looked alarmed but he added, "I did not go far and returned quickly. You were never in any danger."
Legolas offered Yarna a small twig. She took it, a surprised and confused look on her face.
"They are very delicious." Legolas said, taking a few bites of his own. "I have a few to take with us for our journey through the mountains."
Yarna bit tentatively into the twig and found it quite delicious. A sweet nectar, tasting of honey and wine, lingered on her lips as the spongy meat of the branch seemed to melt in her mouth. It was quite filling.
After their short breakfast, Legolas motioned to Yarna's legs; "Do you think you can walk?"
Yarna frowned as she tested her legs, her hands examining the leaves that were still locked in place by their woven pattern. There was no physical pain with her touch, so she ventured to stand up, bracing herself against a tree for support should she need it. Her knees buckled slightly at first, but seemed to stabilize almost instantly.
"Are you well? Are you still in pain?" Legolas asked.
Yarna looked down at her legs and took a few steps, feeling them strong and stable for the first time in a long time. She smiled at Legolas, "I think those leaves helped. There is no pain and I feel strong."
Legolas smiled broadly, "Aspa is a powerful herb. It is particularly loved by elves, for it gives us energy and heals wounds faster than any other plant."
Legolas pulled the two overcoats Yarna had slept on off the ground and shook them off, offering them to Yarna. "You will need warmth as we rise with the mountains."
"What about you?" Yarna asked, shrugging her coat over
herself and nearly disappearing in the voluminous folds, her head barly poking
out from over the collar. "You need to keep warm too."
Legolas let out a small laugh as he held his coat before him, willing Yarna to except it. "Elves do not feel cold as humans do. The temperature will not bother me."
Yarna frowned, "I will not take your coat, no matter how much you say you do not need it. It will be bitter cold up there, Legolas, and I will not be responsible for your freezing."
"Stubborn human," He joked, then rolled his eyes resignedly. "I will make you a pact. I will wear it, but when you feel you are too cold, tell me and I will give you my coat. I do not want to think what Lord Elrond will do to me if I bring a half frozen human into Rivendell. Do we have an agreement?"
Yarna thought for a moment and agreed.
"Good," Legolas said. "Now, we are losing daylight. Shall we start for Rivendell?"
Yarna nodded, positioning the coat to allow her to walk without stumbling, and followed the elf up the steep slopes and into the mountain pass.
"If you require rest, let me know. I do not want you hurting yourself," Legolas warned.
Yarna waved off his concern and laughed, "If I can spend hours wading through snow and slush, wearing less clothing than this, then I think I can stand a journey such as this. You said it was not as dangerous as it looked, are you now suggesting that you lied?" Yarna tried to hide her grin at the look on the Prince's face.
The news had been most unexpected. The elf had stumbled on some loose pebbles from his loss of concentration, but he recovered quickly and regarded the young woman accompanying him.
"No Milady. I… I meant" Legolas stammered.
Yarna laughed, the sound soft and melodious "I was only joking." With a quirked smile she added, "Silly elf."
Now it was the elf's turn to look abashed. He shook his head and continued to climb, slow and methodically taking smaller steps that mimicked his companion. The pebbles gave way to stones as large as a man's hand, then into boulders and finally into deep chasms and sharp escarpments that rose up threatening on either side. The wind steadily became more pronounced, turning from a gentle warm breeze, to a bitter bite that peppered them occasionally.
After awhile of silence, something nagged at the back of the Prince's mind.
"Yarna, what did you mean you waded through snow and slush with less clothing?"
Yarna smiled a bittersweet smile as she followed the Prince up a particularly sharp incline, her ragged feet, bound with hide and leather straps to hold them place, gave her no firm footing on the shale rocks now biting into her feet. She slid sideways, catching herself on the rough rock facing and used it to push herself forward and gain the Elf's side and explained in a slight pant, "When I was old enough to assume adult responsibilities, my first chore was to assist my First master's wife in childbed. We were on our way back home from visiting the midwife, who assured us that everything was fine. On the way home, she went into labor. Both of us were inexperienced, but we were able to pull through it, or at least I thought so."
Legolas cast a glance at Yarna, watching her features and body language. "You were not able to pull through it?"
Yarna huffed and stood for a moment beside a deep crevice. "The baby began to cry, as is normal with infants, but he alerted a band of goblins to our location. I tried to fight them off, but there were so many of them. I wanted to stay by Milady's side, but she insisted I take her son and return home. I wanted to argue, to stay with her, but she ordered to return home and tell what happened."
"I am sorry," Legolas said his voice was barely over a whisper.
Yarna glanced at him and continued to walk on, Legolas slowly starting back up the path, "The snow was deep and thick upon the ground, but I was able to make it back to my master. I told him what happened and he went out with the local townsfolk to find her."
Legolas navigated around the winding path, his steps becoming heavy with the telling of the story. He waited for the wind to settle and silence to fall once more,"Did they find her?"
"Yes. But not alive," Yarna said, wiping her eyes on the sleeve of the leather
overcoat. "They brought her body back and gave her a proper burial."
