Chapter 11: - All making sense?
Firefly paced the room; Alakalqua was nestled by the roaring fire next to her tracks. Picking up the nearest sharp object, a steak knife, Firefly began hurling things at the wall.
Alakalqua squeaked, "Must you do that?" Looking at the array.
Firefly turned to her with a burning hostility in her nut eyes, the same looks the elf had first received from the woman. "If this prevents me from ripping through this very tower with the force of my anger, what do you think?" she spat out her words as if they were venom. Alakalqua sank further into the padded leather chair; Firefly wasn't in a fit state to listen to anyone's opinions.
The only door in the room, near Firefly's "targets" was opened. Parts of what used to be a cup barely missed Polus' head.
"Your aim is still a little poor" commented the huge orc, not jaded by her rage.
"Believe Me," she said shifting her weight anxiously, "It is all coming back to me" Firefly felt as if her fists were burning.
The next chard of metal landed just above Polus's hand as he closed the door. Wedging it from the wooden creation and ushering Firefly to a chair, he sat down next to the nervous elf.
He handed her something from his pocket. It was a small white flower with raindrop shaped petals and the scent of morning dew.
Turning it over, Alakalqua asked, "What is this for? Hardly decoration for you . . . abode"
"Eat it," he instructed simply. He handed Firefly one two. Being starving, Alakalqua nearly ate her hands in the discovery of food, but Firefly was more questioning.
"Why?" she said narrowing her eyes in the firelight. Polus was more than happy to explain.
"To protect you against the sickness from Kurina"
"Which was?"
"To put it simply- Chill"
"Chill?"
"Yes- Chill"
"You sure it is chill?"
"Yes"
"One problem"
"I'm listening"
"Elves don't get sick!"
Polus tapped his temple, "See I know. It is not a proper sickness contracted through air but from something you all came in contact with which you could not fight" Polus's grin spanned ear to ear, he was adoring his superiority.
"Something only women get"
Firefly laughed, "Are you trying to tell me that THAT thing in the corner (Frodo) is a female!"
"Well clearly hobbits . . . "
"What-its?"
"Frodo's"
"Oh"
"Well they get it too"
"And what is it?"
"Chill!"
They both felt like dogs chasing their tales. Chill was something given to those who came in contact with dark demons and themselves did not posses a black heart. The chill was something that could only affect a person who a kind and light person, it was sort of a sickness caused by evil, Kurina herself had been worse affected having been with the wraiths the longest. Women had been known to have a smaller resistance to it, but Polus saying "only women" wasn't exactly true.
After all of them had eaten the pale coloured flower and supped so fresh water, they instantly began to feel a slight bit better, lighter and not so feverish. Firefly herself began to reclaim some of her balance and poise.
Firefly stood up, changing the weight on the balls of her feet in fighting stance, she still wasn't back to her old self just yet, noted the warrior.
The group marvelled at their reclaimed strength, it was quite still before Alakalqua threw a rock in the pond.
"So why are you helping us?" she asked absentmindedly immediately clamping her hand on her mouth.
Polus gave her a warm smile, something very unusual for him; Kurina even raised an eyebrow at the gesture.
"Because, quite simply" Firefly noticed him stalling
Crossing her arms the warrior said slyly, "You don't want to tell us, do you?"
Polus made no reply.
"I can see it in your eyes. My guess is you are doing this no out of compassion or because (she gave him a cocky look) you want to go on chasing me all your life . . . no you want to rattle someone's chain and get some glory" she accused across the fire. Polus coolly stared at her, "That is not the true" he responded. Firefly had been tormented by the question long enough, her angry fists slammed against the table between them on which the water glasses rested; these mostly flew off the table in a shuddering motion. Alakalqua shrank into her chair as Kurina jumped, they had both forgotten the fury that came with the face.
Polus had too, as Firefly lunged to grab his collar, he caught her small hands in his larger ones nearly engulfing hers completely.
"Do you really desire truth?" he snarled crushing her fingers. Firefly shifted and grimaced through the pain.
"I . . . thought . . . that was . . . clear" she said through gritted teeth. Kurina was close to dashing over to rescue the struggling Firefly but knew all too well it was a matter for the two of them.
