Disclaimer: NOT MINE! :(
Reviews: None?????? :( I knew that the last chapter was bad, but I didn't even get any constructive criticism. I'm all sad now.
The sun crept slowly over the horizon and, as the last rays rose over the mountains in the distance, Honora arrived at the city of Minas Tirith. She asked Lokrantara to land before the gate and wearily slid of the huge birds back.
"I thank you, my friend. Your generosity will not go unrewarded. Go back to your nest. Perhaps new life will spring from the eggs you have lain." Honora said gratefully, knowing that the large bird had not yet been able to produce children of her own.
Lokrantara bowed her head graciously then leapt into the air, flying with haste back to her nest in the mountains to greet the new life she knew would meet her there. Honora watched as the bird faded from view then turned to the city gate and slowly approached.
The gates were thrown open without a call to her, asking of identity. When she strode through the gates, all heads were bowed in reverence to her. She sighed and continued towards the Citadel, receiving the same treatment the entire way.
She slowly came through the doors of the Citadel, hoping her arrival would go unnoticed by the new friends she had made. She did not wish for reverence and worship, she wished for friendship. Her hope went unanswered though, for as she came through the door, all the royal assembly and all that remained of the fellowship was there. Aragorn, Faramir, Eowyn, Gimli, and all four Hobbits, Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Sam. They all bowed in respect, Gimli bowing so low that his beard brushed the floor. Her anger rose.
"Rise! I am the same woman you knew before!" She cried. "I am the woman you banished, " She said to Aragorn, "the woman you gave advice to," She said to Eowyn, "the woman you did not trust because she created fire," She said to Frodo and Sam, " . . . the woman who stayed in your service for ten years, and would gladly go for another ten." She said quietly to Faramir.
"You are the daughter of Iluvatar!" Aragorn cried, " You cannot hope to be treated as a mere being of Middle-Earth!"
"I can and I will. I have earned the wrath of my father now, and Legolas has paid dearly for it. I have earned no praise." She said sadly.
"Legolas . . . the lads gone?" Gimli asked in shock.
"Nay, he is wounded but on his way here in the escort of my friend Tzarinita of the Great Wolves." She said quietly. "Warn the sentries, I would not have Tzarinita pierced by an arrow."
Then she pushed past them without another word and climbed to stairs to her chambers. She opened the door and cried out with anger. There were candles and incense lit all over her room. Rose petals lay over the floor and the window lay open so the rays of the sun could enter the room.
She angrily kicked the petals away from her steps and blew out all the candles and incense. She shut the drapes and tossed herself onto the bed. Her left foot twitched as she slowly began to let her anger recede. She took a deep breath and stood up again.
She was trapped now, for she would not go through the streets again with all the people gathered to worship her. Her anger rose again and she tore open the drapes of her window, hoping for a way out.
She looked down and smiled, the Citadel had been built into the side of the mountains of Emyn Arnen. Her room was on the third floor and fairly far to the back of the structure, therefore right upon the mountain side. It was only a twenty or so foot drop to the ground, easily enough made with a bit of rope.
"But then what?" She asked herself quietly. Ride out through the gates? Climb the mountains until she reached Harad Road on the other side? Then an idea came to her as she remembered her time in the tower of Isengard.
She hurried to her wardrobe and grabbed a thick grey cloak and then a rope from her pack that still lay half opened by the door. One end of the rope was tied to the post of the bed, the other was thrown out of the window. She put on the cloak then gave the rope a tug to be sure it was tight. She lowered herself down the rope and sat silently in the shadows of the Citadel for a moment.
She began to quietly chant in a language that should not be spoken, she had learned many dark spells from Saruman, one did not spend years in the tutorage of a wizard without learning some of the darker incantations. As she chanted, she could feel her body change. Her height diminished and her bones felt old. She seeing diminished and her hearing was all but gone. She stood hunched over, the grey cloak shrouding all but her old and weathered face. She had become old, and a woman of the race of Men. They would not recognize her then.
She slowly began to hobble towards the rest of the city and none took notice of her . . . until she reached the gates. The sentries called to her, asking her where she was going and if they could be of any help to one so old and fragile. She continued on her way, pretending as if she had not heard him, until one guard came right down to her side.
The spell worked well, but not well enough to hide the unique color of her eyes. The guard stiffened and bowed to her, slowly backing away. The trend soon caught all nearby and within moments the whole street was bowing to her.
"My Lady, forgive me, I meant no offense." The guard said quietly, averting his eyes from her.
