A/N: I hope you all had a happy thanksgiving.
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Chapter Nine: Hit and Runs
"Stay against the wall and walk quietly towards the door. I will distract him then follow right behind you."
"Is there no other way we could go?"
"This is the way we will go."
Legolas left me and made his way toward the two. "Good evening," I heard him greet.
"What is your business?" the guard asked.
"Am I no longer free to walk the halls of my home?" The guard did not answer. "Ara--Estel, what brings you here at this hour?"
"I was just speaking with..."
Once I was sure the guard's attention was clearly on the elf and the man, I turned my concentration to the task at hand. I passed them unnoticed and continued to the door. So far I had not been seen and I hope my luck would hold. I opened the door and held my breath as I pushed it in. I slipped through and was shutting it when the guard interrupted the conversation to walk toward me.
"You! What is your business roaming around the king's home as of late?"
'Curse elves and their ears!' I cursed in my head and opened the door. "Excuse me for interrupting. I was trying to pass unnoticed. Please return to your duties. I was just heading home." I shut the door and started forward quickly, almost falling when I reached the end of the platform.
'Stairs? How did I get upstairs?' I asked myself silently as I dashed down them. I heard the door open behind me and looked up, expecting to see Legolas, but my eyes fell upon the guard.
"You! You are not permitted here. By command of the king you are under arrest!" I turned and flew down the stairs, my cape flying in my wake. I heard the door open once more and two more sets of footsteps enter the well.
"Halt!" the guard yelled, starting after me.
I prayed I would not trip as I made my way down in the dark. My foot touched a step higher than I anticipated and realized I had reached the bottom. It was too late. My momentum sent me crashing to my knee and forward. I turned just before my face would smack the wall and let my side take the impact instead. I pushed off the wall and through the door, seeing the guard close behind me and Legolas and Aragorn not too far behind. A long corridor met me and I started at a dead sprint. My feet smacked the cold floor and I could hear the guard gaining on me.
Suddenly, I could hear Legolas' previous words echoing in my mind. 'May you possess the speed and grace of my kind.' I expected some kind of burst of unknown energy, but received none. I was tiring and the corridor only seemed to be getting longer.
'It isn't working,' I thought angrily when I tried to go faster. The guard was just more than an arm's reach away now and I knew if he lunged he could catch me. 'Which way?' I though. 'Where is the exit!' I spotted an open door and ran in, finding it a dead end-a private room. I went to the back of the room, expecting a balcony. Grass loomed two stories below. I turned and saw the guard in the doorway.
"You have no where to go, human, but to your execution in the morning." He advanced slowly. I pressed back, but my legs hit the rail of the balcony. Legolas entered the room and lunged for the guard, but at that same moment, the guard lunged for me. I had no choice. I turned and threw myself from the balcony.
I heard Legolas yell my name and the wind rushed around me. My feet hit the ground and gave way. As I was fumbling to stand I saw Legolas, Aragorn, and the guard leaning over the balcony, looking at me. The guard pushed away, obviously to make his way down. I stood and started to dash towards the forest when two guards caught my eye. They must have realized I was running from them because they unsheathed their blades and started to jog toward me. I cursed silently and broke into a run.
'Legolas, how am I ever going to make it?' I plead as I felt my legs start to cramp and slip from beneath me. All the while, I expected an arrow to pierce my back. I ran on, unable to hear the elves feet hitting the grass over my heavy breathing.
I passed the edge of the castle, only two miles from the trees in the distance. I would never make it except by some miracle or Legolas' aid. Even if I made it into the trees the elves would have the advantage. With their agility and closeness with nature they could run and climb trees much faster than I. I ran on, wishing I had gone running more often so I wouldn't be hurting so much. But I was flying. I must have been running swifter than I thought; either that or the elves were hanging behind on purpose. The trees soon loomed ahead of me and I sprinted with everything I had left to get into them.
Knowing the elves, they would not give up in this pursuit. I saw no hope whatsoever. I would tire before them if they did not catch me first. I was aware of shouts behind me and by the number of them, it was clear, there were multiple guards on me now.
Oddly, I found myself thinking how now would be a good time to storm the castle. 'I am turning into one of them; I am turning into a thief.' I thought as I dodged trees. That was the last thing I wanted to do: give the elves a real reason to kill me.
I risked a look behind me and saw no one. 'They must be surrounding me and in the trees. I ran harder onward, hoping I wouldn't die in the forest. 'Perhaps those spiders, wargs, and orcs will come to my rescue.' I would have laughed. 'Yeah, right.'
The footsteps were nearing and I knew there was no way I could escape them. The sound of water also entered my hearing and I ran faster, an idea suddenly in my mind. Legolas' shouts entered the woods just as the water appeared through the trees. Without slowing, I ran straight to the water and leaped into a dive, slicing into the water. The water chilled me to the bone, but I felt myself gradually change and the temperature was no longer a problem. I swam to the bottom, pushing myself against the rocky bottom of the river where I would wait for hours for the elves to give up. I laid on the pebbles, face up, hiding my hands and toes in my cloak before attempting to look dead. A streak of blonde hair was seen above the surface before it disappeared. I had no idea who it was, so I continued to lay there, thinking of where I should head after I surface.
Legolas' distorted face appeared and he looked me straight in the eye. I cursed silently and wondered what I should do. I couldn't risk him seeing me like this!