"You wish to know why I'm having you freed!" boomed in a large voice.
Firefly continued to try to wench her hands free, "It'd been nice," she snapped laboriously.
"Because I was told to let you all leave!" He flung Firefly's had away and temporally she looked at him with a stunned expression, told to!
Alakalqua shuffled around as Kurina tried her best to make sense of what she had just been told.
Firefly felt like a tree, a lonely tree a-top a mountain in the middle of a blizzard.
The amber fire began to roar up once more as if fuelled by thoughts.
"By your own choice?" Firefly said finally in a quite voice. Polus flexed his arms lazily, the blue tone in his arms showing through vividly from under his armour.
Trying to be impassive, he replied simply, "Yes and no"
They all felt better from hearing the reluctance in his voice.
"You had no choice in the matter?"
"No, Firefly, it would seem not"
Using civilised voices, they both suppressed hidden emotions.
Firefly's eyes twinkled as they look at the orcs, "You're taking your orders from higher than yourself, am I right?" she questioned tactfully. Polus nodded. "Higher than this tower?" Nod.
Thought lines wrinkled her young face. She tapped her chin before turning a superior eye upon he giant orc in the leather armchair.
"That makes perfect sense" Finally, Polus thought, He'd understand this "logic"
Firefly rounded to her companions, "We'll leave as soon as can be arranged"
Polus slammed his fist down on the table before him. "Oh, no!"
This reaction was expected and even planned.
Firefly turned to him quickly, "You said we could vacate the tower, changed your mind?" If he had looked carefully, Polus would have noticed the cocky glint in the woman's eye.
"BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE, WHY AND HOW IN MIDDLE EARTH YOU KNOW!"
The magnitude of his voice was so great it sent Firefly rocketing backwards. Than wasn't in the plan!
Kurina watched as Firefly almost immediately took her guard and jumped shakily between them, both grabbed an arm and gave the other a dirty glance.
"Firefly tell him and us, now"
Firefly couldn't argue with the orc, she'd saved her life and was generally a pleasant person.
"Clearly the higher powers have a trap for Frodo or want him to lead them to something they can't find themselves. Either way, they want him to lead them to something which he would not do under guard supervision" Firefly responded heavy heartedly.
"Thank you" Polus muttered in return when Kurina elbowed him.
Feeling left out, Alakalqua joined in, "When can we---"
At that moment, their escape route just became very apparent, Claw bounded in through the only window. Bounding up to Firefly, the two rejoiced to see one and other again (the claw beast's huge paws on her shoulder as she stood up). Polus had known Claw would find Firefly with ease; the two were very close and almost never parted.
Firefly stepped back and leant gently on her armchair before giving Polus a look, such strange a look sent everyone's mind into spirals of questions, all except Polus. Firefly raised an eyebrow, the kind of look she'd give an unworthy opponent after they had challenged her to a dual. Polus responded in one that basically looked like any time, but really it was of course. The quick succession of glances left all others spellbound, as they both understood every gesture and wink. Finally Firefly winked a final wink and said, "H'ren" in an accent none had heard.
"Mirhth" responded the orc; the word appeared very difficult to say. Alakalqua seemed then to only be in on everything.
A while later whilst the others were laid rest Kurina nudged the elf, "What did they say?" she asked quietly. The elf's blue eyes met Kurina's, "I don't know" Her eyes said it was no lie; this baffled the young orc even more! How could she understand what she did not know? Alakalqua smiled seeing utter confusion pass over Kurina's face and growing frustration. Being merciful, she explained, "They were talking in words you are never meant to hear, in a language you will never know and about something you'd never understand" The elf said this so uniformly, as if she's heard and said the lines before for, Firefly chuckled.
Getting increasingly vexed, Kurina went to sleep.
"I have set up the guards my lord"
The voice was feeble and pathetic, every syllable cowering with respect and fear.
"Really! It's about time!"
. . .
"I---"
"Never mind, all is done now. Do they suspect?"