Honora broke the spell and angrily took the guards chin, forcing him to look at her. "Do not revere me. I want it not. I am a being of this land, as you are. I have not by choice wandered the halls of my father in many ages. Nor do I wish to again." She said, her eyes boring into him. "Treat me as a person."
"I am sorry, My Lady." The guard said meekly in no more than a whisper.
She turned away, a shrill whistle coming from her lips. Moments later the golden form of Anarvende could be seen galloping to her. She jumped on the beasts back and galloped angrily into the forest beyond.
She jumped into the low branches of a tree and began to climb upward. Anarvende, understanding her anger, ran off to leave her to her mood. She reached the upmost branches of the tall tree and looked east to Ephel Duath standing distant behind the closer range of Emyn Arnen. She sat there, thinking of what she was to do now, until the sun set and darkness fell.
Legolas' spirits rose as the White City came into view. If he must face Honora, he would face her after he had seen his friends. He was even beginning to miss the annoying hobbit, Pippin, and that was saying much. As the city grew closer though, he noticed Tzarinita was slowly veering towards the forest beyond.
"You are veering to the forest. I wish to be taken to the city." Legolas said loudly to the beast beneath him.
"I was not bade to take you to the city, I was bade to take you to the Honored One." The Wolf replied calmly.
"Not yet, I would wish to see Aragorn and the rest first." Legolas pleaded.
"I'm sure she will not keep you long, not in your state." Tzarinita replied. "Your wounds may be hidden to most, but not to my eyes. They are healing too slow."
"My wounds don't exist." Legolas said stubbornly.
"Good then, you and She can have a good long chat." The Wolf replied in high mood.
They entered the forest moments later and as the Wolf nimbly dodged the trees, Legolas was on the look out for pale blonde hair in the now dark forest. He could find none. Suddenly Tzarinita stopped and knelt down so Legolas could get off.
Legolas slowly slid off the beasts back, looking around for Honora in the forest surrounding him. He turned at the sound of Tzarinita running off into he woods beyond and he was of half a mind to follow the beasts example.
"Legolas." He heard his name called from above. He looked up into the trees and saw a figure, shrouded in a grey cloak, sitting in the branches above him. A pale piece of hair slipping out of the cover of the cloaks hood was the only thing that gave her away, for he could not see her eyes in that darkness.
"Honora." He said, nodding his head to her.
"I must apologize for all you have gone through on my behalf. You should have just left me dead on the fields before the city if this was how you were planning on treating me once your deed was done." She said quietly.
"I was supposed to be dead, I would not matter to you anymore." He said in return, resisting the urge to climb up into the tree and sit beside her.
"Ah, and then the world would go back on it's rightful path and all would be well again?" She asked, sarcasm dripping from her voice. She leapt from the tree, landing no more than two feet before him. "Time cannot be undone, nor can the acts of love."
"What love?" He said harshly, knowing she would hate him for the lies he was about to say. "We shared no love. You were as you said you would be, one among many. It was a game, Honora. I looked upon you as a challenge, and indeed you were, for the first while. Now you come to me too easily, the game has no excitement. You mean nothing to me."
Her expression froze and she tried to bite back the tears she felt threatening her eyes. She took a deep breath, her eyes searching his face for any sign he was lying, but he hid it well and she could not find any trace of untruthfulness in her search. She sucked in a deep breath, it sounding like a hiss as the air rushed through the small part of her lips.
"You bastard!" She yelled, Anarvende coming to her uncalled. She jumped on the horses back galloping away through the forest with such reckless speed that Legolas was scared Anarvende would trip and fall.
Legolas let go of a deep breath and turned back to the city. The invisible wounds he had suffered had flared back to life again and the pain was nearly unbearable now that she was gone. He hobbled to the gates and was quickly led inside towards the House of Healing to rest and be healed.
Not quite a quarter of an hour had passed before Aragorn and the rest of the fellowship and his other friends arrived at his door in the House of Healing. The healers could find nothing wrong with him, yet knew there was an injury that was sucking from his health like a giant leech.
"My friend, it does us well to know you have not yet perished." Aragorn said happily as he entered the room. "We had feared the worst when we could not find you on the battlefield before the gates."
"Aye, laddie. I was afraid I wouldn't get to show you the true beauty of the Glittering Caves." Gimli said, giving him a good pat on the shoulder. Legolas winced.
"You are injured!" Aragorn cried.
"Nay, Aragorn, but I am weary of my travels." He lied, laying back on the pillow. His companions nodded, taking his hint and soon left the room, after wishing him sweet dreams and farewells.