I had no time to decide because Legolas dove in and started swimming for me. I couldn't fool him now. If I started swimming he would be suspicious because I was under for over a matter of minutes. I estimated that it had been close to fifteen minutes.
He scooped me into his arms and swam to the surface, taking a deep breath when he did. Looking around he swam to the bank and laid me down, climbing out soon after. My eyes lost their glaze and I involuntarily inhaled oxygen deeply and swallowed the water which came out of my lungs. My surroundings cleared and I couldn't miss Legolas' expression. I had hoped the darkness would conceal my deformities, but by the look on his face, it was clear he saw them. His eyes were locked on my gills which were beginning to disappear into the flesh on my neck.
"Legolas?" I asked softly.
"What are you?" he whispered, standing and beginning to back away.
"Legolas wait." I held out my hand to stop him and he grabbed my wrist, looking at my hand with interest. I cursed for letting myself show him my hand.
"What are you?" he asked more forcefully, his nobility appearing in his voice. I cringed. This may change my fate.
"I can explain! I really can!"
"Does my father know about this? Is this the real reason he wants you dead?"
"No! No. . .no one knows about these. . ." my voice faded away and I looked to the ground. My gills and the extra skin between my fingers faded and disappeared entirely. It dawned on me how much Legolas now knowing could change my life. Would he abandon me now and turn me in? Would I be used as some sort of slave? I pulled my hand from Legolas' grasp and turned away from him, bringing my hands to my face, ashamed of his new discovery.
"Aluhin?"
"I don't know what they are. I don't know what is wrong with me. I discovered them when I was just a child and I can do nothing against it."
His hand was on my shoulder. "What is it exactly?"
I turned and looked at him. "I don't know. All I know is when I'm wet, I feel home. I can breath in the water, see, and swim. It is like I was meant to be there."
He was silent for a moment. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I haven't told anyone! No one knows of this but you! My fate is uncertain now that the secret is out! How will your father treat me now that he knows I am not fully human? How will you treat me?"
"Aluhin--" he was cut off by the sound of the guards' shouts nearing.
"They are coming!"
"Run," he told me. "I will try to delay them."
"You will not--"
"Your secret is safe. Now go!"
I took off running along the river. I had no idea where I was going, but I looked back and found Legolas gone. I left the river and became running harder.
I swerved around trees, constantly changing my direction, only accomplishing getting myself lost. I was still running fairly hard when someone jumped not even a foot in front of me from above. I attempted to brake and turn, but the elf was too close and I had to stop too fast, landing on my back with an 'oof!'
I looked up at the guard. He was the same one who chased me through the castle.
"Where do you think you are going? Off to visit your dirty friends? Well, you are in the wrong part of the forest."
"You assume too much. Assuming makes an a$$ out of you and me." Lucky for me, he understood the play on words from his knowledge of Westron. I had pointed that out to Legolas when he was teaching me and earned a laugh.
"True, very true," he had said.
'Where are you now, Legolas?' I thought as I stared up at the towering guard.
"You are coming with me," he growled bending over and forcefully dragging me up. "Do not think about escaping. There is no possible way you can flee. Next time we will not be so courteous." Other elves stepped from the shadows and jumped gracefully from the trees.
"Took enough of you to catch me," I commented, looking around.
I received many glares with my words. "The king had specific orders for you not to be harmed. He wants you fresh for the ceremony."
"Ceremony? I would hardly call it a ceremony. Funeral, no you wouldn't be that kind. Execution fits well, do you not agree?" I looked at him and saw his hand tighten on his drawn sword. "Ceremony it is, then." I decided with an uneasy smile.
"Shut your mouth," he growled as he shoved me forward.
"Yes, sir!"
"Not another word!"
"What is the point? Really? You going to kill me? Well, that is accomplishing nothing for either of us. It is going to happen whether I listen to you or not." For some reason I was feeling exceptionally bold. Normally I would never speak like this. Perhaps it was because I was afraid I did not have much time left.
His hand connected with my swollen face. The scab of the split on my head reopened and I turned. "Oh, that hurts," I muttered, touching my head and seeing blood on my fingers. "So much for not injuring me, huh?"
I suddenly had an idea. The king wanted me to look nice for my execution obviously for some reason. If I kept egging the guard on, he would punish me, but then be punished in return and make the king appear cruel for mistreating his prisoners. It was a long shot and would mean pain on my part and do I hear revenge? I am not usually one to wish for pain on others, but this elf had gotten on my bad side.
"So how did you get to be a guard? Sound like a dull job to me. You must appreciate people like me to make your day a little more interesting. Yes?"
"I told you to shut up!"
I ignored him. "Why are you not a warrior or at least a border guard? Their job is a little more interesting I have heard. With man-eating spiders, beasts the size of tree trunks...not to mention the orcs. Sounds almost like you have a desk job, aye?"
"'Tis a pleasure protecting the king's home," he said through clenched teeth.
"Oh, of course. But the least you could do is be an entrance guard. Oh, but wait, the least competent guards are there. I mean, they let me in the castle everyday for twenty years. Maybe you should--" The hilt of his sword found its way into my stomach and I keeled over. Oh, this was going to be painful.
He kicked me. "Keep moving."
I righted myself painfully and walked forward. "As I was saying, maybe you should bring it up with the 'oh-so-mighty king' that his--" His hand grabbed my neck and he held me a foot off the ground, bringing my face close to his. My hands instinctively went to my throat to try to free myself. I gasped for air and kicked my legs at him.
