Chapter 4
A Burning Throughout Him
Legolas had slept in that morning and awoke to find that Thranduil had journeyed to the northern part of the realm to collect news. He would be back in three days time and Legolas was left to supervise the throne. Elves rarely came to the king, complaining about their troubles, but all morning they would come and ask if they may leave the realm for a certain amount of time. Legolas figured it was because many of them wished to go visit Rivendell for the acts of summer were fading and autumn was approaching. They knew that this would be there last chance to see the majesty of Rivendell before a whole winter, so they left by the dozens.
Neenuvar stayed in her chamber for the whole morning. Some of the elves were concerned, but none more then Legolas. He knew things others didn't. He knew she was plotting, or commencing. Either way, no news from her would have been good.
However, morning passed and nothing was heard from Neenuvar. Legolas was passing her room on the way to his own and paused. He stared at her door, contemplating whether or not to check on her. Eventually, he had his hand on the doorknob and was turning it.
The brass knob was suddenly pulled from his hands as the door was opened from the inside. Neenuvar stood there and smiled at him.
'What do you want?' she asked haughtily. Legolas could see her bright eyes growing into slits.
'Just wondering what you've been doing.' he said. Neenuvar smiled.
'None of your business.' she was in the process of closing the door, but Legolas stopped it with his hand.
'I think it is.' Neenuvar glared at him. Legolas didn't back down and watched her carefully. Finally, the smile reappeared.
'You'll find out.'
Neenuvar spent her afternoon in her chamber. Legolas ate alone at mid- day meal and dinner. His conscience was slowly swelling with worry. He just finished the last meal of the day and leaned back in his chair. He knew Neenuvar was up to something and that it couldn't be safe for him.
He was lying on a bench in the courtyard. The evening was drawn and dusk was upon the kingdom. Stares began to twinkle brightly in the east as the glow of the sun faded in the west. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He figured that if Neenuvar was planning anything, it wasn't about to happen today. He was safe for another night.
Four arms reached down at him, pulling him into a standing position. He was startled, but not surprised. However, shock pelted him when he saw two Mirkwood guards pulling his arms painfully behind his back.
'What are you doing?' he demanded. He jerked and twisted, trying to escape their grasp. Their grip on him seemed stronger then it should've been. Their faces remained expressionless. Their eyes were open, but their irises shrouded over with a milky film so that only their pupils could be seen. Legolas felt ropes binding around his wrists, so tight he could barely feel his fingers. A cloth was tied around his mouth that gagged all sounds save for muffled words. He winced as they pushed him to his knees. All he could hear were his own raspy breaths and footsteps.
'I am going to have fun tonight, my little prince.' cackled Neenuvar. Legolas cursed her, but it only came out a quieted moan. Their eyes locked, Legolas's full of anger and Neenuvar's full of triumph.
She stepped out of the courtyard back into the palace and the guards pulled him into the shadows. They practically carried him towards the gate where the two guards were supposed to be guarding, not forcing Legolas from the palace.
Legolas pulled and yanked but their grasp held with an unending strength that hurt his arms. They made their way around the palace and into the forest. Legolas kicked them, but it was like hitting rock. He found it hard to breath with the gag over his mouth and partially covering his nose.
Although he struggled with all his will, the guards had pushed him far from the palace towards the bubbling waters of a river that weaved around the palace in a deep canyon. It was never a concern for floods although its waters were always high and white. Large rocks stuck up and out from the frothing surface. Legolas was pushed to the edge of the cliff and shoved down onto his knees. He could clearly see the swirling waters as the sun set on the horizon beyond.
Neenuvar appeared at his side. He could see the glint of metal in her hand. Her breath was icy against his ear.
'I have long awaited this moment.' she hissed. Legolas leaned away, trying not to show he had heard her comments. 'I convinced you dear father to ride away to the north. It is not easy to manipulate somebody in Mirkwood. It's especially easy to hypnotize them as well. These guards that brought you here will not remember a thing. They'll think they just dozed off on duty. When your father finds you're missing, I'll weep and he'll blame these two.' she tilted her head towards the two elves standing nearby. 'He'll have no idea that your body will be miles southward, mangled and shriveled like a dried grape.' she slowly ran her finger along the edge of her dagger.
