HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
I hope you all had a good New Years Eve. I did! ;-) So, here is Chapter 16 of Sleeping Dangerously. Some of you may be expecting what happens in this chapter, some may not. Please review with your responses. ^_^
~Lainfaer~
Oh, by the way, what does everyone out there think of having a unicorn in Middle-Earth? Would you lot accept it if I put one into a story? Its not this one, or Fair Flowers Never Fade. It's one I'm working on at the moment. Please tell me in a review or e-mail me. My address is in my bio. Cheers. ^_^
~Lainfaer~
Elerrina- I was a bit disappointed that they left out the fight in the Shire too! Never mind. Legolas' looks made up for it! One of the best Xmas Pressies ever! ^_^
tonianne- Cool, thanks!
Legolas_gurl- I kinda guessed that he was! I totally agree- Orli is the coolest!
Gywn- Alright, alright, I'm getting there!
Chapter 16: Confessions and Confusion.
Rivendell.
Meanwhile, in Rivendell, the Dagnir-o Lóre waited. Everyone in Imladris was now under his power, including Lady Celebrían, Lady Arwen, and Lord Glorfindel. All he needed to become completely solid, were the Mirkwood Elves. He was at the stage of being half-shadow, half-fully formed. He paced the deserted halls of Imladris impatiently, watching, and waiting…
****
"Sorry Dan, but you cannot beat me in archery, just face it!"
"I can at least try," Elladan argued, firing another arrow into the tree. He narrowly missed the place they had selected as the centre. "See, I am getting better!"
Legolas smiled. He always enjoyed archery contests against the twins, as they made it a lot more fun than usual. Even with just one of them, it was great fun. He fired, and split Elladans' arrow completely in half.
"Oh quit showing off."
He laughed. "Sorry."
Elladan glared at him as he lined up for another shot. "Come on Dan, concentrate…"
He fired. The arrow sped towards the tree, and neatly split Legolas' in half. Elladan stared at it for a moment, not realising what he had just achieved.
Legolas was also shocked. Neither of the twins had ever been able to split any of his arrows. He looked at Elladan. Elladan looked back, saw the look of complete surprise on Legolas' face, and couldn't resist a small smirk.
"I think," started Legolas, "we need to make some more arrows."
Elladan laughed. "I would have to agree with you on that one my friend."
They collected their things together, and headed back to Legolas' tent. They sat down on the grass, and started to make new arrows. Legolas was naturally better at this than Elladan, as he had had more practice, and had soon made twice as many as the Imladris Prince.
"How do you make them so quickly?" Elladan asked in frustration, flinging down his knife.
Legolas grinned. "I have had years of practice. I have to use them more often than you do, and so have to make more than you do. The more you do it, the more skilled you become." Elladan scowled.
"As you keep saying."
Legolas just grinned.
****
Later that evening, Dolenmíl was searching around for Legolas. She needed someone to talk to. She went to the tent where the sleeping lay, guessing he would be with Elrohir, but he wasn't. She walked silently over to the sleeping Prince.
"Has Legolas been in here?" she asked in a whisper, crouching down beside the makeshift bed.
He gave no answer of course, yet she felt something, some kind of response.
"Can you hear me?"
Something inside told her that he could. This gave her a great feeling of comfort. She gingerly felt his hand. He was still as cold as ice. She took it completely in hers, trying to warm it somehow. But she knew he was out of her reach. The Dagnir-o Lóre still had him completely under his control.
She placed his hand back on the blanket, and got to her feet, brushing the stray bits of grass off her dress.
"Something bothering you my Lady?" a voice asked.
She spun round. Elladan had just entered. "No, nothing my Lord. I was just looking for Legolas. Have you seen him?"
"He is in his tent now. We have just been talking with Mithrandir."
"Oh, right. Thank you my Lord." She bowed, and walked swiftly out of the tent.
He watched her go, a small smile on his fair face.
//She getting rather attached to Legolas. I wonder…//
He walked over to his brothers' bedside, and sat with him for a bit.
Dolenmíl ran to Legolas' tent, even more desperate to talk to him. She reached it, straightened her dress, and called:
"My Lord?"
