*cries* You're all so good to me. I'm so mad at myself, demanding that you review. I hate that. It seems so petty and manipulative and here I go and do it to my own wonderful reviewers. *cries some more*
Legolas: You know, you didn't really demand that they review, just that they continue to review. So it's really not all that bad.
Author: Hmm… that is true. Well okay. I don't feel so bad now. *grins*
To my loyal-even-after-my-horrible-demands reviewers -
LegolasLover2003 - Use away dear reviewer. As with everything else, I do not own the phrase. :P I always love you review. lol. They're so much fun.
Estel Elven Enchantress - Yes, Elladan is the older one. Tolkien said so, somewhere. lol. I don't know where. And I was not holding them for ransom! *pouts* :P
ElvenRanger13 - Yes, yes. Very evil.
Deana - Yes, our dear elf should definitely look into some serious counseling. *lays Legolas out on couch and takes out pad and pencil* So… Legolas is it? Well, Legolas, tell me about your mother… :P
silvertoekee - I was surprised as well. Plot bunnies like that have a tendency to show up when least expected. *grins* And yes, bribery. *shakes head* Still mad at myself for that. Ah well. What's an author to do.
Coolio02 - Well thank you and here you are.
MG78 - *hands you a few 'chill' pills* Now take a deep breath… there you go. Good, good. The update has arrived and you may cease to panic now. Although your impromptu review brought me up to 50, so thank you for that. And as for the next story… while I have the idea in my head, I have as of yet not started the writing process, so I should say to be looking for it… about 2 weeks after this one has finished.
" Memories of Ilithien "
Chapter 8 - Lines of Blood
Lindelen immediately knelt beside Elrohir when the Noldor fell to the ground. Blood seeped through the brunette's finger which he clasped against his cheekbone and, gently pulling his hand away, Lindelen winced at the long gash that now adorned the younger twin's face, a testimony to the force of Legolas' blow, for he had used the blunt side of his knife.
Lindelen sighed, his shoulders falling in sadness and defeat. That madness that encompassed his young brother, the insanity that would cause him to raise his hands against a dear friend, was beyond what Lindelen could help. He sent a prayer to the Valar for his tormented brother.
Lindelen helped Elrohir to his feet, steadying him as he teetered dangerously, his head reeling from the blow. As they turned to return to the others, leaving Legolas to his own fate, they caught sight of another figure racing out into the plain after Legolas' retreating back.
"Estel, don't-" Elrohir started to shout, but the pain caused by his now throbbing cheek quickly cut off the reply. He cast desperate eyes towards his brother. If the prince could fell him, a warrior trained for thousands of years, and his friend for nearly as long, he would certainly kill the young human, who he hated.
Elrohir quickly turned his eyes towards Lindelen, the desperation now companied by a plea. Lindelen saw this and nodded calling out for Elrond to assist Elrohir, waiting for the elf lord to come before quickly running after his brother and the human, now barely visible in the darkening night air, even to his elven eyes.
*
"Legolas, daro!" Estel demanded as he approached the prince. (… , stop!")
The prince of Mirkwood nearly laughed aloud as the human came up beside him. "Leave me, human, if you do not wish for your filthy carcass to join those of the orcs."
Estel growled, the prince's comments enraging him further, and grabbed the elf's shoulder, spinning him around. The look on the prince's face seemed almost bored as he looked at the human. "What is it you wish to accomplish, human?" He asked scornfully. "I am one of the Eldar. You can do nothing to me."
"You have caused me and mine too much pain this day. I will not allow you to go unpunished." The young human seethed, his grip on the prince's shoulder tightening.
"I could kill you now, human, and none would mourn your passing." Legolas sneered, twisting out of Estel's hold.
But as he turned to leave Estel brought his fist up, the bones in his hand and those on Legolas' jaw cracking as they collided. The elf staggered back a pace, shock in his eyes as he stared at the boy.
"I will listen to no more of your lies." Estel hissed.
Legolas lifted one bloodstained hand to his face and felt the warmth of fresh blood, his blood, seep from his lip in two thin lines. His eyes widened, in shock, in pain, in… fear? Estel blinked as he watched the prince's reaction. What had he done?
~
Ilithien sat on the edge of Legolas' bed watching the prince whose eyes stared vacantly at the ceiling. She knew that his eyes, so devoid of life, watched something that now belonged to his past. She slowly reached out a hand and brushed her fingertips across the prince's upturned palm, her touch as light as a feather on the cracked skin.
Even with this small touch Legolas flinched, knocked out of his memory. His eyes, still hollow, turned slowly to her. He said no words as he watched her, and she ached to hear his soft voice express more than fear.
"What you see in no longer real, my prince." She whispered, her voice for once not causing the prince to shy away. "The memories will fade in time; the visions of your past will leave your eyes."
