SHADOW IN THE TREES
By : mirkwood-elf-2931 & Thala
CHAPTER 20
It had taken five full days, since her rescue, for Thalawen's
tortured body to return to its graceful beauty. The lamp-like eyes had shrunk
and gone back to their original dark green. The deep blue-green of her skin now
soft, smooth, and white. And noticed one night, that she and Landailyn's light
had come completely back. Now only the scars shown across Thalawen's face, the
rest covered by her clothes. But these would soon fade in time.
The road to the wood of Lorien was becoming less dull and more bright as they
left Orthanc's shadow. The three friends had been silent for most of the
journey, but Thalawen felt now was the time to tell Landailyn of the reason why
she had been betrayed.
"Landy, we must talk." Said Thalawen, one late night during camp.
"And what shall we speak of?" She asked.
"I must tell you what happened. You of all have the most right to know."
Thalawen said silently. Arwen was quiet behind Thalawen. She gave her friends
this time to bridge the last gap that was standing between them.
"That night in Mirkwood, those Orcs took me for Saruman for one purpose.
Betrayal. He needed the information about the Fellowship that I had and he
tortured it out of me when I would not give it to him freely. He used my love
against me and made me want to kill for someone I know I could never have."
Thalawen paused.
"What do you mean? Who did you want?" Asked Landailyn. She had already figured
out long ago that Thalawen had been taken for a reason, but had not expected
love having anything to do with it or her friend's next words, for they would
surprise her to no end.
"I wanted…no, I much desired Legolas."
This even gave Arwen a start, wondering if she had heard her right. Thalawen
heard Landailyn gasp and start to speak, but interrupted her. The words rushing
from her mouth.
"Before I even knew you, or Legolas, or Saruman, I'd had a dream. A voice
thundered through my head and told me to kill for the one I loved, or thought
of in that way. I didn't know he was telling me I would fall in love with a man
I couldn't really have. But I knew I loved Legolas after I got to know him, the
many days we spent together in Rivendell. Saruman used my emotions against me,
told me that Legolas loved me, but that you were standing between us and that I
must kill you. But this was after I met you. I knew he must be lying, but all
those hours of torture I began to go insane with thoughts of you with Legolas,
and I became angry. It took awhile for me to give in, but I did. That's why I
tried to kill you. I wanted Legolas." Finished Thalawen, ashamed.
"And do you still love him?" Asked Landailyn quietly.
"No, I do not love him. I will love no man ever again." She paused. "There is
too much vulnerability when love is involved with men and women."
"I see." Landailyn replied, pondering all that she'd just heard.
"I'm so sorry, Landailyn," Thalawen keep her gaze ahead, feeling as though she
could not face the Elf. "For everything. But it was like I was trapped in a
shell. Somewhere within me, I knew it was all very wrong, that I was hurting
those who had come only to help me. But I couldn't not do the
tasks he bid me, no matter how awful or if it was to someone I cared for. Do
you understand?" Finally, she came to stare straight into the Mirkwood Elf's
eyes.
Listening the whole time, Arwen was filled with surprise. She'd never heard
Thalawen apologize to anyone before, with the exception of herself. But then
again this had been a matter of life and death.
"Somehow, I think I do." She replied with sincerity at seeing how sorry the Elf
really was.
Thalawen's smile of relief was soft in the dim glow of their fire, all she
wanted was to be forgiven and not have a friend she had just made hate her. She
was happy the bond had not been severed after all. "I'm just glad Arwen finally
got through to me, or you would…" There was a silence that settled on them, as
Thalawen's gaze veered toward the tall grass around her feet, as if it had
consumed all of her interest for the moment.
"I know, Thala, but it did not turn out that way."
"How is it, by the way?"
Landailyn looked down at her bandaged chest and shoulder, even though it was
covered by her tunic and jerkin. "It is gradually getting better, it does not
really bother me."
She nodded. "So, even after what I've put you through...you still wish to be my
friend?"
Landailyn's small smile turned sad. "Of course I do. If you still wish to be mine."
"Aye, and I've never properly thanked you both. So, thank you...for giving me
my life back. It's good to know what kind of friends I have...ones who would
risk so much."