Legolas only nodded, not being particularly familiar with death and the rituals that other beings performed for their dead.
"My master was most happy to have his son safe," Yarna said after a few minutes to compose herself. "I was to be given my freedom for my devotion when his son came of age, but they were attacked and killed. I was then enslaved to a neighbor."
"A neighbor?" Legolas asked. "How did a neighbor claim you?"
Yarna laughed and shrugged, "I have no idea how he thought that I belonged to him. But after he proclaimed that I was his property, I had to belong to him. If I tried to resist, he would have me executed. No one wants a disobedient slave. I found out later that he was responsible for my former master's death."
"So, that was the master you killed? To avenge the first one?" Legolas pressed, watching closely in case Yarna began to notice the increasing chill in the air.
"Oh no. The first master I can remember was very gentle and kind to me. He died in defense of the town. I was passed to his son, allowed me to care for his wife while she was pregnant. Then they died, like I told you, and then I was claimed by the monstrous neighbor."
Legolas could only sigh and shake his head in wonder at the treatment humans could inflict on one another, and their pettiness and emphasis on station and standing. With a lurch, his stomach twisted, knowing his father treated others in the same fashion, claiming the throne was above all, and enforced the silly president with pronounced self-appointed justification.
Yarna followed behind tirelessly, testing her footing occasionally, and continuing on with her story. She didn't know why, but she told about her sordid past, some of the details far too painful to recollect fully.
Yarna frowned to herself, wondering why she would tell such things, but during their ordeal, the elf had gained her trust. Part of her chastised herself for allowing it, the other part felt something that could only be described as relief. Whatever reasoning she could have thought of, the simple fact of the matter was, she felt a lot better getting all the hurt, pain, and suffering off her chest and letting go of it. If she truly was free and allowed to start a new life, then the burdens of her past would need to be excised before she could move on.
"I lived with Master Martuil for many years. He was a good master in the beginning, but then, after he married, he started to be too polite to me. His wife grew angry, thinking he was smitten by me and decided to punish me for it. Everyday, she marked me, letting me know who was the master and who was the slave. Though it has been ages since her last punishment, I can still feel the pain sometimes, especially when I am weary."
Legolas stopped on the rocky path and turned to Yarna, his eyes were dark and drawn, "She marked you?"
"Yes." Yarna said sadly, and slowly moved her blouse to allow a small black mark show directly over her right breast. "She would have the other servants to hold me down while she heated the branding iron with the family crest on it in the fire. Then she would press it down over the same spot, every day. She did this for roughly a year, long after the skin turned a black color and the numbness set in."
"That is horrible," Legolas stammered, his brow drawn. He definitely had distaste for the mortals that could treat another in such a manner. "So you were to be executed for killing her?" Legolas wondered, then thought he would have given Yarna honors for destroying such a vile creature that would inflict such pain and suffering on another human being. He relaxed his fists that he hadn't realized he had clenched.
"No." Yarna shook her head. "One afternoon, she bade me to pick every wildflower in the meadow to make the house smell sweet for company that she was expecting. When I returned, the house was destroyed. Fire raged all about, walls collapsed, and ash hung in the air thicker than any perfume. I later learned that the house had been robbed by bandits."
"They killed her?" Legolas pressed.
"Oh yes, after they tortured her." Yarna added, her face showing sadness and remorse. "They left her inside, tied to the bed as they set the house ablaze. They found her charred body the next day, when the winds shifted and the fire died down."
Legolas steeled himself up and helped Yarna crest a particularly rough path of rock. "She would have been punished for her actions if she was an elf. We do not give forgiveness to those who harm others for the joy of it. She deserved such an ending. "
Yarna's face slacked, her eyes showed all the heartache and torment of her years as she looked into the Elf Prince's face. "Did she really, Legolas? Does anyone deserve such a fate?"
Legolas was taken aback. He blinked blankly at Yarna, wondering how she could defend someone that had caused so much hardship. "You would absolve her from guilt? After what she did to you?"
"I would understand the jealousy she held and the hold such an emotion can have on a person. People tend to think with their hearts, and allow their bad judgments to lead them," Yarna said.
Snow started to fall, sprinkling the elf and woman standing on the edge of the mountain, gazes locked and emotions tumbling over one another. After a minute, Yarna wrapped her coat around herself more snugly and started to climb once again.
"Are you cold? Do you require my coat?" Legolas asked, regaining his composure.
"No, I am fine," Yarna said knowing full well the icy she felt was not due to the frost settling upon her.
Legolas walked beside Yarna for some time, his mind racing with what it had just heard. Yarna had suffered more pain than he had realized, or could have possibly imagined.
"Yarna?" He asked slowly. "How did you survive all that suffering?"
Yarna balanced on a rock and hopped to the next, her arms out for leverage as she channeled through a pass in the mountains. "I do not know. I always thought that somehow, I would be rescued. Protected from those people."
"And yet you were imprisoned for protecting yourself."
"But now I have been rescued. I am just happy my wishes have been answered."
Yarna waded through snow that was ankle deep, but didn't seem to notice the cold intrusion in her soft worn shoes. She ambled on, telling the elf what had happened with her previous masters. "I have had many masters, some of them kind and fair, others rough and hostile."