'I'm not about to let you off easy.' Legolas shivered to hear the voice inside his head. 'I've tormented you ever since I've arrived, and now you're about to realize the true meaning of pain.' Legolas waited for something to strike him, to puncture his back or slit his neck. After a few moments a flash of burning pain screeched through his limbs. He cried out loudly, but it was muffled once more. He fell forward and his head dangled over the edge of the cliff. Neenuvar laughed.
She reached down slowly and removed his gag. 'I love to hear you scream.' she said. Legolas's limbs suddenly went ablaze again and he couldn't help but cry out. Neenuvar's smile widened. He writhed for a moment until the fire was suddenly lifted. His body trembled and poured sweat. He felt weaker than he ever had. He could barely keep his eyes open.
'Once you're gone, I'm going to kill your father.' she said, lying down beside him. Legolas noticed that her elbow was propped on the air over the cliff and her head resting in her palm. 'His death will be so much worse then yours.' she said. She brushed the blade along the side of his face, leaving it unscathed. Slowly and gracefully, she cut off a lock of his hair. 'I'll burn this in front of him.' she said quietly. 'Then I'll watch him cry over his lost son.' Legolas would've smiled with a sudden idea that came to him, but he couldn't find the strength.
'It won't work.' he whispered with hot breath. 'You took him from me. He doesn't love me anymore.' Neenuvar laughed her beautiful laugh.
'I think not. We talk a lot you know. I talk about how beautiful his kingdom is, how beautiful the trees are, and sometimes how beautiful YOU are.' Legolas felt anger burning in his heart. A pain almost worse then the spell Neenuvar had cast about him. 'All he ever talks about it you. How proud he is, how talented you are, how brave you've acted in the past. He misses his old son. He wants the son who laughs and smiles.' The blade brushed against his face once more, leaving behind a trail of blood. 'Isn't it funny, the way things work out?' All of Legolas's feelings fell away, save for two: hatred and regret.
He felt arms pulling him up onto his feet. He couldn't put weight on his tired legs. He felt exhausted from head to foot. His head pounded and his hands throbbed. He was sure they were going to fall off from the loss of circulation.
Neenuvar suddenly plunged the blade into Legolas's abdomen. He grit his teeth and went limp in the arms of the guards, but made himself not cry out. Something was being tied around his foot: a rope attached to a rock. Neenuvar laughed as he was shoved to the very brink of the white inferno below. The sun suddenly disappeared behind the horizon, leaving behind nothing but its glowing trail. Pain coursed through every inch of Legolas's torso, stiffening his limbs and spearing his senses. Neenuvar dangled the lock of hair in front of his face and said:
'I'll make sure your father gets some of this.' she said. With that, the arms let Legolas go. He wavered for a moment before the rock was shoved over the edge. Legolas struggled to stay where he was, but his body lacked too much strength. The small boulder fell taking him with it.
Atop the cliff by the raging river, Neenuvar laughed and tucked the hair away inside her dress. The two guards turned and began to make their way back through the forest towards the palace where they would resume their posts and never recall the crime. Neenuvar watched the rapids for a few minutes before turning her back on them and not returning ever again. She was disappointed that such beauty of an elf be wasted so, but nothing could stand in her way of her ageless lust for rule.
Deep in the waters of the river, Legolas sank to the bottom. His blonde locks danced around his head and shimmered from the starlight that managed to penetrate to the deepest of the river. His eyes were open and peered up to see the towering cliffs on both sides of the river. The glow of the sun had faded from the sky and the stars grew dominant. He thought of his father. He thought of how mush he wished they had been close at the time of his death. He wished they had shared with each other everything they had felt. Legolas couldn't imagine the pain he could go through when Neenuvar would burn those locks in front of him.
She was right from the beginning. She should have been named Amarth.
With one last look at the starlight, Legolas's eyes shut and his life sank to the bottom of the waterway.
.
.
heehee! U hate me don't u? Tomorrow's last chapter! Get out the tissue, you'll need it!