"Not that I---"
"That means not a thing to me! Rumours are they do"
"We heard no such thing"
"We must keep our guard, the language of Mirth was used"
Firefly paced the room; Alakalqua was nestled by the roaring fire next to her tracks. Picking up the nearest sharp object, a steak knife, Firefly began hurling things at the wall.
Alakalqua squeaked, "Must you do that?" Looking at the array.
Firefly turned to her with a burning hostility in her nut eyes, the same looks the elf had first received from the woman. "If this prevents me from ripping through this very tower with the force of my anger, what do you think?" she spat out her words as if they were venom. Alakalqua sank further into the padded leather chair; Firefly wasn't in a fit state to listen to anyone's opinions.
The only door in the room, near Firefly's "targets" was opened. Parts of what used to be a cup barely missed Polus' head.
"Your aim is still a little poor" commented the huge orc, not jaded by her rage.
"Believe Me," she said shifting her weight anxiously, "It is all coming back to me" Firefly felt as if her fists were burning.
The next chard of metal landed just above Polus's hand as he closed the door. Wedging it from the wooden creation and ushering Firefly to a chair, he sat down next to the nervous elf.
He handed her something from his pocket. It was a small white flower with raindrop shaped petals and the scent of morning dew.
Turning it over, Alakalqua asked, "What is this for? Hardly decoration for you . . . abode"
"Eat it," he instructed simply. He handed Firefly one two. Being starving, Alakalqua nearly ate her hands in the discovery of food, but Firefly was more questioning.
"Why?" she said narrowing her eyes in the firelight. Polus was more than happy to explain.
"To protect you against the sickness from Kurina"
"Which was?"
"To put it simply- Chill"
"Chill?"
"Yes- Chill"
"You sure it is chill?"
"Yes"
"One problem"
"I'm listening"
"Elves don't get sick!"
Polus tapped his temple, "See I know. It is not a proper sickness contracted through air but from something you all came in contact with which you could not fight" Polus's grin spanned ear to ear, he was adoring his superiority.
"Something only women get"
Firefly laughed, "Are you trying to tell me that THAT thing in the corner (Frodo) is a female!"
"Well clearly hobbits . . . "
"What-its?"
"Frodo's"
"Oh"
"Well they get it too"
"And what is it?"
"Chill!"
They both felt like dogs chasing their tales. Chill was something given to those who came in contact with dark demons and themselves did not posses a black heart. The chill was something that could only affect a person who a kind and light person, it was sort of a sickness caused by evil, Kurina herself had been worse affected having been with the wraiths the longest. Women had been known to have a smaller resistance to it, but Polus saying "only women" wasn't exactly true.
After all of them had eaten the pale coloured flower and supped so fresh water, they instantly began to feel a slight bit better, lighter and not so feverish. Firefly herself began to reclaim some of her balance and poise.
Firefly stood up, changing the weight on the balls of her feet in fighting stance, she still wasn't back to her old self just yet, noted the warrior.
The group marvelled at their reclaimed strength, it was quite still before Alakalqua threw a rock in the pond.
"So why are you helping us?" she asked absentmindedly immediately clamping her hand on her mouth.
Polus gave her a warm smile, something very unusual for him; Kurina even raised an eyebrow at the gesture.
"Because, quite simply" Firefly noticed him stalling
Crossing her arms the warrior said slyly, "You don't want to tell us, do you?"
Polus made no reply.
"I can see it in your eyes. My guess is you are doing this no out of compassion or because (she gave him a cocky look) you want to go on chasing me all your life . . . no you want to rattle someone's chain and get some glory" she accused across the fire. Polus coolly stared at her, "That is not the true" he responded. Firefly had been tormented by the question long enough, her angry fists slammed against the table between them on which the water glasses rested; these mostly flew off the table in a shuddering motion. Alakalqua shrank into her chair as Kurina jumped, they had both forgotten the fury that came with the face.
Polus had too, as Firefly lunged to grab his collar, he caught her small hands in his larger ones nearly engulfing hers completely.
"Do you really desire truth?" he snarled crushing her fingers. Firefly shifted and grimaced through the pain.
"I . . . thought . . . that was . . . clear" she said through gritted teeth. Kurina was close to dashing over to rescue the struggling Firefly but knew all too well it was a matter for the two of them.
