Author: Luinëturiel (aka Zoe)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Lord of the Rings. They belong to the wonderful J.R.R. Tolkien. Any other characters in this story, however, are mine.
I am very
happy to hear that the few people who read my story are enjoying it so far. Many
thanks for reviewing, everyone!
This was originally planned as a short ficlet of 4 or 5 chapters, but it seems
like you'll get some more chapters to read than just 5. I hope you don't mind.
;o)
But now on with the story... Enjoy!
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A Spark in the Dark
5 Legolas: ComfortWhen I am sure that Thalwyn is awake, I turn towards the bed and softly call her name to let her know that she is not alone. She jumps at the sound of my voice – a reaction that makes me silently reprimand myself for startling her so.
"I am sorry. I did not mean to frighten you." With slow steps, I approach the bed until I stand right beside it.
At the same time, Thalwyn struggles into a sitting position and turns her head towards me. Once more, I find milky blue eyes staring right through me, but this time I am prepared for it. It still makes me feel uneasy to meet her gaze, but not quite as much as before.
The young woman's voice is firm, yet gentle as she replies to my apology, "No, you did not frighten me. I had simply not expected anybody to be here with me."
She seriously thought we would leave her all on her own?
But before I can even comment on this, Thalwyn speaks again, this time asking me where she is now, and who I am.
"My name is Legolas," I briefly introduce myself, leaving out the formal title. "My companions and I were on our way to Rivendell when we came across you, and that is where you are now – in Rivendell, in the house of Lord Elrond."
When I mention the name 'Rivendell', an unreadable expression – that of recognition? of doubt? – is flitting across Thalwyn's features. Eager to know what is crossing the young woman's mind, yet reluctant to ask, I cock my head to the side and study her face intently, cautiously. I watch her dark eyebrows furrow as if she is thinking hard, the unfocused stare of her eyes betraying none of her thoughts.
The name of this place cannot possibly have reminded her of anything unpleasant, can it?
But much to my relief, her features relax again after a brief moment. And finally, the corners of Thalwyn's lips rise in a small, but genuine smile. "Elves..." she whispers, a hint of disbelief in her voice. Obviously, she did not mean to say this out loud, for a slight blush creeps onto her cheeks just then.
"Yes, you are in the house of an Elf." I allow my slight amusement to show through in my voice.
"Elves," the young woman repeats as if to assure herself that this is not a dream. "My sister has told me about the Fair Folk, but I have never met an Elf." She pauses, and there it is again – the wrinkling of her forehead that reveals how hard her mind must be working. Thalwyn's voice is agitated when she finally resumes her speech. "Oh! But wait – the strange, beautiful language your comrades spoke...and I could not hear your footfalls when you walked over here..."
Now a mixture of recognition, disbelief, and surprise is written all over her face, and I cannot help but laugh gently. "Aye, Thalwyn. Me and my companions are Elves as well." Half convinced, half hoping that Thalwyn will not mind, I sit down on the edge of the bed, facing her. And indeed, it does not seem to cause her discomfort in the least. Quite the contrary, to tell from the smile that has now spread across Thalwyn's face.
And did
my enhanced vision play a trick on me, or was there a spark of life flickering
in her unseeing eyes when I confirmed that I am an Elf myself?
But maybe it was just the light of one of the candles reflecting in her eyes...
However, I can tell by the look on her face that Thalwyn is delighted to finally meet an Elf; that she feels comfortable in my company. Nevertheless, her smile does not last for long. Already her lips press together firmly in a thin, pink line, and she swallows hard. And as I let my gaze stray down to her hands, I notice that they have started shaking.
Any sign
of happiness gone in the blink of an eye...
What happened to you, Thalwyn? What horrors did you face?
I dare not ask those questions aloud, fearing that I might upset the young woman even more. Instead, I take her hands in mine to reassure her that everything will be all right.
My hands have barely come to touch hers when a first tear makes its way down Thalwyn's cheek. I softly brush a thumb across the back of one of her hands, but her trembling fingers free themselves from my loose grasp and reach out searchingly towards me. Not knowing what else to do, I lean forward and enfold her in a light embrace. The young woman's hands get a grip on the front of my tunic, and she leans in to me, her forehead coming to rest against my chest, the tears now flowing in streams.
"Shhh." I close my eyes and tilt my head down so that my cheek touches Thalwyn's temple, while my hands have started running up and down her back all by themselves. Then I begin to speak to her in order to calm her down, involuntarily switching to my mother tongue as all those sweet formulas of consolation and reassurance pour from my lips. What exactly I tell her, I cannot say for sure, for all of my attention is focused on the shaking form in my arms, on her shuddering breaths in between sobs.
