Chapter Eleven: I know in my heart it is not true
Or: These Bandages Cover more than Scrapes…
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Legolas tried to help Sarah to her feet. But she visibly flinched as he touched her, her eyes wide and terrified. He gently pushed a silken hair behind her ear. She leant into his touch for a moment simply stared at him, silent tears running down her beautiful face, and then she was gone, vanished in a swirl of fairy magic.
Legolas stared around the room wildly, "Sarah!?"
Maxime spoke up from his seat, "Don't strain yourself, son. Your sister has probably popped off to Middle Earth for a little me time."
The younger elf turned to regard him with cold eyes, "Don't call me that. I am not your son."
Maxime shrugged, "I understand your denial, but I fear I am quite sure you are."
Legolas shook his head, making the beads and trinkets braided there clink together softly. "Malris. If what you say is true… then.. perhaps it is possible, that you are.. my father. But I know in my heart it is not true. We are elves Malris, I share a very close bond with my father, I would know if something were not right. Besides, my mother could not have deceived us all for so long, she was not like that."
"I know what you mean, but.. if you had been there that morning, if you had heard her… You would believe what I say."
"No. it is not true. I think you are mistaken. I believe you overheard my mother say something, but I know Thranduil is my father." Legolas glared at Maxime, "You really did not harm her?"
Maxime shook his head, "No. I did not hurt her."
"Then who..?"
The older elf stood and walked over to the window. The sun was already hidden behind the tall buildings facing them, creating an artificial night. "I begged Armir to stay with me. Or at the very least tell the truth about you, let all know you were my son. But she would hear none of it. She still would not admit that you were mine. I left the talon in a rage. When I returned, she was gone, you had found her and all that remained was a blood stain." He turned back to face Legolas, "I am quite certain it was Armir's own hand on that blade. No one else, save she, had anything to gain from it."
Legolas glared at him, "My mother did not kill herself."
"Yes, she did. She knew that if she was dead, there was no way it could be proved you were not Thranduil's son."
"Lies. I will hear no more of it." He stepped closer so he was mere inches from Maxime's face, "Be glad I believe some of your words however Malris, or you would be dead."
Maxime smirked, "You could not kill me boy. I have learnt the magics of the sidhe, and am counted amongst their mightiest. Perhaps you could best Malris, but a simple wood-elf, even a Prince, is no match for the Fae Lord, Maxime de Málnoir."
Legolas growled softly, his bright eyes glaring into Maxime's cold ones. "Your magic tricks do not scare me Malris."
"well, they should boy."
Legolas clenched his jaw, trying to control his anger.
Maxime conjured another drink, apparently whiskey, and sipped at it delicately, "So. What now?… You are most… welcome to stay here.. but perhaps you would prefer it if I sent you back to Middle Earth? No doubt you wish to go gallivanting after that foolish daughter of mine…"
"Nay, Sarah left, she obviously does not wish to see me, I will not seek her out until I have proof you are not my father."
Maxime's cold expression broke into a smile, "Ha! Then it shall be a long wait indeed! Now, I am afraid I bore of your company son, I think it is time you went home. Perhaps you should get dressed before I send you off though hmm?" he clicked his fingers and a servant appeared out of no where.
"Yes my lord?"
"Bring up the Prince's knives."
The servant nodded and vanished, reappearing an instant later with Legolas long blades.
Maxime passed them to Legolas, "You left these in Sarah's limousine. A warrior ought to take better care of his weapons."
Legolas ignored him and strapped the scabbards around his jeans. He found his odd shoes, sneakers Sarah had called them, and the button up shirt he had worn the night before and quickly pulled them on. However, as he was pulling on the shirt he glanced at the mirrored back wall and caught sight of a bandage of some sort on his shoulder. Pausing he gingerly touched it with long fingers. He hadn't noticed any discomfit of pain so he had no idea what it could be covering.
