Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places and/or titles related to Professor J. R. R. Tolkien. Though Serminol, Lirnowen and other unrecognizable characters, along with the plot are completely based on stories sprung form my imagination. Do not sue me o_O. Enjoy.
Summary: Lirnowen remembers the story of the forgotten prince and his lost realm, as the prince struggles with his own haunted thoughts and memories. Could the ice surrounding his heart?
(all italicized parts are dream sequences)
Chapter Six: Souls are Bared
Running through the forest, Legolas knew the giant spiders of Mirkwood would not be kept at bay for much longer. He carried an unconsciousness Lirnowen in his arms, as he leapt over fall branches, and ducked through over hanging webs and stems. The speed at which he was now running was unmatched by any other living creature in Middle Earth. Within minutes, they were back on the doorstep of the elf's cave.
Giving a quick look behind his shoulder, Legolas ducked into the cave, making his way to the very back. He set Lirnowen down gently, as he laid down some old, torn fabrics for a makeshift bed. Picking the girl back up, he laid her upon the rags. Stirring a little, she mumbled a broken phrase, before turning to face the cavern wall.
Legolas retreated back to the cave opening, to push a seemingly giant boulder in front of it, closing the entry way. 'The spiders will have tracked my scent. They are going to be looking for us,' he thought as he walked slowly back.
Lighting another fire once more, the elven male pulled up a lone log as a chair. There he sat, silently, looking deeply into the fire as he had done countless days and nights prior to this one. He became entranced; out of touch with the world around him as his memory consumed him.
As Legolas dreamed, so did Lirnowen. Her memories brought her back to a time she sat amidst mountains of books in her city's library. The particular book she was reading now told of a the downfall of a great elven realm.
iThe pages of the leather bound book turned slowly, and dust filled the air, causing the girl reading it's pages to sneeze. The book was written by a historian in the now fallen Minas Tirith. How the librarians of her people obtained it, she did not know.
Now she skimmed the passages with her index finger, filling her mind with knowledge of a forgotten place, lost in the mists of time.
'The realm of Eryn Lasgalen, ruled by the elven Lord Thranduil, son of Oropher. Thranduil fought in the Last Alliance, where he lost his father, as well as the Battle of Five Armies. He lost his life and his realm in the Battle of Greenwood the Great, Fourth Age of this world. His sons Serminol, and Legolas also fell in this terrible battle, yet the body of Legolas was never obtained.
Legend states that Prince Legolas ran, deep into the woods of his realm, never to be seen or heard from again. Prince Legolas represented the elves in the Fellowship of the Great Ring of Power that set out from Imladris on December 25, Shire Reckoning of the Third Age.' /i
Lirnowen's brow furrowed in her sleep, as her mind became jumbled with the information she learned years ago. She stirred a few more times, until finally waking. Her eyes opened to the wall of the cave, as shadows cast from the fire, danced upon it.
Slowly turning around, her eyes landed upon Legolas, who was deep in thought. He hadn't even noticed her awakening. His eyes were transfixed with the flames licking at the charred embers.
Silently standing to her feet, Lirnowen went to sit down to the left of him, yet he did not notice this either. Lirnowen now took this opportunity to get a good look at him. Something was not allowed to do before.
She scanned his face, starting at his hairline. Silver tendrils hung in his eyes, as a lone braid hung at the left side of his face. The silver turned to gold as the light of the flames danced through the shiny locks.
Never had Lirnowen viewed such fair, light hair. She grew up among dark haired humans. She had seen only a few blonde-haired children in her life time, yet their hair grew darker with age. His hair was untouched by the hands of time, yet his eyes were much different. Deep orbs of gray mists, which manifested a slight glimmer of light. This light had obviously grown faint over many years. Yet there was a great history and mystery that lingered behind the eyes of this particular elf.
And in this moment, as he bared his soul to the blaze, the young human could see into his heart. This filled her with much woe, as she not only found a great deal of pain there, but loss, anger and loneliness.
His eyes were glazed over with tears that were centuries old; yet were still unshed.
His cheeks were sunken in, and though his eyes were old, they were youthful, yet slight, dark circles lingered there. Although his lips slender lips were the color of crimson rose petals. And just as soft to the touch.