"Do not insult the king," he growled before tossing me to the ground.
I rubbed my throat and breathed deeply. "You need to work on your temper and your manners. You won't even let a lady finish her sentence." I started to stand, only to get his foot in my side.
"Get up!"
"I am going. I'm going. Hold your pointy ears." I stood and noticed we were nearing the edges of the trees. "Hey what was that on your ear?" His step faltered and I quirked an eyebrow. Elves did not stumble without a reason and the timing was a little suspicious. I stood and stood on my toes to see his ear. "Is that a scar?" I asked as I reached up to it.
"Don't!" he slapped my hand away, the other was gripping his sword tightly.
I took a step back and held my palms out to him. "Sorry. It's not like I was going to burn you or anything." A shutter ran down his spine. "What?"
"Move!" he growled loudly and forcefully.
"Is it normal for elves to scar? I thought they were all flawless. How in the world did you manage to burn your ear like that? Especially missing your face?"
His hand was gripping his sword very tightly and his veins were pulsing. I must have hit some nerve by the way he was acting.
"I see I have interfered with your past history. Forgive me."
We walked for awhile without a word being passed. When I saw he was composed, I took a deep breath hoping I could say what I had been trying to the entire time. "Maybe you should bring to the king's attention that his guard set up is failing."
"Who says? A human?"
"Hey, do you see me complaining? No of course not. I'm trying to help you get that promotion. Do you feel safe at home with humans running about?" (Gosh I sounded like an infomercial.) "Oh wait. Maybe we should test your loyalty. I am pretty sure I saw you chatting with a human earlier and you know how the king hates humans." I didn't have a chance to continue because his sword was pointed at my heart and somehow I was once again hanging in the air, unable to breathe.
He must have remembered he could not kill me and he sheathed his sword and threw me to the ground, kicking me.
"You know nothing of loyalty! You are the second born. The Valar graced you with nothing!"
"That may be true or maybe we were created because the Valar realized how horrible his first creation was and needed something better." My comment earned me more kicks in the side and one connected with my face. I groaned. Of course what I said was not true. Even if it was, I didn't believe it. Heck, I fell in love with an elf. I wouldn't-no couldn't-believe I was better than him.
He laughed, although I could tell it was forced. "Dirty humans made to be better than elves? Nay, human. You have it all wrong. Do you not know that the first is always the parents' favorite?"
"Were you the firstborn in your family?" The next kick was hard and I was sure some ribs cracked. "I guess not."
I was in an enormous amount of pain by then and decided to give it a rest. I rolled over onto my hands and knees, taking a deep breath before attempting to stand.
"You seem to be more of the type of elf that would rather have the action, not the chit-chat. That's cool; although, I am not sure you're my type." Legolas was my type, although I'm not sure he would approve of what I was doing.
We exited the forest and the castle came into view. I saw Legolas struggling against guards to go to the forest. He spotted me and must have noticed the blood on my face and how I walked hunched over. His struggling died down a little, but did not cease.
I was going to miss him. I wish we could have had more time on our relationship. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, which was only a few hours, but hours were hours.
I must have slowed down because the guard shoved me forward again. I felt like a prisoner, the prisoner I was.
He yanked me to a stop when we reached Legolas and the guards. "He was trying to take out guards to help that one," one of his captors stated, getting a better grip on the uncooperative prince. "What should we do with him?"
The guard holding me looked him over. "Escort him back to his room."
They nodded and Legolas, all the while stared at me with such compassion I could tell he felt bad for not being there to help me, to stop the guard from beating on me. I didn't want him to feel bad. I brought this upon myself.
The guards started to drag him away. "You have no right to be treating your royalty this way!" he shouted.
"By order of the king--"
"Well, uh, actually, the king gave no orders about harming or restraining his son," another guard interrupted.
The elves stopped and stared at the prince and those holding him must have loosened their grip for Legolas easily wrenched away and straightened his tunic. The elves started to retreat back to the castle, I being pulled along. Legolas stood there and watched me be carried off to be thrown in my dark, quiet cell until morning come.
"Perhaps next time you say one too many words we shall take it out on your boyfriend," the guard snickered, pushing me forward.
"Do whatever you like. I am sure you would feel loyal beating on the royalty you serve just as well." I knew he wouldn't really give my punishment to Legolas. Even if he did, Legolas could take care of himself if he had to, for he was a better warrior than all these guards.
The guard shoved me the rest of the way down to the dungeons, but instead of locking me in my previous cell, he escorted me to another. A large cell loomed in the back of the dungeons. Hay lined the cement floor and shackles could be seen on the wall. A barred window also occupied the top of the wall to the right.
My hands were shackled together before he entered the cell and clasped the irons over my head and to the wall. There would be no way I would escape now.
"Have a pleasant stay," the guard chuckled in farewell, slamming the wooden door.
I heard his laugh as he spun the keys in his hands and exited the dungeons, leaving me alone again. 'If only they would have locked Legolas up, too,' I found myself oddly wishing.
I shifted and yanked on the chains holding my arms, hoping to get some leeway so I could sit. No such luck awarded me and I was stuck in my stretched out, hanging position. At least I was tall enough to touch the ground, even if my full foot wouldn't reach.