"You wish to know why I'm having you freed!" boomed in a large voice.
Firefly continued to try to wench her hands free, "It'd been nice," she snapped laboriously.
"Because I was told to let you all leave!" He flung Firefly's had away and temporally she looked at him with a stunned expression, told to!
Alakalqua shuffled around as Kurina tried her best to make sense of what she had just been told.
Firefly felt like a tree, a lonely tree a-top a mountain in the middle of a blizzard.
The amber fire began to roar up once more as if fuelled by thoughts.
"By your own choice?" Firefly said finally in a quite voice. Polus flexed his arms lazily, the blue tone in his arms showing through vividly from under his armour.
Trying to be impassive, he replied simply, "Yes and no"
They all felt better from hearing the reluctance in his voice.
"You had no choice in the matter?"
"No, Firefly, it would seem not"
Using civilised voices, they both suppressed hidden emotions.
Firefly's eyes twinkled as they look at the orcs, "You're taking your orders from higher than yourself, am I right?" she questioned tactfully. Polus nodded. "Higher than this tower?" Nod.
Thought lines wrinkled her young face. She tapped her chin before turning a superior eye upon he giant orc in the leather armchair.
"That makes perfect sense" Finally, Polus thought, He'd understand this "logic"
Firefly rounded to her companions, "We'll leave as soon as can be arranged"
Polus slammed his fist down on the table before him. "Oh, no!"
This reaction was expected and even planned.
Firefly turned to him quickly, "You said we could vacate the tower, changed your mind?" If he had looked carefully, Polus would have noticed the cocky glint in the woman's eye.
"BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE, WHY AND HOW IN MIDDLE EARTH YOU KNOW!"
The magnitude of his voice was so great it sent Firefly rocketing backwards. Than wasn't in the plan!
Kurina watched as Firefly almost immediately took her guard and jumped shakily between them, both grabbed an arm and gave the other a dirty glance.
"Firefly tell him and us, now"
Firefly couldn't argue with the orc, she'd saved her life and was generally a pleasant person.
"Clearly the higher powers have a trap for Frodo or want him to lead them to something they can't find themselves. Either way, they want him to lead them to something which he would not do under guard supervision" Firefly responded heavy heartedly.
"Thank you" Polus muttered in return when Kurina elbowed him.
Feeling left out, Alakalqua joined in, "When can we---"
At that moment, their escape route just became very apparent, Claw bounded in through the only window. Bounding up to Firefly, the two rejoiced to see one and other again (the claw beast's huge paws on her shoulder as she stood up). Polus had known Claw would find Firefly with ease; the two were very close and almost never parted.
Firefly stepped back and leant gently on her armchair before giving Polus a look, such strange a look sent everyone's mind into spirals of questions, all except Polus. Firefly raised an eyebrow, the kind of look she'd give an unworthy opponent after they had challenged her to a dual. Polus responded in one that basically looked like any time, but really it was of course. The quick succession of glances left all others spellbound, as they both understood every gesture and wink. Finally Firefly winked a final wink and said, "H'ren" in an accent none had heard.
"Mirhth" responded the orc; the word appeared very difficult to say. Alakalqua seemed then to only be in on everything.
A while later whilst the others were laid rest Kurina nudged the elf, "What did they say?" she asked quietly. The elf's blue eyes met Kurina's, "I don't know" Her eyes said it was no lie; this baffled the young orc even more! How could she understand what she did not know? Alakalqua smiled seeing utter confusion pass over Kurina's face and growing frustration. Being merciful, she explained, "They were talking in words you are never meant to hear, in a language you will never know and about something you'd never understand" The elf said this so uniformly, as if she's heard and said the lines before for, Firefly chuckled.
Getting increasingly vexed, Kurina went to sleep.
"I have set up the guards my lord"
The voice was feeble and pathetic, every syllable cowering with respect and fear.
"Really! It's about time!"
. . .
"I---"
"Never mind, all is done now. Do they suspect?"
"Not that I---"
"That means not a thing to me! Rumours are they do"
"We heard no such thing"
"We must keep our guard, the language of Mirth was used"