TBC
Reviews: None?????? :( I knew that the last chapter was bad, but I didn't even get any constructive criticism. I'm all sad now.
The sun crept slowly over the horizon and, as the last rays rose over the mountains in the distance, Honora arrived at the city of Minas Tirith. She asked Lokrantara to land before the gate and wearily slid of the huge birds back.
"I thank you, my friend. Your generosity will not go unrewarded. Go back to your nest. Perhaps new life will spring from the eggs you have lain." Honora said gratefully, knowing that the large bird had not yet been able to produce children of her own.
Lokrantara bowed her head graciously then leapt into the air, flying with haste back to her nest in the mountains to greet the new life she knew would meet her there. Honora watched as the bird faded from view then turned to the city gate and slowly approached.
The gates were thrown open without a call to her, asking of identity. When she strode through the gates, all heads were bowed in reverence to her. She sighed and continued towards the Citadel, receiving the same treatment the entire way.
She slowly came through the doors of the Citadel, hoping her arrival would go unnoticed by the new friends she had made. She did not wish for reverence and worship, she wished for friendship. Her hope went unanswered though, for as she came through the door, all the royal assembly and all that remained of the fellowship was there. Aragorn, Faramir, Eowyn, Gimli, and all four Hobbits, Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Sam. They all bowed in respect, Gimli bowing so low that his beard brushed the floor. Her anger rose.
"Rise! I am the same woman you knew before!" She cried. "I am the woman you banished, " She said to Aragorn, "the woman you gave advice to," She said to Eowyn, "the woman you did not trust because she created fire," She said to Frodo and Sam, " . . . the woman who stayed in your service for ten years, and would gladly go for another ten." She said quietly to Faramir.
"You are the daughter of Iluvatar!" Aragorn cried, " You cannot hope to be treated as a mere being of Middle-Earth!"
"I can and I will. I have earned the wrath of my father now, and Legolas has paid dearly for it. I have earned no praise." She said sadly.
"Legolas . . . the lads gone?" Gimli asked in shock.
"Nay, he is wounded but on his way here in the escort of my friend Tzarinita of the Great Wolves." She said quietly. "Warn the sentries, I would not have Tzarinita pierced by an arrow."
Then she pushed past them without another word and climbed to stairs to her chambers. She opened the door and cried out with anger. There were candles and incense lit all over her room. Rose petals lay over the floor and the window lay open so the rays of the sun could enter the room.
She angrily kicked the petals away from her steps and blew out all the candles and incense. She shut the drapes and tossed herself onto the bed. Her left foot twitched as she slowly began to let her anger recede. She took a deep breath and stood up again.
She was trapped now, for she would not go through the streets again with all the people gathered to worship her. Her anger rose again and she tore open the drapes of her window, hoping for a way out.
She looked down and smiled, the Citadel had been built into the side of the mountains of Emyn Arnen. Her room was on the third floor and fairly far to the back of the structure, therefore right upon the mountain side. It was only a twenty or so foot drop to the ground, easily enough made with a bit of rope.
"But then what?" She asked herself quietly. Ride out through the gates? Climb the mountains until she reached Harad Road on the other side? Then an idea came to her as she remembered her time in the tower of Isengard.
She hurried to her wardrobe and grabbed a thick grey cloak and then a rope from her pack that still lay half opened by the door. One end of the rope was tied to the post of the bed, the other was thrown out of the window. She put on the cloak then gave the rope a tug to be sure it was tight. She lowered herself down the rope and sat silently in the shadows of the Citadel for a moment.
She began to quietly chant in a language that should not be spoken, she had learned many dark spells from Saruman, one did not spend years in the tutorage of a wizard without learning some of the darker incantations. As she chanted, she could feel her body change. Her height diminished and her bones felt old. She seeing diminished and her hearing was all but gone. She stood hunched over, the grey cloak shrouding all but her old and weathered face. She had become old, and a woman of the race of Men. They would not recognize her then.
She slowly began to hobble towards the rest of the city and none took notice of her . . . until she reached the gates. The sentries called to her, asking her where she was going and if they could be of any help to one so old and fragile. She continued on her way, pretending as if she had not heard him, until one guard came right down to her side.
The spell worked well, but not well enough to hide the unique color of her eyes. The guard stiffened and bowed to her, slowly backing away. The trend soon caught all nearby and within moments the whole street was bowing to her.
"My Lady, forgive me, I meant no offense." The guard said quietly, averting his eyes from her.
