Yay for the now "award winning" LotR - RotK movie. Boo for Orlando Bloom not being at the awards show. Although, I think if he and Leo DeCaprio were on stage together it would have just been too much for me to handle.
Same disclaimer.
You know the drill. Read. Enjoy. Review.
Carrie grimaced. She had woken up and realized that she was still on the back of a horse. It was a nice horse, who ran very smoothly compared to the last one that she had been on. But it was still, nonetheless, a horse. She had been riding for a good two and a half days now, and she didn't think she would ever have feeling in her bottom again. She sighed and tried to take her mind off the discomfort.
She looked at the countryside that they were galloping through. It was beautiful. She started to laugh at herself. She laughed at her audacity for attempting such a journey. She laughed at the fact that she had been on a horse for the better part of two days and couldn't feel her rump. She laughed at how angry Lord Elrond would surely be when he found that she had left. Carrie's expression sobered when she thought of Elrond, and she began to feel guilty. After all, he had been such a gracious host. She hoped he would eventually understand.
Carrie looked down at the horse. She had not ridden until a week ago, and now here she was, riding bareback through unknown country. She pictured her friends' faces if they could see her now. She laughed again. Tel'Sul whinnied, sounding like she was laughing too. 'I wonder if this horse can understand me,' Carrie thought.
She needed to talk to someone, and right now the horse was her only company. She tried to think of something to say to the horse, but couldn't come up with anything. She tried to remember what she knew of the Mearas. They were the Lords of all Horses – what would she have that was remotely important enough to say to one of them? Besides, didn't they only understand elvish? Carrie tried to think of any elvish phrases she knew. There weren't many.
"Um...Amon Sul." The horse did not respond. Carrie laughed at herself. 'Brilliant conversationalist...isn't that the name of a place?' She thought again.
"Mellonamin." There was still no response. 'Ah well, maybe the horse doesn't want to talk to me.' Carrie thought. 'Maybe it's not that she only speaks elvish, but that she only speaks to elves. One more try.'
"Hannon le." That did it. Tel'Sul slowed down until she was just walking. 'Oh shit!' Carrie thought. 'What did I say? I thought that was 'Thank you'!' Tel'Sul turned her head and nuzzled Carrie's leg affectionately. Then she started off in a run again. 'Oh thank goodness.' Carrie thought. She decided to quit trying to talk to the horse, at least in elvish.
"You know, Tel'Sul," Carrie began, "I've read stories like this on the Internet." Carrie knew she was talking just to hear her own voice at this point. "You know, girl mysteriously ends up in Middle Earth and is instrumental in helping the fellowship, falling madly in love with Legolas or Aragorn or Eomer or someone or other along the way, who naturally and instantly returns her feelings." She laughed. "I never thought I'd be in one of those stories!" She stopped as something dawned on her. "Oh my God! I'm a Mary Sue! My life has been reduced to bad Internet fiction!" She laughed for a long while at this, tears of amusement welling in her eyes.
"But you know," she continued mock seriously, wiping her eyes once the laughter subsided, "the girls in those stories always have all their stuff with them. Hairbrush, toothbrush, change of clothes, CD player, all that shit. Me? No. I end up here with just the clothes on my back, and they were all ripped up – no toiletries, no pictures - no nothing from home. And I could so go for a cigarette right now, or some real food!" The lembas bread that was in her pack was satisfying, but not at all tasty. She could go for a nice juicy steak with that cigarette.
She rode quietly for a bit, taking everything in and thinking quietly to herself. No, this was not how she would have written her story. She laughed to herself. No, she definitely would have written herself staying at home. Never in her wildest dreams would she have come up with this. She had never been the adventure type. She thought about everything that had happened, everything that she had learned about herself. The four months since that kiss on her couch seemed like ages. She felt like a completely different person.
"I'm the same person," she told the horse. "It's everything else that has changed around me." Tel'Sul whinnied. "No, don't disagree with me," Carrie quipped. Then she saw what the horse was making noise about. Across the barren plain, down a hill, she saw what could only be Helms Deep.
"Oh my God, I made it!" she said out loud. She petted the horse's mane. "Hannon le, Tel'Sul!" She knew she was probably saying it wrong, but she had no other way to convey her gratitude to the horse for getting her there safely and speedily. As she approached the causeway, she heard a man yelling from above.
"Open the gate! An elf messenger approaches! Open the gate!"
She sped towards the gate and saw it slowly open in front of her. 'An elf messenger?' she wondered. Ah yes! She was riding bareback and wearing an elvish cloak and clothing. Of course they would think her an elf. That was until they saw her face... She smirked. ...And her ears
She entered the fort and tried as best she could to dismount gracefully. That didn't work so well. She managed not to fall, but was far less than graceful and realized that about fifty men were looking at her in wonder. Tel'Sul nuzzled her face and then was led away by one of the men. Carrie turned hesitantly and looked at the men.