Maxime gave a short laugh, "Oh, poor Prince! If that is what I think it is, I truly pity you!" he walked up behind him and peeled the dressing off. Legolas, forgetting about his curiosity for a moment instead noted how similar they looked in the mirror. Shaking his head he twisted so he could see his shoulder.
He frowned.
Maxime laughed.
There appeared to be a design of some sort upon his skin in black ink, a beautifully drawn dragon twisted up in an intricate series of intertwined lines. The white bandage stained with excess ink. "What is it? a drawing?"
Maxime patted his other shoulder in sympathy, "No no prince, not a simple picture. That is a tattoo. An odd, but ancient mortal custom. The ink is injected under the skin with a needle... You are stuck with that for life."
Legolas shrugged, he really had drunk to much the night before, but he had far worse things to worry about. "Send me back to Middle Earth Malris, I weary of this world."
Maxime's face returned to its expressionless iciness and he nodded. "very well."
Legolas braced himself. For a moment nothing happened, then Malris and Sarah's bedchamber seemed to fade around him and he could hear noises. The sounds of battle. To start with they seemed far off, but they steadily grew stronger, the screams of men and the clash of steel upon steel, and with them his other senses grew, he smelt blood and horses, and overpoweringly, orcs.
Then he found himself standing in the thick mud of the battleground of Helm's deep.
He dodged an orc's blow and quickly beheaded it. Looking up he realised that the stars had not moved since he had left the night before. No time had passed at all.
But the frigid air chilled his very bones as it blew threw the thin cotton of his shirt and the beads braided through his hair weighed heavily, not to mention the heaviness in his heart at Sarah's rejection of him. He knew it had been real, not some sort of vision or dream.
He knew now was not the time to think of such things however, and pushing the pain of his separation from Sarah into the very back on his mind, along with all the other thoughts nagging at him, he set his attention on the battle around him, quickly cutting through all orcs who dared approach him.
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Sarah sat up on Éowyn's bed and began to cry.
She couldn't ever remember feeling so miserable before. The bunny she had conjured the day before began sniffing at her arm. She half-heartedly pulled it into her arms.
Beside her Éowyn sat up as well, looking around her in surprise. They were back in her bedchamber, everything exactly as they had left it.
"Sarah?! What is wrong? I saw your father and Legolas in your room before we left. Did something happen?"
The fairy girl turned to her friend and nodded before letting out an overly dramatic "Yesssss…" and throwing herself into a hug. The bunny hopped away to the other side of the bed.
Éowyn, somewhat startled to say the least, patted her back consolingly, "By the Valar, what happened Sarah!?"
Sarah sobbed and lifted her head from Éowyn's shoulder, "well.. my father.. he… he.." she collapsed into more tears and Éowyn frowned, "He did what?"
"He told me that he was an elf.. From Middle Earth! And.. and.. that.. Legolas was my.. my.. Brother! Oh by the Gods Éowyn, what will I do?!!? I'm in love with my own half-brother!"
Her friend's eyes went wide with shock, she had not been expecting anything quite so dramatic, but everything about Sarah seemed to be very over the top.
"Are you sure he was not lying?"
"..no… well.. I don't think he was lying, but.. I don't trust him if that is what you mean."
Éowyn nodded, "Yes, I certainly don't trust that man. I think perhaps he could be making it up to keep you from Legolas. Do you remember his reaction when I mistook him for Legolas? He was so angry…"
Sarah nodded, "But they look so alike! They could easily be father and son! I mean, you though my father was Legolas."
Éowyn smiled softly, "Sarah, they both look like elves. They are quite different apart from their hair and blue eyes.. Actually, their eyes are different too, Legolas's are a much brighter blue, and your father's are grey… I have not seen many elves, you should ask Lord Aragorn or Gandalf when they return, perhaps Legolas's people all look alike?"
Sarah sat back and wiped her eyes. "You are right Éowyn! It is obvious to me why your people chose to follow you, you are wise beyond your years. While I, much worldlier than you in many ways sit here and cry, you instantly see the best course of action, even in matters you know little of. Thank you."