Honora broke the spell and angrily took the guards chin, forcing him to look at her. "Do not revere me. I want it not. I am a being of this land, as you are. I have not by choice wandered the halls of my father in many ages. Nor do I wish to again." She said, her eyes boring into him. "Treat me as a person."
"I am sorry, My Lady." The guard said meekly in no more than a whisper.
She turned away, a shrill whistle coming from her lips. Moments later the golden form of Anarvende could be seen galloping to her. She jumped on the beasts back and galloped angrily into the forest beyond.
She jumped into the low branches of a tree and began to climb upward. Anarvende, understanding her anger, ran off to leave her to her mood. She reached the upmost branches of the tall tree and looked east to Ephel Duath standing distant behind the closer range of Emyn Arnen. She sat there, thinking of what she was to do now, until the sun set and darkness fell.
Legolas' spirits rose as the White City came into view. If he must face Honora, he would face her after he had seen his friends. He was even beginning to miss the annoying hobbit, Pippin, and that was saying much. As the city grew closer though, he noticed Tzarinita was slowly veering towards the forest beyond.
"You are veering to the forest. I wish to be taken to the city." Legolas said loudly to the beast beneath him.
"I was not bade to take you to the city, I was bade to take you to the Honored One." The Wolf replied calmly.
"Not yet, I would wish to see Aragorn and the rest first." Legolas pleaded.
"I'm sure she will not keep you long, not in your state." Tzarinita replied. "Your wounds may be hidden to most, but not to my eyes. They are healing too slow."
"My wounds don't exist." Legolas said stubbornly.
"Good then, you and She can have a good long chat." The Wolf replied in high mood.
They entered the forest moments later and as the Wolf nimbly dodged the trees, Legolas was on the look out for pale blonde hair in the now dark forest. He could find none. Suddenly Tzarinita stopped and knelt down so Legolas could get off.
Legolas slowly slid off the beasts back, looking around for Honora in the forest surrounding him. He turned at the sound of Tzarinita running off into he woods beyond and he was of half a mind to follow the beasts example.
"Legolas." He heard his name called from above. He looked up into the trees and saw a figure, shrouded in a grey cloak, sitting in the branches above him. A pale piece of hair slipping out of the cover of the cloaks hood was the only thing that gave her away, for he could not see her eyes in that darkness.
"Honora." He said, nodding his head to her.
"I must apologize for all you have gone through on my behalf. You should have just left me dead on the fields before the city if this was how you were planning on treating me once your deed was done." She said quietly.
"I was supposed to be dead, I would not matter to you anymore." He said in return, resisting the urge to climb up into the tree and sit beside her.
"Ah, and then the world would go back on it's rightful path and all would be well again?" She asked, sarcasm dripping from her voice. She leapt from the tree, landing no more than two feet before him. "Time cannot be undone, nor can the acts of love."
"What love?" He said harshly, knowing she would hate him for the lies he was about to say. "We shared no love. You were as you said you would be, one among many. It was a game, Honora. I looked upon you as a challenge, and indeed you were, for the first while. Now you come to me too easily, the game has no excitement. You mean nothing to me."
Her expression froze and she tried to bite back the tears she felt threatening her eyes. She took a deep breath, her eyes searching his face for any sign he was lying, but he hid it well and she could not find any trace of untruthfulness in her search. She sucked in a deep breath, it sounding like a hiss as the air rushed through the small part of her lips.
"You bastard!" She yelled, Anarvende coming to her uncalled. She jumped on the horses back galloping away through the forest with such reckless speed that Legolas was scared Anarvende would trip and fall.
Legolas let go of a deep breath and turned back to the city. The invisible wounds he had suffered had flared back to life again and the pain was nearly unbearable now that she was gone. He hobbled to the gates and was quickly led inside towards the House of Healing to rest and be healed.
Not quite a quarter of an hour had passed before Aragorn and the rest of the fellowship and his other friends arrived at his door in the House of Healing. The healers could find nothing wrong with him, yet knew there was an injury that was sucking from his health like a giant leech.
"My friend, it does us well to know you have not yet perished." Aragorn said happily as he entered the room. "We had feared the worst when we could not find you on the battlefield before the gates."
"Aye, laddie. I was afraid I wouldn't get to show you the true beauty of the Glittering Caves." Gimli said, giving him a good pat on the shoulder. Legolas winced.
"You are injured!" Aragorn cried.
"Nay, Aragorn, but I am weary of my travels." He lied, laying back on the pillow. His companions nodded, taking his hint and soon left the room, after wishing him sweet dreams and farewells.
TBC