A/N..I bought my new computer the other day and had my brother help me set it up. He had it up, running, connected to the internet and everything the day of! I swear he's a genius when it comes to that type of thing. And for some reason, all my documents are in WordPad instead of Microsoft Word Processor, so it's freakin me out a lil bit to have to switch. But I'll manage. Anyway, here is the next chapter. REVIEW!
Last Chapter
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"I don't deserve…or want your forgiveness." Katarina snarled as she drew the shard to her wrist again. "NO!" Lianna lunged at her, grabbing the wrist of the hand that held the weapon. They struggled for control of it, and Lianna had the upper hand for a while. But a new conviction came into Katarina's eyes, Lianna could see it. Their faces were so close, and Kat's strange look held Lianna's attention. Then, with one last thrust, Kat put an end to the elf that caused her so much misery.
Chapter 14 - Death in Rivendell
Lianna's eyes widened, and her mouth gaped. She released Katarina and took a step back. Their eyes were still locked, and Katarina's contained a satisfaction, a strange contentment. She was at peace. Justice had been served. Lianna's eyes finally broke the gaze and drifted to Kat's stomach. Out of it thrust the piece of mirror. Her blood dripped from the fatal wound. Kat's hands still gripped the shard as she stumbled backward, and fell on her back onto her bed.
Lianna finally began to breathe again, and with that breath, she screamed. She screamed until she had no more air left in her lungs. Two of Katarina's neighbors came rushing in the door and looked from Lianna to Katarina's body on the bed. One said to the other, "Don't let her leave.", in reference to Lianna, and rushed to Katarina's side. He whispered and muttered to himself and finally turned to the other Elf. "She's gone. Not even Elrond can help her now."
He suddenly turned his eyes to Lianna. "Why did you do this?" Lianna's eyes finally turned from Katarina's body to the Elf who spoke to her. They were wide still, with shock at Kat's death and at the false accusation. "I-I didn't! I came…I thought she might kill herself…we fought over the glass and she pulled it into her stomach! I swear on my life! I swear on Valar!" She pleaded. He simply looked at her, unconvinced.
He took her by the elbow, with unnecessary force, and shoved her out the door. "I shall take you before Elrond. He'll know what to do with a murderer." The other Elf took her opposite elbow and they pulled her down out the door and down the path, all the while she kicked and shrieked, "I didn't do it! I swear on Valar! Legolas!!! Legolas!!! NO!" Her protests woke the Elves in the village. They lit candles and looked through their windows and open doors.
Lianna struggled all the way to the palace. She knew Legolas's room was not far away now, and she screamed his name even louder. But he never came. He was probably sleeping a deep sleep of one healing.
They came into the palace, and one Elf went running ahead to fetch Elrond. Lianna had taken to muttering, "Katarina…oh Katarina." Over and over as she was led. The Elf that went ahead came hurrying back to them. "Elrond will see us."
Now, Lianna's distress was renewed, and she wailed with greater vigor, "Please, Elrond, no! I didn't do it!" She knew it would do no good. But it was something she could do about something she could do nothing about.
She was pushed into a room of great elegance. Lianna hadn't seen such a wonderful room, not even Arwen's. Not that she was paying much attention to the room's details, she was much more concerned with the Elf standing in the middle of it. It was Elrond, and he was in his night robes. His dark hair hung perfectly straight about his shoulders, and he had a hard look in his eye.
She was pushed before him, and she fell onto her knees. "Please, my Lord." She begged, "You must know the truth. You must be able to see it. Please, I didn't do it!" Lianna thought she saw his eyes soften a bit, and he placed a hand under her chin. "Stand, my child. No need to beg." She was comforted a bit, but her plight did not flee her mind. "My Lord, can you see the truth?" She asked, hopeful.
Elrond looked intently into her eyes. At length, he spoke, "I am sorry, my child. I see nothing." Her brow stitched with worry and tears began to well up, for the first time in the night. "What? How can you not see?" "I am sorry. Tell me, Lianna, what happened?"