Éowyn blushed slightly, "That is very kind of you Lady Sarah."
Sarah smiled, "It is true, lady Éowyn. I shall think on this matter no more! I shall not cry and give up my heart as broken till I know for sure my father speaks the truth. Likewise, until then I will not accept Legolas as .. my…lover.." she paused an wrinkled her nose at how odd that sounded, " less I know he is NOT my brother."
Éowyn smiled, "I think that will be for the best. Now.. what time is it? Has any time passed in Rohan since we left?"
Sarah shook her head.
"Well then! Where were we? I believe you were trying on armor my dear Sarah!"
The fairy sighed, "I am a lady! I have no need of armor.."
Éowyn shook her head, then began changing into a riding dress, "Oh grow up Sarah."
"No really! I simply am not strong enough to wear so much heavy stuff!.. can't I have a shield?"
"You realize that will probably be heavier?"
"But the horse will be carrying it, not me."
"Fine. Come, I am dressed. We shall go to the armory and find you a shield."
Sarah stood excitedly, glad to have won the argument, "A small one?"
"Yes.. a small one."
Sarah walked ahead of Éowyn out the door, then paused, "Oh, Éowyn, grab the bunny would you?"
Éowyn looked down at the fat white rabbit on her bed, "That rabbit is still here? I thought that was a magic trick?"
Sarah shrugged, "Just grab him would you? I suppose we'll be riding off soon.."
Éowyn picked up the rabbit, which quietly settled into her grasp, finding her nice and warm, and led Sarah around the stone corridors with their flaming torches towards the royal armory.
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Sarah tried to put on a brave face as she followed the blonde head before her around the castle, but her heart was heavy. She knew that even if Legolas wasn't her brother, she could not so much as kiss him or hold his hand for longer than a moment until she was sure, and who knew how long it would take to find out? Maybe it would be years until she felt his lips beneath hers and tasted his skin again.
And if he was her brother, she would never get to hold him, or run her hands through that silken hair of his ever again.
Her heart felt as though it burnt with sadness within her. She had to try very hard not to cry out in her anguish.
She knew it was for the best, that if she gave into her desire and let herself ignore her father's words, if it turned out they were true… It would be worse than this pain she felt now… much worse.
They were busy looking for shield amid the crowded armory when the one of the guards who'd stayed behind, the same one who'd come to them earlier, found them.
"lady Éowyn,.. " he paused and looked at Sarah for a moment, "..Lady Sarah… The people of Edoras are ready. They await you at the doors to Meduseld."
Éowyn nodded, "Thank you. We shall be there presently."
The guard nodded but did not leave. Instead he stared wide-eyed at Sarah.
She was still in her jeans and cowboy boots, and her shirt was rather skin tight… she realised that her clothes would seem rather outlandish and inappropriate in Middle Earth. But the guard was still being very rude.
She raised an eye-brow at him, "Didn't your mother ever tell you its rude to stare?"
The guard blushed, "Excuse me my lady, this was found on one of the balconies, I believe it is yours?" He unfolded Legolas' cloak which had been tucked under one of his arms.
Sarah felt her heart skip a beat. She'd left that out on the balcony when she'd kissed Éomer. It seemed like weeks ago, but she realised it was only the day before.. or that afternoon.. depending on which world she was in..
She nodded, "Thank-you. I had wondered where I had left that."
The guard passed it to her, still staring wide-eyed, then darted out of the room.
Éowyn sighed, "ignore him. Your clothes are quite suitable to travel."
She found Sarah a small round shield, and gave her a dagger in a sheath around her thigh, (despite Sarah's protested that she wasn't a stabbing kind of person)
And within the hour Sarah found herself riding beside her upon the horse Éomer had given her. They were heading for Dunharrow, high up in the mountains, the safe haven of Éowyn's people.
They rode in silence, Sarah lost in her our depressed thoughts of Legolas and her father.
She wrapped Legolas' cloak around her, revealing in the scent of him that still clung to the fibres. It made her heart ache-yet she could not bring herself to ignore it, she missed him so much.