Now Arwen was really surprised at this talk. She and Landailyn smiled at each
other, then at Thalawen.
The three were now one again.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Thalawen tried to think of other things on the way to Lothlorien. She knew
they were close, could feel the Elven city's presence. But one question had
been nagging her brain and would not go away.
"So," Thalawen spoke up, suddenly as they rode on at a steady pace over an open
stretch of rolling hills, the three in lead, while the rest trailed not far
behind. "do you love Legolas?"
Arwen leaned forward into Thalawen's back, to see Landailyn's reaction.
She stared back and forth between them for a moment, in slight shock at the
directness of the question, her eyes widening as she stared directly into
Thalawen's. "What brought that up?"
"I don't know," she shrugged nonchalantly "I was just wondering."
Landailyn sighed at this. She was always faced with the knowledge that their
families wished for them to join, but could never get around the idea of she
and Legolas' friendship in her mind. "Yes," She finally decided to admit, as
much to herself as to her friends. "I always have...since we were very young."
A small smile played across her face and her eyes seemed distant, as if
remembering.
"Really? You never told me this, when the two of you would visit Rivendell."
Arwen remarked quietly, before she could stop herself. She tried to remember
that this was really none of her business.
Landailyn's smile grew. She could all but read Arwen's thoughts as they flew
across the expressions on her face.
"I know, I just never felt as though I could tell anyone. Besides, I think that
he only regards me as a friend. I always was just 'one of the boys'."
"Well," Cut in Thalawen. "Perhaps now is the time to find out. Maybe Saruman
was right, what if he really loves you? Do you not want to know?"
"I would give anything to know." She stared at the road ahead of them, her
voice almost a whisper.
"Then do not spend the rest of your life saying, 'what if'." She suddenly found
the whole thing ironic. "But, then again, what do I know? I tried to kill you
for him, so why should you listen to me?" Thalawen said sarcastically.
Landailyn looked over to her, smiled almost sadly, then stared ahead once more.
"I'm just afraid of what he might say in return." Her voice more quiet than
before.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Lothlorien was a beautiful city, built in and
around the woodland like that of Rivendell.
Waterfalls, fountains, small rivers, stone statues and long winding staircases
that slithered their way up and around the trees like snakes, with creeping
vines that grew along and entangled the structures.
Even though the sun had gone down, everything was glowing as if a thousand tiny
fairies were lighting the city, their bulbs blinking on and off and then on
again. This was the first time Thalawen had ever seen Lothlorien. She faintly
wondered why she never came sooner with Arwen.
When Arwen, Thalawen, Landailyn and her men had reached a half a day into the
forest, they'd met with Haldir. He'd greeted them kindly and showed them the
way to Caras Galadhon. Arwen and he had talked endlessly the whole way,
breaking the silence with much welcomed warmth.
Soon they'd arrived in the heart of the city and Thalawen led her horse, Ezril
to the stables to bed him down. After she'd finished with him, she rejoined
Landailyn and Arwen, whose horses had already been taken for them. Landailyn,
who had just finished talking with her men, looked very tired. But Thalawen was
glad that in another day or two, Landailyn's shoulder would be completely
healed.
Like Arwen and Landailyn before, they were led by Haldir up a particularly
enchanted looking staircase that wound way up into the tree tops, seeming to go
on forever. But finally they reached a large circular platform and were instructed
to wait there.
At the front of the flet stood another staircase. These stairs seemed to glow
of their own accord and down them came two figures in stark, bright white. This
was Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, Arwen's grandparents. Thalawen had heard many
a tale of Galadriel and Lothlorien, but had never met her nor seen the great
city.
Arwen ran to her grandparents and threw her arms around them. "Grandmother!
Grandfather! It's so good to see you again!" She then turned around to
introduce Thalawen. "This is my sister, Thalawen. Thalawen, the Lord and Lady
of the Wood."
Shyly, Thalawen stepped forward and bowed her head, but Galadriel lifted her
chin with a forefinger and embraced her. "The kin of Arwen are kin to
me." But Thalawen heard another voice inside her mind, "You are safe
here and all your troubles mean nothing within these woods. Come, rest and heal
with family and friends who love you."
TBC ...