She searched the ground with her eyes and began. "You know how she stabbed Legolas, and this morning everything was okay. But I thought about her, and where she was and how she was feeling, and I realized she has nothing now. And if she thought of killing me, I guessed she might think of killing herself, now. So I went to her house. I knocked, but no one answered, so I went in, afraid she'd already done it. But she was holding a piece of mirror and she said things to me and I grabbed for the piece and we wrestled. But then she shoved it into her stomach!"
Lianna's speech accelerated all the while she recited the events, eager to get the truth out, as if it would disappear if it wasn't said out loud. She was breathing hard, looking to Elrond with expectant eyes. He was silent for a moment. Then he summoned a servant elf to his side and whispered something to him. The Elf scurried off hastily.
"My Lianna, I am afraid I do not know you as well as this situation should require for me to make a decision. So, I will fetch Gandalf." "Yes, yes, Gandalf!" Lianna said loudly, with restored hope. She was confident he would know the truth. The servant Elf came hurrying back into the room moments later, followed by Gandalf, shuffling slowly with sleep still in his eyes. If Lianna hadn't been so terrified in her situation, she'd have laughed.
Gandalf stood next to Elrond and looked about the room, his eyes catching on Lianna. She thought she detected a bit of surprise in them, hidden under his bushy white brows. Gandalf was never surprised. "Lianna, my dear! What's going on that I should be summoned from sleep at such an hour? Elrond?" He looked to his friend for answers.
"Gandalf, my friend, Lianna has been caught in a situation and accused of a serious crime." "Crime? My dear Lianna? I refuse to believe such a thing! What crime?" The weariness in him was driven out by curiosity and the need to protect his Lianna. "Murder." Elrond said calmly. Lianna cringed at the term. Gandalf's eyes widened. "Murder!?" He boomed. "I refuse to believe such a thing! How could someone accuse her of such a heinous crime?"
Gandalf looked about the room. The Elves that found Lianna were cowering near the door. Quite intimidated by him, they were. Elrond spoke, "Earlier this night, two of Katarina's neighbors heard a screaming in her house. They rushed in and found Katarina dead and Lianna nearby." "Have you adopted a policy of guilt by proximity?" Gandalf said, sardonically. "No, Gandalf," Elrond continued, still calm. "Lianna was quite shaken, and she told me her side of the story. Unfortunately, there is no proof to support her account. As a matter of fact, the evidence is against, thought I'd rather not believe it, myself."
Lianna looked from Elrond to Gandalf, and back to Elrond. "Lord Elrond, what evidence against me?" She asked with a furrowed brow. "My dear, you honestly thought no one else knew how you felt for Legolas? It was plain as day for those perceptive enough. That is sufficient evidence for some to say guilty." "For some," Gandalf cut in. "Not for I. 'Tis true, there is no proof to support her side, but I will vouch for her. I know her well, and no matter what state she is in, it would never be intentionally harmful."
Lianna hung her head and thought of the previous night. Thought of the feel of her hands around Katarina's neck. She didn't know if she would've continued to choke the life out of her if her father hadn't come in. But what difference would it have made? Katarina is still dead. And she is still going to be persecuted for it. Though this time she is innocent.
"What will you have me do, then, Gandalf? I cannot tell, what if she killed Katarina, and I let her go? Will my city be just and fair as it is said to be?" "No, Elrond. I do not ask you to let a killer free. I ask you to let Lianna free. What if you lock her up, and she did not commit this crime? Will your city be just and fair as it is said, if you let an innocent girl die in prison?"
"Of course not, good Gandalf. But nothing can be decided tonight. You will stay in a palace room tonight, Lianna. Tomorrow, I will gather council to discuss the matter. You may or may not be called out for questions, but either way, we will have a decision by nightfall tomorrow."
She nodded numbly to him, and followed a servant who gestured to her out a different door. It seemed they walked down a stone corridor for hours, but in reality, only a few minutes, and the servant got Lianna settled into a room. When she had left, Lianna sat on the edge of the fancy bed and looked about.
The room was beautiful. They spared no expense for the prisoner. That was what she was-a prisoner. Being held until her trial. After that, no one could say what for sure would happen to her. 'If only Legolas were here.' She thought mournfully. 'He would comfort me.' She was sure there were guards outside her door, or else she'd have snuck to see him.