I hummed a little. "So this is a jolly good time," I spoke to the room. I found myself laughing at the idea of the guards being able to hear me. I felt like I was on a sugar-high-giddy. Under normal circumstances I would never be like this. Then again, I was far from being in normal circumstances. Perhaps it was nervous anticipation, the fact Legolas loved me, how I was being treated, or that I was chained to a wall. It was probably a mixture of all of them with the first two heading it off.
Legolas floated in my mind. A smug smile spread across my face. 'He is so pretty.gorgeous.' How could a guy-elf-that handsome possibly have fallen for me? It was terribly obvious why I had fallen for him, but why me?
How did I not notice his attractiveness before? Perhaps the fact he was the only elf, or living creature for that matter, that had befriended me, I subconsciously shoved his stunning looks from my mind.
The memory of him leaning against the hall wall the morning he 'saved' me from drowning floated before my mind's eye. I remembered it as if it were yesterday. How he casually relaxed in the hall, shirtless and dripping wet. How his defined muscles caught my attention and wordlessly told me of his warrior skills and countless centuries of practice. I remembered how when I first ran into him, I grabbed his arms and was shocked at the definition of his biceps and the sturdiness of the chest I crashed into. The feeling of his legs the day he saved me and straddled me to make sure I was all right. How did I ignore my feelings all along? I never loved him as a friend.
I missed him so much. I was not used to not seeing him, not used to not having him always around. To think I may never see him.again, the thoughts caused my heart to sink. What was he doing now?
As if to answer my question, I heard the door leading into the dungeons unlock and a voice mumbling an inaudible command and the door slammed once more. Moonlight continued to flow through the tiny window. I knew it was too early for my execution and I wondered what the guard would want. Two sets of light footsteps approached. A key turned the lock and one set retreated. The owner of the other opened the door.
I wanted to rub my eyes when I swore it was Legolas' silhouette I saw in the entrance. My right mind told me it could not be him. The guards would never freely let him see me after he just attempted to help me escape.
He walked toward me and entered the stream of moonlight.
"It cannot be.how did you.am I--" I stuttered.
"I have been stripped of all possible supply I could use to help you escape. Plus, the fact the guards are surrounding us might stop us from another attempt. Oddly, they told me to come. Is something wrong?"
"I am fine. Thank you for coming."
His eyes traveled down my stretched form. My ribs hurt and I desperately wanted to curl up. "No you are not. What have they done to you?" he asked, stepping closer still.
"It is not as bad as it looks, really."
"What did the guard do to you in the forest?" he asked, wiping some blood from my eye.
"I deserved it really. I tried to escape when I saw that nearly impossible without your aid, I sought a little revenge from that certain elf who did not seem to like me the least bit."
"He was instructed in the same era as my father. They were educated to think that way." His fingers glided over the swollen hand print on my face, the bulge from the kick on my other cheekbone, down to the bruises forming on my throat. "What did you do? Try to fight with him?"
"Not the least bit. I never did so much as to touch him." Of course, Legolas did not know the other side of me; the side which has a really big mouth. The thought of me bad mouthing a guard probably did not even cross through his mind.
"What kind of elf would do this?" he asked no one in particular. "I am sorry you did not receive your revenge. I shall seek it for you."
"Don't. Wait for the morning. We shall see what your father does." He gave me a curious look and I continued. "Your father had orders to keep me unharmed and for them not to lay a hand on me. I am surprised there is not a healer in here trying to cover the wounds. There most likely would be if that one guard did not hate me so much. He had to restrain himself from killing me."
His face showed understanding. "That is why they called me here." He paused and left me to be the one who was confused. "You brought this upon yourself?"
"I have nothing to lose, really," I said, referring to what was going to happen in a few hours. "They called you here?"
"Aluhin, I wanted to speak to you about the morning. If there is any way you somehow escape, I want you to meet me at the tall tree we sat in by the cottage. Do you remember?" I nodded. "I want you to stay there until I come. Then we shall journey from this realm to find a home. All right?"
"Yes, if I escape, somehow, I shall await you at the large tree by the cottage."
He nodded and stepped closer to me. "When you escape," he corrected, his breath hot on my skin.
"When?" My voice was shaky from his nearness.
"When." He paused, looking me in the eye, before taking a deep breath. "Aluhin, will you bind yourself to me? I was expecting to ask you either at the cottage or this morning if the escape would have gone as planned. I can- -"
"This is what you want?" I interrupted, not sure how to answer the question.
"This is what I want," he responded, placing a passionate kiss on my lips. An arm snaked around my waist and pulled me into him.
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A/N: Well.that was interesting. I hope you enjoyed that chapter. Trust me, the ones to come are much better and may be my favorites. The next chapter will be titled 'Final Words' then 'Love, Death, And Cloaks', which are very short chapters and will be posted fairly soon and within a few days of each other. But do not worry, that is not the end, but I do not want to spoil it for you! Please review and let me know how you like this so far. I would love to hear your predictions also, so drop in a review! Spare five seconds of your life for me, please. Thank you!
Dulaithlossword: I hope this chapter answered your question. I cannot say exactly where I came up with my ideas. Maybe it was a twist of my friend's imagination of asking me if I was part fish which led into the development of Aluhin and this plot. No matter, I hope you enjoy it!
I love Orlando bloom: Your statement makes sense because I often do the same with stories. I am glad you enjoy this that much. I really didn't think anyone would think that way for this story. Thank you for the high compliments. They mean much to me. I will try to post these as quickly as possible within the beginning of December. Please continue to let me know what you think.