"You do not look that old," Legolas said in an attempt to break the brittle tension that was building.
Yarna snorted in laughter at the jibe and shook her head as she continued to follow the prince. She gasped when he stopped suddenly, his arm shooting out as his side to prevent her from proceeding, his body becoming rigid, his head cocked, listening for some unheard sound or unnatural noise.
Several minutes went by, both unmoving, still and silent. Finally Yarna ventured nearer to the Prince and whispered in his ear, "What is wrong? What do you hear?"
Very seriously, Legolas turned and looked at her, his eyes wide and a smile tugging at his lips. "I thought I heard true laughter and amusement from Milady."
Yarna's face split open into a smile, "Very funny."
The sun was starting its evening descent, casting orange and rose hues over the fine white powder. The snow seemed to glow and radiate a light all in its own as it cast the two in a myriad of colors and luminescence.
For the first time since they met, Legolas could see clearly the human woman standing in front of him. Her face was… well… alive. Alive with mirth and enjoying herself for probably the first time in her life.
There was no fear behind her eyes, no quiver to her voice or body, no subconscious attempts at trying to put between them as much distance as possible.
The bruises on her face were fading, showing off more of her creamy skin, which seemed to have lightened considerably, though a few lines could be seen around her eyes and the corners of her mouth.
"How much further?" Yarna asked her breath coming in tiny gasps as the air thinned.
"We have to make it through that pass there, to the left, and then down into the valley. Rivendell is just a short way beyond," Legolas explained.
"I do not think we have that much daylight left," Yarna said, straining her eyes to the dying light of the sun, which was sinking behind the large aiguilles of stone and earth.
"I know my way already. We do not need daylight. The longer we journey, the sooner we are off the mountain, and closer to Rivendell."
"Lead on," Yarna said though feeling as if an ice cube slipped down into her stomach as she gazed upon the etchings of time the wind had made into the mountain.
Up and up they walked, treading through snow, increasing winds, and bitter cold. The sun sank below the horizon, casting the two travelers into semi-darkness.
The sky turned from deep navy, to a startling black, dotted with diamonds as the stars seemed to have sensed the need for extra illumination, and shone their brightest. They seemed to be overjoyed, twinkling high above, dancing in the sky and rejoicing and laughing in a language only they could understand, twinkling merrily at the two cresting the mountaintop.
Occasionally, Legolas would cast his eyes skyward, taking in the vast expanse that reached from horizon to horizon, dappled with brilliant gems of light. A small smile would tug at his lips as his steps seemed to become lighter, though they never made an indentation upon the snow.
Yarna kept her coat wrapped firmly around herself, glad that its large collar directed most foul winds away from her and protected her face and neck from the biting chill in the air, though the top of her head was already dappled with snow, crowning her with its icy diamonds. The snow seemed to glow beneath her feet. The white powder grew, if possible, a brighter shade of radiance as the stars overhead seemed to swell with all their light upon the world. The ground shimmered, leading the way through the mountain pass, through the crevices and cracks, through the gale windstorm, over the rocky terrain and into the last rough, crooked maze that led into the valley that sheltered Rivendell.
Through the pass they journeyed, keeping close together to prevent separation. Yarna could barely see a few feet in front of her face, but the firm grip the elf had on her hand as he lead her through the twisting maze, comforted her.
The uluant winds tumbled around them, blurring their vision and threatening to take the very breath from their lungs. The biting chill entered their bodies, sending shivers down their spines and Yarna's teeth to occasionally chatter. Stumbling, the two rounded the last twist in the maze and the atmosphere become instantly more desirable. The winds were quiet, the snow just a few inches deep, the bitterness of the air seemed to have dulled down and almost felt warm to their blustered faces, now pink and numb.
Yarna pressed her hands over her reddened cheeks, trying to get the warmth and feeling back in them. She saw Legolas out of the corner of her eye doing the same thing. She had to stifle a giggle at the elf's appearance; his hair distinctively ruffled and his blushed red face.
"Are you cold?" Legolas asked with a grin.
"Not really," Yarna assured him, fighting down the urge to laugh, "The weather is fairly pleasant actually."
Legolas stared incredulously at Yarna, then broke into laughter, "We are over the worst part of it. The Howling pass is usually worse than this. It is fairly calm compared to what it normally is. The season must be gentle this year."
Yarna gaped at the elf and shook her head as she tucked her hands into her overcoat and tried to warm them up, "I do not think I could have made it at all. That was quite enough for me."
Legolas laughed and started down the side of the winding path, treading over the snow, leaving no marks on the pristine powder.
Yarna smiled widely as her eyes swept over the landscape. A glint on the horizon marked the end of their journey as Rivendell twinkled with its own light. The stars seemed dimmed by the shimmering light that marked where Rivendell was nestled between the cleavages of the valley. This side of the mountain was much less steeper than the other, and easier to navigate as the two picked their way through the darkness.
As the two wound their way down the side of the mountain in the night, their path highlighted by only the stars above, Legolas felt a strange feeling press in his mind.
