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chapter 3!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes," he whispered. "We are Awake."
When elves become Awake, they receive a gift of a special talent or ability that is different for each, and that is usually kept a secret, except between close friends. Legolas found out the very next day what had changed about him. He ventured out into the woods and could see clearly for a few miles wherever he turned. Because of this sight, his archery skills greatly improved. Lithile, however, did not seem to have gained anything besides the universal knowledge.
Since their Awakening, Legolas and Lithile had been inseparable. They would spend long hours walking through the forest together, not speaking, but glad for each others company. Even thought Lithile remained cheerful and glad, Legolas could see that she was troubled by her seeming lack of a gift. Days past, then weeks, and then months, and during this time, Legolas and Lithile's love, for that is what it had turned into-love, grew each moment. Lithile had not been as troubled as of late about her absence of a gift, but then, there was something that distracted her. It distracted all the elves in Mirkwood.
A host of strange Orcs had penetrated Mirkwood to the north, and all the elves had taken refuge in the castle. The Orcs had not yet reached the castle, but archers were at the ready, day and night. Dusk had begun to fall and Legolas made his was down to the Healing Rooms where Lithile was working. He looked into the long white room and found Lithile making beds.
"How can you be so busy when the battle has not yet started?" Legolas teased.
Lithile looked up from her work.
"When, Master Greenleaf, your archers are pierced by Orc arrows, they will be grateful for a bed with sheets," she replied, throwing a pillow at him.
"Ah, point taken," he said, catching the pillow and laying it gently on the bed from which she had snatched it.
"Would you like to help?" she said.
"Oh, yes!" he said, pulling her down on a bed with him. "Oh, may I? May I, a lowly Prince, help this desperate bed-making maiden? You do me a great honor."
Lithile laughed.
"Can you take nothing seriously?"
Legolas was about to answer when a horn sounded. They both gazed at the entrance to the Healing Room, and heard the sound of many running feet.
"That will be the guards going to the wall top," Legolas said, turning back to Lithile. "I must go too."
"No," she whimpered. "Stay here, where it is safe."
"I cannot. I must go, it is my duty as a Prince," Legolas explained.
"Then let me come!" Lithile cried. "Let me face the same dangers as you. What if you should.I should have that same chance!!"
"You cannot come. You know this," Legolas said, softly. "Our fighters need good healers. You will be needed. You have-"
"I don't care!!" Lithile shouted, sobbing. "I don't care what happens to anyone else! Surely you understand that by now. It hurts, Legolas. It physically hurts me to watch you go. It hurts you just as much to go. I know, I can see it in your face, I can feel it!"
She broke off, sobbing uncontrollably. Legolas placed an arm around her shoulder, but she started and shrugged it off. Legolas' brows knitted.
"I have a duty to my people, Lithile-"
"Am I not one of them? I know you have your duty, but.oh, Legolas, I felt your pain. I know you don't want to go! But, I know at the same time, you must, and I will not be the one to stop you."
"Thank you, I will return," and he was gone.
* *
*
The battle lasted long into the night. Both sides suffered losses, but the Orcs were finally driven back and a host of elves followed to drive them out of Mirkwood. Legolas had stayed behind in order to help with the repairs. He had not fallen, or even been wounded, and his first thought was to find Lithile. He made his way to the Healing Room, and when he reached it, he stopped in the doorway. The number of elves wounded of killed had been great, but he had not expected this.
The room was a mess of sheets, blood, and tools of the healers. Elves were running frantically between beds where some lay unconscious or moaning, while shouting orders or calling for assistance. He wondered if this room was worst than the actual battle. He gazed across the chaotic scene and saw Lithile working in the back near a window. Dodging elves, he made his was back to her and touched her shoulder. She jumped at his touch and whirled around, but when she saw who it was, she let out a sob and threw her arms around him.
"Let's leave this place," he whispered and quickly led her out of the room.
He pulled her along passageways and up spiral staircases until they came to the roof of the tallest tower, and here they sat down against the wall and breathed. Then, Lithile said something that Legolas did not expect.
"I have found out what my gift is."
He turned toward her.
"That's amazing," he said. "After all these months and all-"
"Legolas.it's pain," said softly, tears coming to her eyes.
"What?" he said, perplexed.
She covered her face with her hands for a moment, and then looked up.
"I feel other's pain whenever they are near me. My first inkling came before the battle, when I begged you not to go. I felt the pain you felt in leaving me," she paused. She swallowed and a single tear ran down her cheek.
"When they started brining in the wounded, it was almost overpowering. I quickly learned that I could feel physical pain as well as mental pain. The first boy that came in had an arrow in his shoulder, and.I felt it. I felt the flesh tear as they pulled it out, I felt his anguish. I am only thankful I did not have to work on him or I might have needed to be Healed myself.
"But that wasn't the worst of it. When one elf died, I felt the grief of every elf that had done their best to save him. It.was grief I had.never.never hoped to experience, but.I felt it every time we lost one. And we lost twenty-two."
She looked up at Legolas with moist eyes. He stood up and turned away to look out over the forest. Why did this have to happen to his sunbeam? He had never heard of a gift like this, why, it seemed almost like a curse. Legolas slammed his fist into the parapet in anger and anguish. He heard a small whimper behind him and realized Lithile had felt the pain in his hand.
"Legolas, do you know how much hurt there was today? I know, I felt every bit of it. Why.why did-" Lithile broke off.
Legolas turned back to her and clasped her hands in his.
"Stay strong, Lithile. We can get through this. We'll do it together. I promise."