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Chapter Nine: Hit and Runs
"Stay against the wall and walk quietly towards the door. I will distract him then follow right behind you."
"Is there no other way we could go?"
"This is the way we will go."
Legolas left me and made his way toward the two. "Good evening," I heard him greet.
"What is your business?" the guard asked.
"Am I no longer free to walk the halls of my home?" The guard did not answer. "Ara--Estel, what brings you here at this hour?"
"I was just speaking with..."
Once I was sure the guard's attention was clearly on the elf and the man, I turned my concentration to the task at hand. I passed them unnoticed and continued to the door. So far I had not been seen and I hope my luck would hold. I opened the door and held my breath as I pushed it in. I slipped through and was shutting it when the guard interrupted the conversation to walk toward me.
"You! What is your business roaming around the king's home as of late?"
'Curse elves and their ears!' I cursed in my head and opened the door. "Excuse me for interrupting. I was trying to pass unnoticed. Please return to your duties. I was just heading home." I shut the door and started forward quickly, almost falling when I reached the end of the platform.
'Stairs? How did I get upstairs?' I asked myself silently as I dashed down them. I heard the door open behind me and looked up, expecting to see Legolas, but my eyes fell upon the guard.
"You! You are not permitted here. By command of the king you are under arrest!" I turned and flew down the stairs, my cape flying in my wake. I heard the door open once more and two more sets of footsteps enter the well.
"Halt!" the guard yelled, starting after me.
I prayed I would not trip as I made my way down in the dark. My foot touched a step higher than I anticipated and realized I had reached the bottom. It was too late. My momentum sent me crashing to my knee and forward. I turned just before my face would smack the wall and let my side take the impact instead. I pushed off the wall and through the door, seeing the guard close behind me and Legolas and Aragorn not too far behind. A long corridor met me and I started at a dead sprint. My feet smacked the cold floor and I could hear the guard gaining on me.
Suddenly, I could hear Legolas' previous words echoing in my mind. 'May you possess the speed and grace of my kind.' I expected some kind of burst of unknown energy, but received none. I was tiring and the corridor only seemed to be getting longer.
'It isn't working,' I thought angrily when I tried to go faster. The guard was just more than an arm's reach away now and I knew if he lunged he could catch me. 'Which way?' I though. 'Where is the exit!' I spotted an open door and ran in, finding it a dead end-a private room. I went to the back of the room, expecting a balcony. Grass loomed two stories below. I turned and saw the guard in the doorway.
"You have no where to go, human, but to your execution in the morning." He advanced slowly. I pressed back, but my legs hit the rail of the balcony. Legolas entered the room and lunged for the guard, but at that same moment, the guard lunged for me. I had no choice. I turned and threw myself from the balcony.
I heard Legolas yell my name and the wind rushed around me. My feet hit the ground and gave way. As I was fumbling to stand I saw Legolas, Aragorn, and the guard leaning over the balcony, looking at me. The guard pushed away, obviously to make his way down. I stood and started to dash towards the forest when two guards caught my eye. They must have realized I was running from them because they unsheathed their blades and started to jog toward me. I cursed silently and broke into a run.
'Legolas, how am I ever going to make it?' I plead as I felt my legs start to cramp and slip from beneath me. All the while, I expected an arrow to pierce my back. I ran on, unable to hear the elves feet hitting the grass over my heavy breathing.
I passed the edge of the castle, only two miles from the trees in the distance. I would never make it except by some miracle or Legolas' aid. Even if I made it into the trees the elves would have the advantage. With their agility and closeness with nature they could run and climb trees much faster than I. I ran on, wishing I had gone running more often so I wouldn't be hurting so much. But I was flying. I must have been running swifter than I thought; either that or the elves were hanging behind on purpose. The trees soon loomed ahead of me and I sprinted with everything I had left to get into them.
Knowing the elves, they would not give up in this pursuit. I saw no hope whatsoever. I would tire before them if they did not catch me first. I was aware of shouts behind me and by the number of them, it was clear, there were multiple guards on me now.
Oddly, I found myself thinking how now would be a good time to storm the castle. 'I am turning into one of them; I am turning into a thief.' I thought as I dodged trees. That was the last thing I wanted to do: give the elves a real reason to kill me.
I risked a look behind me and saw no one. 'They must be surrounding me and in the trees. I ran harder onward, hoping I wouldn't die in the forest. 'Perhaps those spiders, wargs, and orcs will come to my rescue.' I would have laughed. 'Yeah, right.'
The footsteps were nearing and I knew there was no way I could escape them. The sound of water also entered my hearing and I ran faster, an idea suddenly in my mind. Legolas' shouts entered the woods just as the water appeared through the trees. Without slowing, I ran straight to the water and leaped into a dive, slicing into the water. The water chilled me to the bone, but I felt myself gradually change and the temperature was no longer a problem. I swam to the bottom, pushing myself against the rocky bottom of the river where I would wait for hours for the elves to give up. I laid on the pebbles, face up, hiding my hands and toes in my cloak before attempting to look dead. A streak of blonde hair was seen above the surface before it disappeared. I had no idea who it was, so I continued to lay there, thinking of where I should head after I surface.
Legolas' distorted face appeared and he looked me straight in the eye. I cursed silently and wondered what I should do. I couldn't risk him seeing me like this!