At first it seems that my humble attempts to soothe her are in vain, but then, to my great relief, the trembling and the sobs begin to subside. After a while, even Thalwyn's fingers loosen their death grip on my shirt, and the young woman lays her hands flat against the now rumpled fabric in a relaxed fashion. I keep speaking to her, my voice a faint whisper, while I let my own hands come to rest somewhere below Thalwyn's shoulder blades under waterfalls of dark brown hair.
We have been sitting like that for a while, motionless, when Thalwyn is finally stirring in my arms. My whispers stop, and I open my eyes as she draws back a few inches to sit up straight. Her head is tilted down, and her hands have dropped into her lap.
"I am so sorry," she begins. "I..." Her voice trails off as she seems to be searching for the right words to explain herself.
"It is all right, Thalwyn." My hands gently squeeze her shoulders in a reassuring gesture. "There is no need for you to apologise. Just tell me what happened, and if there is anything I can do for you."
Thalwyn raises her head, yet it takes her a moment to answer me. And when she speaks, the undertone in her voice betrays that she has to force herself not to cry again. "I appreciate your kind offer, Legolas, but I fear that there is little you could do for me." Once more, she drops her gaze. "You cannot bring her back to me. Nobody can..."
Just as I am about to ask her whom she is speaking of, Thalwyn looks up again. "My sister and I were out in the woods gathering herbs when all of a sudden, we were attacked. I managed to escape, but Aldarida..." Even if Thalwyn's dead eyes do not display any emotion, her facial expression speaks of pain.
This is worse than I had feared...
Hesitantly, I let my hands slide down her arms to envelop her now fidgeting fingers with mine. "So that is why you and your horse were that exhausted when we found you – you had been fleeing from those attackers..."
And that must also be the reason why she first thought me and my companions meant to do her harm...
Thalwyn gives me a slight nod.
But who attacked them? And why? And where did all this take place exactly? Thalwyn's horse seemed to have run for miles...
Questions over questions take shape in my mind. I am well aware that it will not be easy for Thalwyn, but I need for her to answer at least some of them. It takes me a moment to make up my mind and ask her to tell me every detail she remembers.
The pain-filled expression on her face almost makes me wish I had not asked. But then Thalwyn nods once more, takes in a deep, yet shaking breath, and begins to speak. Her voice is surprisingly calm, and she gives me a complete account of what happened, beginning with her sister and her setting out on their horses, and ending with her telling me her name before losing consciousness.
I hang on her every word, all the while holding her restless hands in mine, now and then letting a thumb brush across them. When Thalwyn has finally finished, the first feeling that stirs in my heart is grief.
She has lost the person she loved most. The person that cared for her most.
But then another thought crosses my mind, and I reach up to put my hands on Thalwyn's shoulders. "Thalwyn, I... How can you be so sure if..." I frown at the difficulties I am having with finding the right words. "What I am trying to say is that, from what you told me, I think there is still some hope that your sister has not been killed. You heard her cry out in anguish, but maybe she was just injured and taken captive."
Which is not exactly a pleasant thought either, I must admit...
"Or perhaps she was not even taken captive," I go on, "but the attackers blocked her path so that she could not follow you, and she had to flee in another direction." My eyes are locked on Thalwyn's face, studying it intently. The look she gives me tells me that neither of those possibilities had occurred to her before.
I lean closer to her. "Thalwyn, maybe she is still alive. I know there is only little hope, but at least there is. And I think we should ask Lord Elrond to send out a search party in order to find out what exactly happened."
Thalwyn arches a brow. "But...but why should your good Elven Lord be interested in sending out some of his people anyway?" The sound of her voice clearly reflects her doubts. "I am just some stranger to him – as I am to you –, and not even an Elf, at that."
Despite the seriousness of the topic, that last remark almost makes me chuckle. But only for a brief moment; then my thoughts return to Thalwyn's question of why the Master of Rivendell should show any interest in sending out a search party.
I doubt that in times like this, Lord Elrond would not want to know what is going on in this part of Middle-earth, so close to his home...
However, I do not intend to get Thalwyn worried by speaking of the darkness that is spreading further and further across the lands, so I simply state, "I am sure he will gladly offer his help nonetheless, Thalwyn. You are already a guest in his house, remember?"
The hint of a smile forms on Thalwyn's lips. "Yes, and I have not even thanked you for bringing me here, Legolas."
"It is all right, Thalwyn," I assure her, smiling myself. My hands gently squeeze her shoulders before I let go of the young woman and rise from the bed. "But now I would like to go and have a word with Lord Elrond. The sun has already set, so it would not make any sense to send out a search party tonight, but I will ask him to have some riders setting off at dawn. Will you be all right if I leave you on your own for a moment?"
When Thalwyn answers with a nod, I turn and head for the Hall of Fire.