A Burning Throughout Him
Legolas had slept in that morning and awoke to find that Thranduil had journeyed to the northern part of the realm to collect news. He would be back in three days time and Legolas was left to supervise the throne. Elves rarely came to the king, complaining about their troubles, but all morning they would come and ask if they may leave the realm for a certain amount of time. Legolas figured it was because many of them wished to go visit Rivendell for the acts of summer were fading and autumn was approaching. They knew that this would be there last chance to see the majesty of Rivendell before a whole winter, so they left by the dozens.
Neenuvar stayed in her chamber for the whole morning. Some of the elves were concerned, but none more then Legolas. He knew things others didn't. He knew she was plotting, or commencing. Either way, no news from her would have been good.
However, morning passed and nothing was heard from Neenuvar. Legolas was passing her room on the way to his own and paused. He stared at her door, contemplating whether or not to check on her. Eventually, he had his hand on the doorknob and was turning it.
The brass knob was suddenly pulled from his hands as the door was opened from the inside. Neenuvar stood there and smiled at him.
'What do you want?' she asked haughtily. Legolas could see her bright eyes growing into slits.
'Just wondering what you've been doing.' he said. Neenuvar smiled.
'None of your business.' she was in the process of closing the door, but Legolas stopped it with his hand.
'I think it is.' Neenuvar glared at him. Legolas didn't back down and watched her carefully. Finally, the smile reappeared.
'You'll find out.'
Neenuvar spent her afternoon in her chamber. Legolas ate alone at mid- day meal and dinner. His conscience was slowly swelling with worry. He just finished the last meal of the day and leaned back in his chair. He knew Neenuvar was up to something and that it couldn't be safe for him.
He was lying on a bench in the courtyard. The evening was drawn and dusk was upon the kingdom. Stares began to twinkle brightly in the east as the glow of the sun faded in the west. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He figured that if Neenuvar was planning anything, it wasn't about to happen today. He was safe for another night.
Four arms reached down at him, pulling him into a standing position. He was startled, but not surprised. However, shock pelted him when he saw two Mirkwood guards pulling his arms painfully behind his back.
'What are you doing?' he demanded. He jerked and twisted, trying to escape their grasp. Their grip on him seemed stronger then it should've been. Their faces remained expressionless. Their eyes were open, but their irises shrouded over with a milky film so that only their pupils could be seen. Legolas felt ropes binding around his wrists, so tight he could barely feel his fingers. A cloth was tied around his mouth that gagged all sounds save for muffled words. He winced as they pushed him to his knees. All he could hear were his own raspy breaths and footsteps.
'I am going to have fun tonight, my little prince.' cackled Neenuvar. Legolas cursed her, but it only came out a quieted moan. Their eyes locked, Legolas's full of anger and Neenuvar's full of triumph.
She stepped out of the courtyard back into the palace and the guards pulled him into the shadows. They practically carried him towards the gate where the two guards were supposed to be guarding, not forcing Legolas from the palace.
Legolas pulled and yanked but their grasp held with an unending strength that hurt his arms. They made their way around the palace and into the forest. Legolas kicked them, but it was like hitting rock. He found it hard to breath with the gag over his mouth and partially covering his nose.
Although he struggled with all his will, the guards had pushed him far from the palace towards the bubbling waters of a river that weaved around the palace in a deep canyon. It was never a concern for floods although its waters were always high and white. Large rocks stuck up and out from the frothing surface. Legolas was pushed to the edge of the cliff and shoved down onto his knees. He could clearly see the swirling waters as the sun set on the horizon beyond.
Neenuvar appeared at his side. He could see the glint of metal in her hand. Her breath was icy against his ear.
'I have long awaited this moment.' she hissed. Legolas leaned away, trying not to show he had heard her comments. 'I convinced you dear father to ride away to the north. It is not easy to manipulate somebody in Mirkwood. It's especially easy to hypnotize them as well. These guards that brought you here will not remember a thing. They'll think they just dozed off on duty. When your father finds you're missing, I'll weep and he'll blame these two.' she tilted her head towards the two elves standing nearby. 'He'll have no idea that your body will be miles southward, mangled and shriveled like a dried grape.' she slowly ran her finger along the edge of her dagger.