I had no time to decide because Legolas dove in and started swimming for me. I couldn't fool him now. If I started swimming he would be suspicious because I was under for over a matter of minutes. I estimated that it had been close to fifteen minutes.
He scooped me into his arms and swam to the surface, taking a deep breath when he did. Looking around he swam to the bank and laid me down, climbing out soon after. My eyes lost their glaze and I involuntarily inhaled oxygen deeply and swallowed the water which came out of my lungs. My surroundings cleared and I couldn't miss Legolas' expression. I had hoped the darkness would conceal my deformities, but by the look on his face, it was clear he saw them. His eyes were locked on my gills which were beginning to disappear into the flesh on my neck.
"Legolas?" I asked softly.
"What are you?" he whispered, standing and beginning to back away.
"Legolas wait." I held out my hand to stop him and he grabbed my wrist, looking at my hand with interest. I cursed for letting myself show him my hand.
"What are you?" he asked more forcefully, his nobility appearing in his voice. I cringed. This may change my fate.
"I can explain! I really can!"
"Does my father know about this? Is this the real reason he wants you dead?"
"No! No. . .no one knows about these. . ." my voice faded away and I looked to the ground. My gills and the extra skin between my fingers faded and disappeared entirely. It dawned on me how much Legolas now knowing could change my life. Would he abandon me now and turn me in? Would I be used as some sort of slave? I pulled my hand from Legolas' grasp and turned away from him, bringing my hands to my face, ashamed of his new discovery.
"Aluhin?"
"I don't know what they are. I don't know what is wrong with me. I discovered them when I was just a child and I can do nothing against it."
His hand was on my shoulder. "What is it exactly?"
I turned and looked at him. "I don't know. All I know is when I'm wet, I feel home. I can breath in the water, see, and swim. It is like I was meant to be there."
He was silent for a moment. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I haven't told anyone! No one knows of this but you! My fate is uncertain now that the secret is out! How will your father treat me now that he knows I am not fully human? How will you treat me?"
"Aluhin--" he was cut off by the sound of the guards' shouts nearing.
"They are coming!"
"Run," he told me. "I will try to delay them."
"You will not--"
"Your secret is safe. Now go!"
I took off running along the river. I had no idea where I was going, but I looked back and found Legolas gone. I left the river and became running harder.
I swerved around trees, constantly changing my direction, only accomplishing getting myself lost. I was still running fairly hard when someone jumped not even a foot in front of me from above. I attempted to brake and turn, but the elf was too close and I had to stop too fast, landing on my back with an 'oof!'
I looked up at the guard. He was the same one who chased me through the castle.
"Where do you think you are going? Off to visit your dirty friends? Well, you are in the wrong part of the forest."
"You assume too much. Assuming makes an a$$ out of you and me." Lucky for me, he understood the play on words from his knowledge of Westron. I had pointed that out to Legolas when he was teaching me and earned a laugh.
"True, very true," he had said.
'Where are you now, Legolas?' I thought as I stared up at the towering guard.
"You are coming with me," he growled bending over and forcefully dragging me up. "Do not think about escaping. There is no possible way you can flee. Next time we will not be so courteous." Other elves stepped from the shadows and jumped gracefully from the trees.
"Took enough of you to catch me," I commented, looking around.
I received many glares with my words. "The king had specific orders for you not to be harmed. He wants you fresh for the ceremony."
"Ceremony? I would hardly call it a ceremony. Funeral, no you wouldn't be that kind. Execution fits well, do you not agree?" I looked at him and saw his hand tighten on his drawn sword. "Ceremony it is, then." I decided with an uneasy smile.
"Shut your mouth," he growled as he shoved me forward.
"Yes, sir!"
"Not another word!"
"What is the point? Really? You going to kill me? Well, that is accomplishing nothing for either of us. It is going to happen whether I listen to you or not." For some reason I was feeling exceptionally bold. Normally I would never speak like this. Perhaps it was because I was afraid I did not have much time left.
His hand connected with my swollen face. The scab of the split on my head reopened and I turned. "Oh, that hurts," I muttered, touching my head and seeing blood on my fingers. "So much for not injuring me, huh?"
I suddenly had an idea. The king wanted me to look nice for my execution obviously for some reason. If I kept egging the guard on, he would punish me, but then be punished in return and make the king appear cruel for mistreating his prisoners. It was a long shot and would mean pain on my part and do I hear revenge? I am not usually one to wish for pain on others, but this elf had gotten on my bad side.
"So how did you get to be a guard? Sound like a dull job to me. You must appreciate people like me to make your day a little more interesting. Yes?"
"I told you to shut up!"
I ignored him. "Why are you not a warrior or at least a border guard? Their job is a little more interesting I have heard. With man-eating spiders, beasts the size of tree trunks...not to mention the orcs. Sounds almost like you have a desk job, aye?"
"'Tis a pleasure protecting the king's home," he said through clenched teeth.
"Oh, of course. But the least you could do is be an entrance guard. Oh, but wait, the least competent guards are there. I mean, they let me in the castle everyday for twenty years. Maybe you should--" The hilt of his sword found its way into my stomach and I keeled over. Oh, this was going to be painful.
He kicked me. "Keep moving."
I righted myself painfully and walked forward. "As I was saying, maybe you should bring it up with the 'oh-so-mighty king' that his--" His hand grabbed my neck and he held me a foot off the ground, bringing my face close to his. My hands instinctively went to my throat to try to free myself. I gasped for air and kicked my legs at him.