He seemed almost unhealthy, of sorts. Yet as her eyes traveled down to his shoulders and upper arms that were bared by a tunic who's sleeves had been torn off, the power and strength that dwelt in his body could be seen. Muscles rippling under ivory skin. His breeches hugged his slender legs, and his feet were clad in green leather boots that rose some inches above his ankles.
Lirnowen's eyes made their journey back up the elf's body, back to his eyes.
'Those eyes. There's so much sorrow...'
Her heart pained with guilt and sadness, and tears glistened at the corner of her eyes. Never in her life had she felt such pain from viewing a person. Especially looking into there eyes.
And while she looked into his eyes, amber met with gray. His eyes turned in a flash, and she didn't even realize it at first. They shared in entire moment that felt like a life time, casting each other's gaze in the their open souls.
Only when Lirnowen blinked, did they both turn away, startled at themselves for the time being.
"I'm sorry...I did not mean to be rude."
Worrying her lower lip, she cast her gaze down, blushing at being caught as she marveled at him.
He cast her a sideways glance, looking her up and down, before he got to his feet.
"Are you hungry?"
She jumped at his question, "Now that you mention it. Yes, yes I am."
"I shall return shortly."
He grabbed an old, twisted bow from a corner of the cave, and a bushel of arrows, stored in a tattered leather quiver. He then started to make his way to the entrance, to only turn back to look at her.
"I have barricaded the entrance, for those spiders are much too clever to be out run and not catch a scent of those who out ran them."
He motioned for her to stand; she did, as she followed him down the tunnel of the cave to the entrance. He pushed the boulder aside, giving him a small passage to exit.
"I am going to close the entry way once I leave. Do not move the boulder, that is if you can," Lirnowen glared at him, as he looked her up and down as if to say 'You are quite the weakling,' "under any circumstances. I will move the open the passage once I return. Do you understand?"
Lirnowen nodded in return. "Yes, that is fully understandable. And who says I cannot move this boulder if I wanted to?"
Legolas glared at her once more, before ducking out of sight. The boulder rumbled back into place, as Lirnowen stood, staring where the elf had just left. After a moment or two, she headed back to the fire, wrapping herself in the rags on which she slept upon. For the chill of the night air drifted in, the short time the entry way was opened.
Outside, Legolas stalked through the trees. Every now and then letting his mind wonder to what had just happened in front of the fire. The memories of his long gone friends haunted him. As did that fatal day, where his world crashed around him and from then on, all was lost.
Though these ill tidings haunted his thoughts, two amber eyes stirred his imagination as well.
'Her eyes bore through mine. Never have I felt so bare among another's gaze. And a human nonetheless!'
His brow furrowed in thought, as he picked up a scent of what he set out to hunt for. Something rustled in a bush to his right, as he stealthily knocked an arrow into his bow.
Bringing the bow up to aim, he fought with himself in his mind.
'You grow ever lonely and weary, and here is the first person to step into your realm for so many years. Admit it to yourself. Your heart grows ever warm when your eyes meet.
One eye closed, as the other became fixated on the rustling bush, over the pointed edge of the arrow.
'I do not grow ever lonely or weary. I chose this fate on my own. I ran. Ran from the company of others. She does not belong in this wood. I own it. It is my own. I only offered my services to her to get her away from me. Her company means nothing. It is only a nuisance on my already annoyed existence.'
The string pulled back, tightening under his index and middle fingers. His knuckles whitening with strain.
'The beginning of care shines within your heart. Blackness is fading. Coldness drifting away. Do you not feel the warmth? You long for it! You desire it! Give in!'
The string of the bow shot forward with the arrow that now made a straight line, directly at its target.
'I care for nothing. I love no one.'
The rustler in the bushes was silenced.
-------
Thank you to all who have reviewed so far! Your comments are wonderful, and keep me inspired to write more. I hope you are still enjoying this, yet to keep you enthralled, I'll need your comments. What would you like to see happen? Romance is brewing, but I'm letting the story filter out on its own. Legolas is a troubled character in this tale, and love is something he has not experienced for sometime. Though an awakening is in store! Keep reading and reviewing! All comments, postive AND negative are always appreciated!