There was nothing she could do. So, she flopped back onto the bed. Its canopy of forest green curtains encased her. It made her feel good, almost safe, like she was lying amongst the trees. And so, she fell into an uneasy sleep.
Last Chapter
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"I don't deserve…or want your forgiveness." Katarina snarled as she drew the shard to her wrist again. "NO!" Lianna lunged at her, grabbing the wrist of the hand that held the weapon. They struggled for control of it, and Lianna had the upper hand for a while. But a new conviction came into Katarina's eyes, Lianna could see it. Their faces were so close, and Kat's strange look held Lianna's attention. Then, with one last thrust, Kat put an end to the elf that caused her so much misery.
Chapter 14 - Death in Rivendell
Lianna's eyes widened, and her mouth gaped. She released Katarina and took a step back. Their eyes were still locked, and Katarina's contained a satisfaction, a strange contentment. She was at peace. Justice had been served. Lianna's eyes finally broke the gaze and drifted to Kat's stomach. Out of it thrust the piece of mirror. Her blood dripped from the fatal wound. Kat's hands still gripped the shard as she stumbled backward, and fell on her back onto her bed.
Lianna finally began to breathe again, and with that breath, she screamed. She screamed until she had no more air left in her lungs. Two of Katarina's neighbors came rushing in the door and looked from Lianna to Katarina's body on the bed. One said to the other, "Don't let her leave.", in reference to Lianna, and rushed to Katarina's side. He whispered and muttered to himself and finally turned to the other Elf. "She's gone. Not even Elrond can help her now."
He suddenly turned his eyes to Lianna. "Why did you do this?" Lianna's eyes finally turned from Katarina's body to the Elf who spoke to her. They were wide still, with shock at Kat's death and at the false accusation. "I-I didn't! I came…I thought she might kill herself…we fought over the glass and she pulled it into her stomach! I swear on my life! I swear on Valar!" She pleaded. He simply looked at her, unconvinced.
He took her by the elbow, with unnecessary force, and shoved her out the door. "I shall take you before Elrond. He'll know what to do with a murderer." The other Elf took her opposite elbow and they pulled her down out the door and down the path, all the while she kicked and shrieked, "I didn't do it! I swear on Valar! Legolas!!! Legolas!!! NO!" Her protests woke the Elves in the village. They lit candles and looked through their windows and open doors.
Lianna struggled all the way to the palace. She knew Legolas's room was not far away now, and she screamed his name even louder. But he never came. He was probably sleeping a deep sleep of one healing.
They came into the palace, and one Elf went running ahead to fetch Elrond. Lianna had taken to muttering, "Katarina…oh Katarina." Over and over as she was led. The Elf that went ahead came hurrying back to them. "Elrond will see us."
Now, Lianna's distress was renewed, and she wailed with greater vigor, "Please, Elrond, no! I didn't do it!" She knew it would do no good. But it was something she could do about something she could do nothing about.
She was pushed into a room of great elegance. Lianna hadn't seen such a wonderful room, not even Arwen's. Not that she was paying much attention to the room's details, she was much more concerned with the Elf standing in the middle of it. It was Elrond, and he was in his night robes. His dark hair hung perfectly straight about his shoulders, and he had a hard look in his eye.
She was pushed before him, and she fell onto her knees. "Please, my Lord." She begged, "You must know the truth. You must be able to see it. Please, I didn't do it!" Lianna thought she saw his eyes soften a bit, and he placed a hand under her chin. "Stand, my child. No need to beg." She was comforted a bit, but her plight did not flee her mind. "My Lord, can you see the truth?" She asked, hopeful.
Elrond looked intently into her eyes. At length, he spoke, "I am sorry, my child. I see nothing." Her brow stitched with worry and tears began to well up, for the first time in the night. "What? How can you not see?" "I am sorry. Tell me, Lianna, what happened?"
She searched the ground with her eyes and began. "You know how she stabbed Legolas, and this morning everything was okay. But I thought about her, and where she was and how she was feeling, and I realized she has nothing now. And if she thought of killing me, I guessed she might think of killing herself, now. So I went to her house. I knocked, but no one answered, so I went in, afraid she'd already done it. But she was holding a piece of mirror and she said things to me and I grabbed for the piece and we wrestled. But then she shoved it into her stomach!"