"Dolenmíl…" his voice warned, cutting the silent air like a knife. She smiled.
"Sorry…Legolas," she emphasised.
He laughed. "Come on in." She lifted the flap to one side, and went in.
It was cool and calm in his tent. Candles flickered in the corners, casting shadows on the material walls. His belongings lay scattered all over the place.
//Just like a typical male bedroom.//
Legolas himself was sat on his bed, inspecting his bow. His boots lay by the side as usual, and he was sat cross-legged. His golden hair cascaded down over his shoulders, just brushing his knees. He looked up at her as she let the flap fall back again. "Hello Dolenmíl."
"Hello Legolas," she replied flatly. He frowned.
"What's wrong?" he put his bow down next to him on the bed and stood up.
She shrugged. "Nothing really important. I just…needed someone to talk to, and I figured you were the only one who would understand me."
"Look, sit down, and I'll fetch us a drink." He motioned for her to sit where he had been, and he took two wine flasks out of his bag. She gasped.
"Legolas, isn't that your fathers favourite wine?"
He grinned. "Quite possibly, his mind keeps changing over which is his favourite and which isn't. No glasses I'm afraid." He removed the stoppers, and handed one to Dolenmíl. She laughed.
"I should have known what you meant by 'a drink'."
"Yes, you should. Now," he sat down next to her. "What's the problem."
"It's silly really. I don't even know why I'm thinking about it."
"About what?" he asked softly.
"Adar and naneth."
"Ah, I see. What's bothering you exactly?" He took a sip.
She copied him. "The memories have just been following me around so much recently. It all started with the fire, and all those Elves being killed. They were my friends, and so I just had the feeling of losing people close to my heart all over again. It didn't hurt as much, as they weren't exactly family, but it was still painful. Ever since, I can't stop thinking about the time my parents were killed. It's really hurting me, yet it was so long ago. It shouldn't still hurt, surely?"
"Of course it will. They're your parents Dolenmíl, its bound to still hurt."
"Were my parents Legolas. They're dead now." She took another, longer drink.
"They're not dead to you surely? Dolenmíl, listen to me." He took her wine flask, and placed both of them down on the floor. He put his hands on her shoulders, and forced her to look at him. "They may have left this world, gone to the Halls, but they have not left your heart. In there, they will live forever. You have your memories too, they will live forever. They are always with you, maybe not in body, but in here." He touched her head with his hand. "You will never forget them, will you?"
"Of course I won't. Its
just so painful remembering them."
"It shouldn't hurt that much. How long ago did it happen?"
"So many years now, I have almost forgotten." She looked at the floor, her hands clasped in front of her.
Legolas slid down onto the floor in front of her, and took her hands in his. "Dolenmíl," he said softly. "Look at me."
She looked up at him; eyes shining with unshed tears. "Legolas, why do I still feel this way?" A tear trickled out, and ran down her face.
He gently brushed it away. "Its natural, don't worry. Was it roundabout this time of year that it happened?"
She nodded as more tears started to fall. "Yes, springtime. I remember because I felt it was the wrong time of year for it to happen. Spring is meant to be a happy, beautiful time, but for me, it was dark, lonely, and frightening." She bowed her head again, the tears running onto the ground at her feet.
Legolas felt his heart break for the Elf-maiden in front of him. He had never really seen her this way. She was always tough and headstrong. This was a softer, weaker side of her that he had just discovered. It reminded him of when Elladan cried in the tent beside his brother.
//This is getting to everyone.//
So, he did what he had done for Elladan. He sat up next to her, and held her. He did not know what else he could do really. The words he knew he should say wouldn't come, and he didn't wish to upset her even more by saying something completely wrong.
She buried her head in his shoulder, sobbing her heart out. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and his around her waist. He felt a sense of protectiveness come over him for her.
"Your heart may be breaking,
But try not to cry.
I will be here for you,
Keep those eyes dry.
Whilst I am here,
You have no need to grieve.
By your side forever,
And all eternity.
The sun still shines,
Yet to me your eyes seem grey.
Make them shine like the sun,
From now on, every day.
Cry no more my love,
The time has arrived.