-Lady Yavanna
Summary: Lirnowen remembers the story of the forgotten prince and his lost realm, as the prince struggles with his own haunted thoughts and memories. Could the ice surrounding his heart?
(all italicized parts are dream sequences)
Chapter Six: Souls are Bared
Running through the forest, Legolas knew the giant spiders of Mirkwood would not be kept at bay for much longer. He carried an unconsciousness Lirnowen in his arms, as he leapt over fall branches, and ducked through over hanging webs and stems. The speed at which he was now running was unmatched by any other living creature in Middle Earth. Within minutes, they were back on the doorstep of the elf's cave.
Giving a quick look behind his shoulder, Legolas ducked into the cave, making his way to the very back. He set Lirnowen down gently, as he laid down some old, torn fabrics for a makeshift bed. Picking the girl back up, he laid her upon the rags. Stirring a little, she mumbled a broken phrase, before turning to face the cavern wall.
Legolas retreated back to the cave opening, to push a seemingly giant boulder in front of it, closing the entry way. 'The spiders will have tracked my scent. They are going to be looking for us,' he thought as he walked slowly back.
Lighting another fire once more, the elven male pulled up a lone log as a chair. There he sat, silently, looking deeply into the fire as he had done countless days and nights prior to this one. He became entranced; out of touch with the world around him as his memory consumed him.
As Legolas dreamed, so did Lirnowen. Her memories brought her back to a time she sat amidst mountains of books in her city's library. The particular book she was reading now told of a the downfall of a great elven realm.
iThe pages of the leather bound book turned slowly, and dust filled the air, causing the girl reading it's pages to sneeze. The book was written by a historian in the now fallen Minas Tirith. How the librarians of her people obtained it, she did not know.
Now she skimmed the passages with her index finger, filling her mind with knowledge of a forgotten place, lost in the mists of time.
'The realm of Eryn Lasgalen, ruled by the elven Lord Thranduil, son of Oropher. Thranduil fought in the Last Alliance, where he lost his father, as well as the Battle of Five Armies. He lost his life and his realm in the Battle of Greenwood the Great, Fourth Age of this world. His sons Serminol, and Legolas also fell in this terrible battle, yet the body of Legolas was never obtained.
Legend states that Prince Legolas ran, deep into the woods of his realm, never to be seen or heard from again. Prince Legolas represented the elves in the Fellowship of the Great Ring of Power that set out from Imladris on December 25, Shire Reckoning of the Third Age.' /i
Lirnowen's brow furrowed in her sleep, as her mind became jumbled with the information she learned years ago. She stirred a few more times, until finally waking. Her eyes opened to the wall of the cave, as shadows cast from the fire, danced upon it.
Slowly turning around, her eyes landed upon Legolas, who was deep in thought. He hadn't even noticed her awakening. His eyes were transfixed with the flames licking at the charred embers.
Silently standing to her feet, Lirnowen went to sit down to the left of him, yet he did not notice this either. Lirnowen now took this opportunity to get a good look at him. Something was not allowed to do before.
She scanned his face, starting at his hairline. Silver tendrils hung in his eyes, as a lone braid hung at the left side of his face. The silver turned to gold as the light of the flames danced through the shiny locks.
Never had Lirnowen viewed such fair, light hair. She grew up among dark haired humans. She had seen only a few blonde-haired children in her life time, yet their hair grew darker with age. His hair was untouched by the hands of time, yet his eyes were much different. Deep orbs of gray mists, which manifested a slight glimmer of light. This light had obviously grown faint over many years. Yet there was a great history and mystery that lingered behind the eyes of this particular elf.
And in this moment, as he bared his soul to the blaze, the young human could see into his heart. This filled her with much woe, as she not only found a great deal of pain there, but loss, anger and loneliness.
His eyes were glazed over with tears that were centuries old; yet were still unshed.
His cheeks were sunken in, and though his eyes were old, they were youthful, yet slight, dark circles lingered there. Although his lips slender lips were the color of crimson rose petals. And just as soft to the touch.