"Do not insult the king," he growled before tossing me to the ground.
I rubbed my throat and breathed deeply. "You need to work on your temper and your manners. You won't even let a lady finish her sentence." I started to stand, only to get his foot in my side.
"Get up!"
"I am going. I'm going. Hold your pointy ears." I stood and noticed we were nearing the edges of the trees. "Hey what was that on your ear?" His step faltered and I quirked an eyebrow. Elves did not stumble without a reason and the timing was a little suspicious. I stood and stood on my toes to see his ear. "Is that a scar?" I asked as I reached up to it.
"Don't!" he slapped my hand away, the other was gripping his sword tightly.
I took a step back and held my palms out to him. "Sorry. It's not like I was going to burn you or anything." A shutter ran down his spine. "What?"
"Move!" he growled loudly and forcefully.
"Is it normal for elves to scar? I thought they were all flawless. How in the world did you manage to burn your ear like that? Especially missing your face?"
His hand was gripping his sword very tightly and his veins were pulsing. I must have hit some nerve by the way he was acting.
"I see I have interfered with your past history. Forgive me."
We walked for awhile without a word being passed. When I saw he was composed, I took a deep breath hoping I could say what I had been trying to the entire time. "Maybe you should bring to the king's attention that his guard set up is failing."
"Who says? A human?"
"Hey, do you see me complaining? No of course not. I'm trying to help you get that promotion. Do you feel safe at home with humans running about?" (Gosh I sounded like an infomercial.) "Oh wait. Maybe we should test your loyalty. I am pretty sure I saw you chatting with a human earlier and you know how the king hates humans." I didn't have a chance to continue because his sword was pointed at my heart and somehow I was once again hanging in the air, unable to breathe.
He must have remembered he could not kill me and he sheathed his sword and threw me to the ground, kicking me.
"You know nothing of loyalty! You are the second born. The Valar graced you with nothing!"
"That may be true or maybe we were created because the Valar realized how horrible his first creation was and needed something better." My comment earned me more kicks in the side and one connected with my face. I groaned. Of course what I said was not true. Even if it was, I didn't believe it. Heck, I fell in love with an elf. I wouldn't-no couldn't-believe I was better than him.
He laughed, although I could tell it was forced. "Dirty humans made to be better than elves? Nay, human. You have it all wrong. Do you not know that the first is always the parents' favorite?"
"Were you the firstborn in your family?" The next kick was hard and I was sure some ribs cracked. "I guess not."
I was in an enormous amount of pain by then and decided to give it a rest. I rolled over onto my hands and knees, taking a deep breath before attempting to stand.
"You seem to be more of the type of elf that would rather have the action, not the chit-chat. That's cool; although, I am not sure you're my type." Legolas was my type, although I'm not sure he would approve of what I was doing.
We exited the forest and the castle came into view. I saw Legolas struggling against guards to go to the forest. He spotted me and must have noticed the blood on my face and how I walked hunched over. His struggling died down a little, but did not cease.
I was going to miss him. I wish we could have had more time on our relationship. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, which was only a few hours, but hours were hours.
I must have slowed down because the guard shoved me forward again. I felt like a prisoner, the prisoner I was.
He yanked me to a stop when we reached Legolas and the guards. "He was trying to take out guards to help that one," one of his captors stated, getting a better grip on the uncooperative prince. "What should we do with him?"
The guard holding me looked him over. "Escort him back to his room."
They nodded and Legolas, all the while stared at me with such compassion I could tell he felt bad for not being there to help me, to stop the guard from beating on me. I didn't want him to feel bad. I brought this upon myself.
The guards started to drag him away. "You have no right to be treating your royalty this way!" he shouted.
"By order of the king--"
"Well, uh, actually, the king gave no orders about harming or restraining his son," another guard interrupted.
The elves stopped and stared at the prince and those holding him must have loosened their grip for Legolas easily wrenched away and straightened his tunic. The elves started to retreat back to the castle, I being pulled along. Legolas stood there and watched me be carried off to be thrown in my dark, quiet cell until morning come.
"Perhaps next time you say one too many words we shall take it out on your boyfriend," the guard snickered, pushing me forward.
"Do whatever you like. I am sure you would feel loyal beating on the royalty you serve just as well." I knew he wouldn't really give my punishment to Legolas. Even if he did, Legolas could take care of himself if he had to, for he was a better warrior than all these guards.
The guard shoved me the rest of the way down to the dungeons, but instead of locking me in my previous cell, he escorted me to another. A large cell loomed in the back of the dungeons. Hay lined the cement floor and shackles could be seen on the wall. A barred window also occupied the top of the wall to the right.
My hands were shackled together before he entered the cell and clasped the irons over my head and to the wall. There would be no way I would escape now.
"Have a pleasant stay," the guard chuckled in farewell, slamming the wooden door.
I heard his laugh as he spun the keys in his hands and exited the dungeons, leaving me alone again. 'If only they would have locked Legolas up, too,' I found myself oddly wishing.
I shifted and yanked on the chains holding my arms, hoping to get some leeway so I could sit. No such luck awarded me and I was stuck in my stretched out, hanging position. At least I was tall enough to touch the ground, even if my full foot wouldn't reach.