For you to dry your eyes and,
Forget you ever cried.
Hush now Dolenmíl,
I am here for you.
Wipe your tears away,
Crying, you need not do."
Legolas' voice faded away as Dolenmíl looked up at him, eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Did you just make that up?"
He nodded. "Better?"
"Yes. Diolla lle." He smiled at her. "Like I said, I am here for you, whenever you need someone to talk to."
"I feel so weak now, like a baby." She leant her head against his chest, sighing.
He laughed gently. "Of course you are not weak. You are showing your emotions, that is all. That is showing how strong you actually are. It takes a person like you, who is always so strong-willed and determined, a lot of courage to actually show their softer side. I know, I've been through it before."
She shifted her head to look up at him. He smiled down at her, and brushed some hair out of her face. "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone."
"Good, and you better not had," she replied, sitting up and rubbing her eyes angrily.
//I can't believe I just did that! How could I have shown my weaknesses around him? Am I out of my mind? He's my Prince! I will never be able to look at him in the same way again! And what if someone finds out?//
"Dolenmíl, are you
alright?" he asked with concern as she gazed at the floor. He sat up next to
her. "What's wrong?"
She looked at him, a small smile on her face. "Nothing,
nothing. You promise you won't tell anybody?"
"Dolenmíl, what do you take me for? Of course I won't. You're my friend, or at least I hope you are. I wish you could trust me."
"I do trust you, it's just…"
"Just what?" he asked, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"Well, I've only been friends with you for what…a week? I have only ever known you as my Prince, and I guess that is how I still see you. Nothing more."
"I understand how you feel. When I was younger, it took ages for me to find friends. They all thought, because I was a Prince, that I would think them too unimportant and common for me. But I didn't. They all judged me by my title, not by the real me. It was fine with the twins, as they were Princes themselves, and so knew how hard it was to get friends that were not royalty. Eventually, people began to realise that I wasn't that bad, and that I really wanted just to be friends. At first, they were all rather wary of me, and insisted on bowing whenever they saw me. But gradually, I coaxed them out of that, and our friendship grew more and more informal. It's all fine now of course, as we have been friends for hundreds of years. But at first, it was really hard. So I know what you're thinking. But I am a normal person really, underneath this posh name of 'Prince'. You just have to try and see through that barrier."
She gazed at him, rather in awe of the small speech he had just made. She hadn't thought about it that way. She had never realised just how hard his childhood had been, without that many friends around him. She had always had plenty of friends, and she could remember them talking about the Prince, and how stuck up he was.
But now…she was seeing him in a different light. This was a kind, caring...normal Elf. If you didn't know him, you would never have guessed he was even royalty.
"I'm sorry Legolas…I didn't think." She stood to leave. He jumped up after her. "Dolenmíl, wait. Where are you going?"
"Back to my own tent. I have disturbed you enough tonight. Thank you…for listening. It means a great deal to me, it really does." She started walking out, straightening her dress.
He ran after her. "There's no need to leave you know."
"No, you need rest. I expect we will be leaving in a few days. You out of all of us need the energy. Get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." She continued walking.
He grabbed her arm. "Have I upset you in some way?"
She turned to face him. "Of course you haven't, do not worry. I just don't want to overstay my welcome."
"You're not overstaying. Why are you so eager to leave all of a sudden?"
"I've told you. Please, let me go." She shrugged her arm out of his grasp.
"But then why do I feel as if I have done or said something wrong?"
"You haven't. Look, I'm tired, you're tired, and we've got a lot ahead of us. Good night." She bowed her head, and swept out before he could say another word.
He lifted the flap and stared after her retreating figure into the dark. He silently cursed himself.
//What did I do to upset her so?//
He slammed the flap down, and lay back on his bed, hands covering his face.
//What did I do this time?//
He fell asleep, trying to work out what had gone so wrong in those couple of minutes.
So…who was expecting that? I know Dolenmíl is meant to be a tough cookie, but we all have a softer side. I had to get more tears in somewhere. It's always fun to get a character crying, and then get Leggy to comfort them! Heehee. So, please review with your thoughts. ^_^
~Lainfaer~