He seemed almost unhealthy, of sorts. Yet as her eyes traveled down to his shoulders and upper arms that were bared by a tunic who's sleeves had been torn off, the power and strength that dwelt in his body could be seen. Muscles rippling under ivory skin. His breeches hugged his slender legs, and his feet were clad in green leather boots that rose some inches above his ankles.
Lirnowen's eyes made their journey back up the elf's body, back to his eyes.
'Those eyes. There's so much sorrow...'
Her heart pained with guilt and sadness, and tears glistened at the corner of her eyes. Never in her life had she felt such pain from viewing a person. Especially looking into there eyes.
And while she looked into his eyes, amber met with gray. His eyes turned in a flash, and she didn't even realize it at first. They shared in entire moment that felt like a life time, casting each other's gaze in the their open souls.
Only when Lirnowen blinked, did they both turn away, startled at themselves for the time being.
"I'm sorry...I did not mean to be rude."
Worrying her lower lip, she cast her gaze down, blushing at being caught as she marveled at him.
He cast her a sideways glance, looking her up and down, before he got to his feet.
"Are you hungry?"
She jumped at his question, "Now that you mention it. Yes, yes I am."
"I shall return shortly."
He grabbed an old, twisted bow from a corner of the cave, and a bushel of arrows, stored in a tattered leather quiver. He then started to make his way to the entrance, to only turn back to look at her.
"I have barricaded the entrance, for those spiders are much too clever to be out run and not catch a scent of those who out ran them."
He motioned for her to stand; she did, as she followed him down the tunnel of the cave to the entrance. He pushed the boulder aside, giving him a small passage to exit.
"I am going to close the entry way once I leave. Do not move the boulder, that is if you can," Lirnowen glared at him, as he looked her up and down as if to say 'You are quite the weakling,' "under any circumstances. I will move the open the passage once I return. Do you understand?"
Lirnowen nodded in return. "Yes, that is fully understandable. And who says I cannot move this boulder if I wanted to?"
Legolas glared at her once more, before ducking out of sight. The boulder rumbled back into place, as Lirnowen stood, staring where the elf had just left. After a moment or two, she headed back to the fire, wrapping herself in the rags on which she slept upon. For the chill of the night air drifted in, the short time the entry way was opened.
Outside, Legolas stalked through the trees. Every now and then letting his mind wonder to what had just happened in front of the fire. The memories of his long gone friends haunted him. As did that fatal day, where his world crashed around him and from then on, all was lost.
Though these ill tidings haunted his thoughts, two amber eyes stirred his imagination as well.
'Her eyes bore through mine. Never have I felt so bare among another's gaze. And a human nonetheless!'
His brow furrowed in thought, as he picked up a scent of what he set out to hunt for. Something rustled in a bush to his right, as he stealthily knocked an arrow into his bow.
Bringing the bow up to aim, he fought with himself in his mind.
'You grow ever lonely and weary, and here is the first person to step into your realm for so many years. Admit it to yourself. Your heart grows ever warm when your eyes meet.
One eye closed, as the other became fixated on the rustling bush, over the pointed edge of the arrow.
'I do not grow ever lonely or weary. I chose this fate on my own. I ran. Ran from the company of others. She does not belong in this wood. I own it. It is my own. I only offered my services to her to get her away from me. Her company means nothing. It is only a nuisance on my already annoyed existence.'
The string pulled back, tightening under his index and middle fingers. His knuckles whitening with strain.
'The beginning of care shines within your heart. Blackness is fading. Coldness drifting away. Do you not feel the warmth? You long for it! You desire it! Give in!'
The string of the bow shot forward with the arrow that now made a straight line, directly at its target.
'I care for nothing. I love no one.'
The rustler in the bushes was silenced.
-------
Thank you to all who have reviewed so far! Your comments are wonderful, and keep me inspired to write more. I hope you are still enjoying this, yet to keep you enthralled, I'll need your comments. What would you like to see happen? Romance is brewing, but I'm letting the story filter out on its own. Legolas is a troubled character in this tale, and love is something he has not experienced for sometime. Though an awakening is in store! Keep reading and reviewing! All comments, postive AND negative are always appreciated!
-Lady Yavanna