He simply stared at her, his eyes unblinking. Both elves stared at each other for a long while, their thoughts pooling in their heads like a summer rain but not making their way past either set of lips, hers set softly in an impassive line, his cracked and dry, barely healed after all this time.
After a few minutes of silence a loud crash was heard outside the room in the direction of the forest. Legolas immediately tensed and moved towards the other end of the bed, away from the sound. Ilithien's brow creased in confusion and she stood, walking quickly towards the balcony that was joined to the prince's room. She opened the thick curtains, sunlight flooding the room in a wash of gold, and pushed open the doors that lead to the balcony.
She was greeted with the sight of two elf children grappling on the wide balcony. As she stepped out towards them, a reprimand on her lips, one child freed himself from the other and raced into the room, the other quickly on his heels. Three more elves, these clearly older than the others and dressed in the garb of the palace guard, jumped down from the balcony above Ilithien, landing lightly on their feet.
"Forgive me, lady." One said as he straightened. "We have been chasing them from one side of the palace to the other; we cannot seem to catch them."
"I do not care if you catch them, get them out of the prince's room!" She shouted, pointing angrily at the open door.
The three guards blanched. In their haste to catch the children they had not realized where they were. The prince's rooms had been strictly off limits, under serious penalty, since the time of his return. The guards quickly raced into the palace, Ilithien following closely behind.
A quick sweep of the room told Ilithien all she needed to know. The children were on the floor again, struggling over an object in one of their small hands, knocking over anything that got in their way, creating more noise than had graced this wing of the palace for over 3 weeks.
And Legolas, who had been watching the children in apt fascination, upon seeing the guards enter the room sprang from the bed and backed away to the farthest corner of the room, his eyes wide and emanating fear as he watched the grown elves.
The guards strode across the room, one grabbing each child by the back of their collar, pulling them away from each other and pushing them towards the door. Once the children were free from the room, running down the hall still arguing over the unknown object, the guards turned towards the prince their eyes showing a mixture of concern and remorse.
"I am sorry, my Prince." One guard implored, taking a step towards the cowering elf, his hands out in apology. "We did not realize-"
But as the guard stepped towards Legolas the look in his sea-blue eyes turned from cautious fear to a terrified horror, visions appearing before his eyes, twisting the scene before him to that of nightmares. The guard continued to approach the prince, and before Ilithien could stop him he had placed one delicate hand on the frozen being.
Ilithien watched as Legolas' mind snapped.
He wheeled away from the startled guard, his cracked lips parting to release a terrified scream. "Baw! Saes avo haru nin! Saes!" He ran towards the open balcony doors but collided with an upturned chair, sending him to the floor. ("No! Please don't hurt me! Please!")
He sat up and spun quickly around, turning his eyes once again to the three guards, now enemies in is terrified mind. His lips were parted, taking in shallow breaths, and thin lines of blood coursed from them and down his chin where the dry cracks had split. A tear slipped from Ilithein's dark green eyes as she looked into his hallow eyes and saw that his mind once again retreated to the place of safety to which none of them could follow.
His blank eyes stared at nothing as he wrapped his arms around his bent knees. The blood slipped unhindered down his chin. Ilithien brushed the tear away and placed her hand on one of the stuttering guard's arms, pulling him from the room and motioning for the others to follow. There was nothing they could do for the prince when he retreated from the world.
~
Legolas licked the blood from his lips and sneered. "You have made your last mistake." He hissed, his eyes calm, cold, reflecting the darkness of the night that had settled it's hold around them at last.
His body slowly coiled into a mass of rigid muscles, preparing for a strike. He raised his hand; his knife glinted in the last dying rays of Anor. As he brought his hand back down Estel prepared for the blow, for he knew he could not outfight, nor outrun the elf.
He prepared to die.
To Be Continued…
Evil, evil cliffhangers. Don't you just hate them? *laughs evilly*
And yes, I know you all wanted Estel to beat the crap out of Legolas, especially after what he did to one half of everyone's favorite elf twins. And I must admit, the thought did strike my fancy as well. But then I got to thinking… teenage, inexperienced human VS 3000 year old warrior elf in a blood rage. Frankly, the kids lucky to have gotten the one good hit.
And yes also, I know I have turned Legolas into a crying, pathetic sap in the 'memories'. But I promise promise promise, this story is the ONLY place you will ever see that. He will not ever ever be a pathetic sap in any of my other stories. I just don't like it. I mean, I'm going to explain why he's acting that way, but you will never actually see him be that way again. I just… no. Just no.
And on one final more personal note, my big sister came home today from California to visit! I'm so happy; I haven't seen her in 2 months. But she has to go right back. *cries* Oh well. It was really nice to see her.
Until next time!
Adrienne