"Yes," he whispered. "We are Awake."
When elves become Awake, they receive a gift of a special talent or ability that is different for each, and that is usually kept a secret, except between close friends. Legolas found out the very next day what had changed about him. He ventured out into the woods and could see clearly for a few miles wherever he turned. Because of this sight, his archery skills greatly improved. Lithile, however, did not seem to have gained anything besides the universal knowledge.
Since their Awakening, Legolas and Lithile had been inseparable. They would spend long hours walking through the forest together, not speaking, but glad for each others company. Even thought Lithile remained cheerful and glad, Legolas could see that she was troubled by her seeming lack of a gift. Days past, then weeks, and then months, and during this time, Legolas and Lithile's love, for that is what it had turned into-love, grew each moment. Lithile had not been as troubled as of late about her absence of a gift, but then, there was something that distracted her. It distracted all the elves in Mirkwood.
A host of strange Orcs had penetrated Mirkwood to the north, and all the elves had taken refuge in the castle. The Orcs had not yet reached the castle, but archers were at the ready, day and night. Dusk had begun to fall and Legolas made his was down to the Healing Rooms where Lithile was working. He looked into the long white room and found Lithile making beds.
"How can you be so busy when the battle has not yet started?" Legolas teased.
Lithile looked up from her work.
"When, Master Greenleaf, your archers are pierced by Orc arrows, they will be grateful for a bed with sheets," she replied, throwing a pillow at him.
"Ah, point taken," he said, catching the pillow and laying it gently on the bed from which she had snatched it.
"Would you like to help?" she said.
"Oh, yes!" he said, pulling her down on a bed with him. "Oh, may I? May I, a lowly Prince, help this desperate bed-making maiden? You do me a great honor."
Lithile laughed.
"Can you take nothing seriously?"
Legolas was about to answer when a horn sounded. They both gazed at the entrance to the Healing Room, and heard the sound of many running feet.
"That will be the guards going to the wall top," Legolas said, turning back to Lithile. "I must go too."
"No," she whimpered. "Stay here, where it is safe."
"I cannot. I must go, it is my duty as a Prince," Legolas explained.
"Then let me come!" Lithile cried. "Let me face the same dangers as you. What if you should.I should have that same chance!!"
"You cannot come. You know this," Legolas said, softly. "Our fighters need good healers. You will be needed. You have-"
"I don't care!!" Lithile shouted, sobbing. "I don't care what happens to anyone else! Surely you understand that by now. It hurts, Legolas. It physically hurts me to watch you go. It hurts you just as much to go. I know, I can see it in your face, I can feel it!"
She broke off, sobbing uncontrollably. Legolas placed an arm around her shoulder, but she started and shrugged it off. Legolas' brows knitted.
"I have a duty to my people, Lithile-"
"Am I not one of them? I know you have your duty, but.oh, Legolas, I felt your pain. I know you don't want to go! But, I know at the same time, you must, and I will not be the one to stop you."
"Thank you, I will return," and he was gone.
* *
*
The battle lasted long into the night. Both sides suffered losses, but the Orcs were finally driven back and a host of elves followed to drive them out of Mirkwood. Legolas had stayed behind in order to help with the repairs. He had not fallen, or even been wounded, and his first thought was to find Lithile. He made his way to the Healing Room, and when he reached it, he stopped in the doorway. The number of elves wounded of killed had been great, but he had not expected this.
The room was a mess of sheets, blood, and tools of the healers. Elves were running frantically between beds where some lay unconscious or moaning, while shouting orders or calling for assistance. He wondered if this room was worst than the actual battle. He gazed across the chaotic scene and saw Lithile working in the back near a window. Dodging elves, he made his was back to her and touched her shoulder. She jumped at his touch and whirled around, but when she saw who it was, she let out a sob and threw her arms around him.
"Let's leave this place," he whispered and quickly led her out of the room.
He pulled her along passageways and up spiral staircases until they came to the roof of the tallest tower, and here they sat down against the wall and breathed. Then, Lithile said something that Legolas did not expect.
"I have found out what my gift is."
He turned toward her.
"That's amazing," he said. "After all these months and all-"
"Legolas.it's pain," said softly, tears coming to her eyes.
"What?" he said, perplexed.
She covered her face with her hands for a moment, and then looked up.
"I feel other's pain whenever they are near me. My first inkling came before the battle, when I begged you not to go. I felt the pain you felt in leaving me," she paused. She swallowed and a single tear ran down her cheek.
"When they started brining in the wounded, it was almost overpowering. I quickly learned that I could feel physical pain as well as mental pain. The first boy that came in had an arrow in his shoulder, and.I felt it. I felt the flesh tear as they pulled it out, I felt his anguish. I am only thankful I did not have to work on him or I might have needed to be Healed myself.
"But that wasn't the worst of it. When one elf died, I felt the grief of every elf that had done their best to save him. It.was grief I had.never.never hoped to experience, but.I felt it every time we lost one. And we lost twenty-two."
She looked up at Legolas with moist eyes. He stood up and turned away to look out over the forest. Why did this have to happen to his sunbeam? He had never heard of a gift like this, why, it seemed almost like a curse. Legolas slammed his fist into the parapet in anger and anguish. He heard a small whimper behind him and realized Lithile had felt the pain in his hand.
"Legolas, do you know how much hurt there was today? I know, I felt every bit of it. Why.why did-" Lithile broke off.
Legolas turned back to her and clasped her hands in his.
"Stay strong, Lithile. We can get through this. We'll do it together. I promise."