I hummed a little. "So this is a jolly good time," I spoke to the room. I found myself laughing at the idea of the guards being able to hear me. I felt like I was on a sugar-high-giddy. Under normal circumstances I would never be like this. Then again, I was far from being in normal circumstances. Perhaps it was nervous anticipation, the fact Legolas loved me, how I was being treated, or that I was chained to a wall. It was probably a mixture of all of them with the first two heading it off.
Legolas floated in my mind. A smug smile spread across my face. 'He is so pretty.gorgeous.' How could a guy-elf-that handsome possibly have fallen for me? It was terribly obvious why I had fallen for him, but why me?
How did I not notice his attractiveness before? Perhaps the fact he was the only elf, or living creature for that matter, that had befriended me, I subconsciously shoved his stunning looks from my mind.
The memory of him leaning against the hall wall the morning he 'saved' me from drowning floated before my mind's eye. I remembered it as if it were yesterday. How he casually relaxed in the hall, shirtless and dripping wet. How his defined muscles caught my attention and wordlessly told me of his warrior skills and countless centuries of practice. I remembered how when I first ran into him, I grabbed his arms and was shocked at the definition of his biceps and the sturdiness of the chest I crashed into. The feeling of his legs the day he saved me and straddled me to make sure I was all right. How did I ignore my feelings all along? I never loved him as a friend.
I missed him so much. I was not used to not seeing him, not used to not having him always around. To think I may never see him.again, the thoughts caused my heart to sink. What was he doing now?
As if to answer my question, I heard the door leading into the dungeons unlock and a voice mumbling an inaudible command and the door slammed once more. Moonlight continued to flow through the tiny window. I knew it was too early for my execution and I wondered what the guard would want. Two sets of light footsteps approached. A key turned the lock and one set retreated. The owner of the other opened the door.
I wanted to rub my eyes when I swore it was Legolas' silhouette I saw in the entrance. My right mind told me it could not be him. The guards would never freely let him see me after he just attempted to help me escape.
He walked toward me and entered the stream of moonlight.
"It cannot be.how did you.am I--" I stuttered.
"I have been stripped of all possible supply I could use to help you escape. Plus, the fact the guards are surrounding us might stop us from another attempt. Oddly, they told me to come. Is something wrong?"
"I am fine. Thank you for coming."
His eyes traveled down my stretched form. My ribs hurt and I desperately wanted to curl up. "No you are not. What have they done to you?" he asked, stepping closer still.
"It is not as bad as it looks, really."
"What did the guard do to you in the forest?" he asked, wiping some blood from my eye.
"I deserved it really. I tried to escape when I saw that nearly impossible without your aid, I sought a little revenge from that certain elf who did not seem to like me the least bit."
"He was instructed in the same era as my father. They were educated to think that way." His fingers glided over the swollen hand print on my face, the bulge from the kick on my other cheekbone, down to the bruises forming on my throat. "What did you do? Try to fight with him?"
"Not the least bit. I never did so much as to touch him." Of course, Legolas did not know the other side of me; the side which has a really big mouth. The thought of me bad mouthing a guard probably did not even cross through his mind.
"What kind of elf would do this?" he asked no one in particular. "I am sorry you did not receive your revenge. I shall seek it for you."
"Don't. Wait for the morning. We shall see what your father does." He gave me a curious look and I continued. "Your father had orders to keep me unharmed and for them not to lay a hand on me. I am surprised there is not a healer in here trying to cover the wounds. There most likely would be if that one guard did not hate me so much. He had to restrain himself from killing me."
His face showed understanding. "That is why they called me here." He paused and left me to be the one who was confused. "You brought this upon yourself?"
"I have nothing to lose, really," I said, referring to what was going to happen in a few hours. "They called you here?"
"Aluhin, I wanted to speak to you about the morning. If there is any way you somehow escape, I want you to meet me at the tall tree we sat in by the cottage. Do you remember?" I nodded. "I want you to stay there until I come. Then we shall journey from this realm to find a home. All right?"
"Yes, if I escape, somehow, I shall await you at the large tree by the cottage."
He nodded and stepped closer to me. "When you escape," he corrected, his breath hot on my skin.
"When?" My voice was shaky from his nearness.
"When." He paused, looking me in the eye, before taking a deep breath. "Aluhin, will you bind yourself to me? I was expecting to ask you either at the cottage or this morning if the escape would have gone as planned. I can- -"
"This is what you want?" I interrupted, not sure how to answer the question.
"This is what I want," he responded, placing a passionate kiss on my lips. An arm snaked around my waist and pulled me into him.
.
A/N: Well.that was interesting. I hope you enjoyed that chapter. Trust me, the ones to come are much better and may be my favorites. The next chapter will be titled 'Final Words' then 'Love, Death, And Cloaks', which are very short chapters and will be posted fairly soon and within a few days of each other. But do not worry, that is not the end, but I do not want to spoil it for you! Please review and let me know how you like this so far. I would love to hear your predictions also, so drop in a review! Spare five seconds of your life for me, please. Thank you!
Dulaithlossword: I hope this chapter answered your question. I cannot say exactly where I came up with my ideas. Maybe it was a twist of my friend's imagination of asking me if I was part fish which led into the development of Aluhin and this plot. No matter, I hope you enjoy it!
I love Orlando bloom: Your statement makes sense because I often do the same with stories. I am glad you enjoy this that much. I really didn't think anyone would think that way for this story. Thank you for the high compliments. They mean much to me. I will try to post these as quickly as possible within the beginning of December. Please continue to let me know what you think.