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Gimli looked around wildly. Legolas had just done one of his elf-tricks and vanished completely. The dwarf scanned the seething masses of battling orc and man for his fair-headed elven friend, but couldn't see him.
Some minutes later he heard Legolas' voice ringing down at him from the fortifications behind him. "My count is now thirty and six master-dwarf!"
Gimli looked up to see his friend smiling at him from the wall behind. "Well, I am catching up then! For mine is thirty and five! Heh heh! You shan't win this wager friend!"
Legolas shook his head and beheaded a Urk-Hai, "Are you sure?"
Gimli made to reply, but Legolas was gone.
The rest of the battle passed in a blur.
Slowly, but surely the orcs were gaining ground. An hour passed, (and Gimli's tally had risen to 46) when the situation truly became desperate.
He was fighting beside Éomer, whom he grudgingly admitted was a fine swordsman, when he heard the great horn of the hornburg sound deafeningly.
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Legolas continued hacking a path through orc and uruk-hai for sometime. He was freezing, so cold he was actually glad he was fighting, constantly in motion. He'd kept an eye on Gimli for a while, but he was currently making his way inwards, towards the keep, to find out what had become of Aragorn and Théoden.
As he made his way forward he realised how bad their situation was. The orcs had delved deep into their defenses and only the innermost circle of the keep was still completely theirs. He passed many dead, both men of Rohan and elven archers of Lothlórien. He was saddened by this. Perhaps he seen many dead, but it still affected him.
As he got closer to where he hoped to find his friends, the number of dead men and elves grew less and the number of orc and uruk-hai corpses grew much greater. The rough stone pavement was actually completely covered in dead bodies, thick black orc blood coating any stones that were visible.
Eventually he managed to make his way into the keep. He found Aragorn, Théoden and a handful of others trying to decide their next course of action.
Aragorn looked up at the elf as he entered. His eyes widened. "Legolas! What happened to you!?… What are you wearing?.."
Legolas glanced down over the clothes Sarah had given him. He smiled, "You would not believe me if I told you.."
Aragorn gave a weak smile, "Well.. there is a story I look forward to hearing. You look quite fetching in those braids…"
Théoden interrupted, "Come now Aragorn, Legolas, the orcs mean to break down the door. We must act now."
Aragorn nodded, "I say me make a stand. There is naught else we can do."
Legolas nodded.
Théoden thought a moment, "Yes, it saddens me to think this might be last time a lead the Rohirrim into battle, but if that be the will of the Valar, then so be it."
His remaining guards prepared themselves.
"Guards! Bring forth my horse! If I must meet my doom, it shall be on my own terms."
Théoden and the others mounted and prepared to ride.
Legolas stared blankly ahead, he felt numb and unfeeling. He knew it wasn't anything to do with the cold or the battle however. He knew he was suffering due to his separation from Sarah. They were in the midst of a marriage bond. Usually a couple's bonding was on honeymoon, so by the time they returned to normal life, they had adjusted to the bond and were able to separate with no affect. But he knew that the nature of his relationship with Sarah was no where near stable. She was probably depressed and unhappy as well.
He dimly heard the great blast of the Hornburg's horns as the doors where thrown open. Then he was following Aragorn outside, hacking at the sea of orcs that rose up to meet them.
The odds were against him. He knew that they would most probably all die. But he found he didn't really care. After all, if he couldn't be with Sarah, what did it matter? If her father had told the truth, if they were really siblings, then they could never be together. If that happened, Legolas was sure he would fade. He had only known Sarah a week, but he cared for her more than anyone else he knew. More than his father, more than people he'd known for centuries. If he couldn't have her then he didn't want to live.
So caught up in his own world was he that he didn't even notice when the tide turned. As the sun rose over the deep, Gandalf came. When Legolas eventually looked up, finally taking notice of what was going on around him, he saw riders climbing down the steep slopes of the deep, following the shining white rider that was Mithrandir. For a moment he was happy, relieved even. Then he remembered Sarah, and his heart darkened again as those around him rejoiced.