Lianna's speech accelerated all the while she recited the events, eager to get the truth out, as if it would disappear if it wasn't said out loud. She was breathing hard, looking to Elrond with expectant eyes. He was silent for a moment. Then he summoned a servant elf to his side and whispered something to him. The Elf scurried off hastily.
"My Lianna, I am afraid I do not know you as well as this situation should require for me to make a decision. So, I will fetch Gandalf." "Yes, yes, Gandalf!" Lianna said loudly, with restored hope. She was confident he would know the truth. The servant Elf came hurrying back into the room moments later, followed by Gandalf, shuffling slowly with sleep still in his eyes. If Lianna hadn't been so terrified in her situation, she'd have laughed.
Gandalf stood next to Elrond and looked about the room, his eyes catching on Lianna. She thought she detected a bit of surprise in them, hidden under his bushy white brows. Gandalf was never surprised. "Lianna, my dear! What's going on that I should be summoned from sleep at such an hour? Elrond?" He looked to his friend for answers.
"Gandalf, my friend, Lianna has been caught in a situation and accused of a serious crime." "Crime? My dear Lianna? I refuse to believe such a thing! What crime?" The weariness in him was driven out by curiosity and the need to protect his Lianna. "Murder." Elrond said calmly. Lianna cringed at the term. Gandalf's eyes widened. "Murder!?" He boomed. "I refuse to believe such a thing! How could someone accuse her of such a heinous crime?"
Gandalf looked about the room. The Elves that found Lianna were cowering near the door. Quite intimidated by him, they were. Elrond spoke, "Earlier this night, two of Katarina's neighbors heard a screaming in her house. They rushed in and found Katarina dead and Lianna nearby." "Have you adopted a policy of guilt by proximity?" Gandalf said, sardonically. "No, Gandalf," Elrond continued, still calm. "Lianna was quite shaken, and she told me her side of the story. Unfortunately, there is no proof to support her account. As a matter of fact, the evidence is against, thought I'd rather not believe it, myself."
Lianna looked from Elrond to Gandalf, and back to Elrond. "Lord Elrond, what evidence against me?" She asked with a furrowed brow. "My dear, you honestly thought no one else knew how you felt for Legolas? It was plain as day for those perceptive enough. That is sufficient evidence for some to say guilty." "For some," Gandalf cut in. "Not for I. 'Tis true, there is no proof to support her side, but I will vouch for her. I know her well, and no matter what state she is in, it would never be intentionally harmful."
Lianna hung her head and thought of the previous night. Thought of the feel of her hands around Katarina's neck. She didn't know if she would've continued to choke the life out of her if her father hadn't come in. But what difference would it have made? Katarina is still dead. And she is still going to be persecuted for it. Though this time she is innocent.
"What will you have me do, then, Gandalf? I cannot tell, what if she killed Katarina, and I let her go? Will my city be just and fair as it is said to be?" "No, Elrond. I do not ask you to let a killer free. I ask you to let Lianna free. What if you lock her up, and she did not commit this crime? Will your city be just and fair as it is said, if you let an innocent girl die in prison?"
"Of course not, good Gandalf. But nothing can be decided tonight. You will stay in a palace room tonight, Lianna. Tomorrow, I will gather council to discuss the matter. You may or may not be called out for questions, but either way, we will have a decision by nightfall tomorrow."
She nodded numbly to him, and followed a servant who gestured to her out a different door. It seemed they walked down a stone corridor for hours, but in reality, only a few minutes, and the servant got Lianna settled into a room. When she had left, Lianna sat on the edge of the fancy bed and looked about.
The room was beautiful. They spared no expense for the prisoner. That was what she was-a prisoner. Being held until her trial. After that, no one could say what for sure would happen to her. 'If only Legolas were here.' She thought mournfully. 'He would comfort me.' She was sure there were guards outside her door, or else she'd have snuck to see him.
There was nothing she could do. So, she flopped back onto the bed. Its canopy of forest green curtains encased her. It made her feel good, almost safe, like she was lying amongst the trees. And so, she fell into an uneasy sleep.