'I'm not about to let you off easy.' Legolas shivered to hear the voice inside his head. 'I've tormented you ever since I've arrived, and now you're about to realize the true meaning of pain.' Legolas waited for something to strike him, to puncture his back or slit his neck. After a few moments a flash of burning pain screeched through his limbs. He cried out loudly, but it was muffled once more. He fell forward and his head dangled over the edge of the cliff. Neenuvar laughed.
She reached down slowly and removed his gag. 'I love to hear you scream.' she said. Legolas's limbs suddenly went ablaze again and he couldn't help but cry out. Neenuvar's smile widened. He writhed for a moment until the fire was suddenly lifted. His body trembled and poured sweat. He felt weaker than he ever had. He could barely keep his eyes open.
'Once you're gone, I'm going to kill your father.' she said, lying down beside him. Legolas noticed that her elbow was propped on the air over the cliff and her head resting in her palm. 'His death will be so much worse then yours.' she said. She brushed the blade along the side of his face, leaving it unscathed. Slowly and gracefully, she cut off a lock of his hair. 'I'll burn this in front of him.' she said quietly. 'Then I'll watch him cry over his lost son.' Legolas would've smiled with a sudden idea that came to him, but he couldn't find the strength.
'It won't work.' he whispered with hot breath. 'You took him from me. He doesn't love me anymore.' Neenuvar laughed her beautiful laugh.
'I think not. We talk a lot you know. I talk about how beautiful his kingdom is, how beautiful the trees are, and sometimes how beautiful YOU are.' Legolas felt anger burning in his heart. A pain almost worse then the spell Neenuvar had cast about him. 'All he ever talks about it you. How proud he is, how talented you are, how brave you've acted in the past. He misses his old son. He wants the son who laughs and smiles.' The blade brushed against his face once more, leaving behind a trail of blood. 'Isn't it funny, the way things work out?' All of Legolas's feelings fell away, save for two: hatred and regret.
He felt arms pulling him up onto his feet. He couldn't put weight on his tired legs. He felt exhausted from head to foot. His head pounded and his hands throbbed. He was sure they were going to fall off from the loss of circulation.
Neenuvar suddenly plunged the blade into Legolas's abdomen. He grit his teeth and went limp in the arms of the guards, but made himself not cry out. Something was being tied around his foot: a rope attached to a rock. Neenuvar laughed as he was shoved to the very brink of the white inferno below. The sun suddenly disappeared behind the horizon, leaving behind nothing but its glowing trail. Pain coursed through every inch of Legolas's torso, stiffening his limbs and spearing his senses. Neenuvar dangled the lock of hair in front of his face and said:
'I'll make sure your father gets some of this.' she said. With that, the arms let Legolas go. He wavered for a moment before the rock was shoved over the edge. Legolas struggled to stay where he was, but his body lacked too much strength. The small boulder fell taking him with it.
Atop the cliff by the raging river, Neenuvar laughed and tucked the hair away inside her dress. The two guards turned and began to make their way back through the forest towards the palace where they would resume their posts and never recall the crime. Neenuvar watched the rapids for a few minutes before turning her back on them and not returning ever again. She was disappointed that such beauty of an elf be wasted so, but nothing could stand in her way of her ageless lust for rule.
Deep in the waters of the river, Legolas sank to the bottom. His blonde locks danced around his head and shimmered from the starlight that managed to penetrate to the deepest of the river. His eyes were open and peered up to see the towering cliffs on both sides of the river. The glow of the sun had faded from the sky and the stars grew dominant. He thought of his father. He thought of how mush he wished they had been close at the time of his death. He wished they had shared with each other everything they had felt. Legolas couldn't imagine the pain he could go through when Neenuvar would burn those locks in front of him.
She was right from the beginning. She should have been named Amarth.
With one last look at the starlight, Legolas's eyes shut and his life sank to the bottom of the waterway.
.
.
heehee! U hate me don't u? Tomorrow's last chapter! Get out the tissue, you'll need it!