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Aragorn felt a wave of relief wash over him as Gandalf appeared on the horizon, he knew they would not lose with him on their side. Sure enough, they had soon managed to repel Saruman's forces with little effort.
Now they rode for Orthanc and Isenguard to get rid of the wizard for once and for all.
Most of the riders seemed in much better spirits then the day before, with one victory behind them, and Aragorn was confidant whatever awaited them at Isenguard, they would again be the victors. One rider seemed down hearted though, and it was someone Aragorn had never known to be anything but cheery, Legolas.
He rode with Gimli, but stared away into the distance, silent.
His fair elven face was set with a sadness that Aragorn was sure had not been there the day before, but could have possibly happened at Helm's Deep to upset him so?
"Legolas. I believe you owe me a story. How did you end up in those outlandish clothes and with all those braids?"
The elf turned to face his friend and smiled, but it did not reach his eyes
"Well. It is an odd tale, that is sure. I meant to tell Gandalf of it," He glanced at the wizard, "So now is a good a time as ever I suppose."
He fell into silence for moment until Gimli poked him in the side, "Come on laddie! I'm eager to hear what has upset you so."
Legolas didn't even smile, or protest Gimli's use of the term 'laddie'. "Well. I was fighting orcs, trying desperately to concentrate. I was rather distracted as I had formed an elven bond with Lady Sarah, and found it difficult to focus on the battle." Aragorn and Gandalf exchanged a look at Legolas' casual statement, knowing the extent of what he was saying.
"I found it near impossible, especially since I found she and I shared a telepathic link as well. I could hear her thoughts…" He frowned, "I'm not sure exactly what happened, but she was able, using her fae magic and the elven bond to bring me into her homeland."
Gimli whistled, "But she's in Dunharrow with Lady Éowyn. Why would she want you in 'Scoot-land'?"
Legolas glanced at the dwarf, "Well, they were both there when I arrived. Sarah had transported them there with her magic… I don't really know the details.."
Gandalf turned sharp eyes to the elf, "you were in Scotland Legolas?"
"No.. London was where Sarah said we were. She took Éowyn out and I out to what she called a 'club'." He touched the rough material of his jeans. "This is apparently fashionable in her world."
Gimli snorted, "But those leggings are full of holes! Her land must be a poor one indeed if that be fit for a Prince!"
Legolas tilted his head, enjoying the way the conversation was distracting him from thoughts of Sarah, "No. The buildings and palaces in that land were grand beyond all I have ever seen in my long years. Sarah's apartments were as rich as the state rooms in my father's palace, or Rivendell even. Her father's palace, or 'hotel' had neigh on 70 floors. Thousands dwelt within its walls I am sure."
Aragorn's eyes widened, "70 floors? You mean.. it was like a tower?"
The elf nodded, "Yes, but such buildings stretched out over the horizon for as far as I could see. I could not even begin to describe that city. Sarah's world is very old… Far older than Middle earth. It is like what a human land here in middle-earth could be in many millennia's time"
Gandalf frowned, "That is all very well master-elf, but what has you so sullen and quiet?"
Legolas turned sad eyes to Gandalf, "I am not sure if I should speak of that…" He wished to discuss it with Gandalf later, in private. The wizard nodded, signaling he understood.
Gimli smirked, "You had a fight with Sarah didn't ye?.. ah! Silly young'uns!"
"Something like that Gimli."
Legolas again fell silent, leaving Aragorn and Gandalf both silently thinking over his words.
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AN AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
That was reaallyy hard to write.. it is shite.. I apologise..
*mutters about shitty chapters*
anywayz.. let's hope next weeks is better ey?
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yes anyway,
as you can probably tell..
I'm having issues…
Please review..
I need suggestions!.. now dammit!!
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*sobs*
THANK-YOU! COME AGAIN!!
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ps: yes, the bunny is back.. heh heh..