"Hey!" one of them shouted. "You're not an elf. You're a woman!" The word was muttered through the ranks of men "a woman?"
"Yes. I am a woman." She stared defiantly at the man who spoke. "I came from Rivendell. I must speak with Lord Aragorn." From behind her she heard a voice. A familiar voice that made her breath catch and her heart skip, for all it was filled with sadness.
"Milady, Lord Aragorn has fallen." She paid no attention to the words. She forgot all her past grievances with the elf. She turned and at that moment she was so happy to see him she ran to him and threw her arms around him. She was oblivious to his gasp and of the stares of the men around her. She was vaguely aware that he barely touched her, while she hugged him with all she had. It was only when he realized that she was sobbing that he put his arms around her.
Once her tears slowed, he took her shoulders in his hands and gently held her away from him. "I am sorry to be the bearer of news that upsets you so." His voice was full of kindness and compassion. It was the first time that he had spoken to her like that and it made her cry again. He held her back against himself, comforting her. She felt she had to explain her tears.
"It's not that...I'm just so relieved to have arrived here alive and in one piece... and so happy to see you. I'm sorry that I'm emotional but..."
He pushed her angrily away. "Did you not hear what I said?" She knew the temporary accord was too good to last. "Aragorn is dead."
Carrie stood there and looked at him. How could she explain her blasé attitude to him without revealing what she knew? She came up with what she thought was the best course - evasion. She stifled the last of her tears.
"I don't feel it in my heart that he is dead. I believe that he will return to us." Legolas eyed her warily. His eyes were completely disarming. "Although if what you say turns out to be true, today is indeed a sad day." She tried to look sad but she couldn't. She knew he wasn't dead. He would return. They would see. She decided to change the subject.
"I don't wish to be any more of a disturbance, so if you could just show me to a room where I might clean up after my long journey, I would be greatly appreciative." She half-smiled up at Legolas.
"I will take her there." One of the guards smiled with a not too subtle look in his eyes. Carrie hadn't realized that all the men were staring at her and Legolas' exchange until this man spoke. She looked at him. Then she looked at Legolas, pleading with her eyes. She did not want to be alone with that man.
Luckily, Legolas understood. "Do not trouble yourself. I can show her to a room." Carrie looked at him. His eyes were once again shielded with that cool elvish composure and his arms were folded across his chest. She sighed. He was back to being the cold and reserved man that used to stand outside the theater with Aragorn and Gimli and wait for her to get out. She began to follow him.
They walked without a word down the pathway into a hall. The silence was unbearable. Carrie didn't know what to say or how to begin a conversation so she just kept walking. She knew that he was upset by Aragorn's assumed death, but seriously, he could have at least pretended to be happy she was here? Carrie began to work herself up into quite a little tizzy. She had come all this way to talk to Aragorn and see Legolas, and Aragorn wasn't around and Legolas was, well, not worth talking to at the moment. She wasn't really angry with Aragorn. He wasn't the one choosing to ignore Carrie after she had ridden through unfamiliar country, bareback on a horse, for several days, with nothing to eat except stupid elf bread, causing her to probably have permanent damage to her rear end. Finally, once Carrie had worked herself up into a fine state of being annoyed, Legolas spoke.
"You should not have come here." He didn't look at her. She looked at him to try and see if she could tell what he was thinking but with no luck. That only served to add to her annoyance.
"Good to see you too..."
He stopped walking and turned to her. "Why did you come?" If she weren't so already so irritated, she would have seen in his eyes immense worry and concern for her safety.
The wise ass in Carrie came out. "Oh, I couldn't bear to be parted from you a moment longer." She sneered at him. He had done it again. He had managed to get under her skin. His eyes flashed angrily at her.
"This is no joke. War is upon us."
Carrie rolled her eyes. "Look. I know. I know what's going on. I know you're all going to war." She took a breath. "But doesn't it mean anything to you that I'm here? I'm here. Here! In middle earth. Does this not faze you at all? I'm HERE. I don't BELONG HERE but I'm HERE!"
Carrie's voice was raised. She didn't care who heard. Legolas' expression softened and he started to say something, but Carrie kept going. "And so, since you are the ONLY people I knew here, I needed to come see you. Sorry for interfering with your stupid war, but I was alone and I miss my family and I had to talk to Aragorn."
At the mention of Aragorn's name, Carrie saw Legolas' eyes sadden. They were so expressive. And beautiful when they weren't glaring at her. It struck her that he really believed that his good friend was dead. She felt bad. She reached out and grabbed Legolas' hand in a friendly gesture and looked up at him. No matter how aggravated she was with him, she didn't want for him to hurt.
"I promise. We will see him again."
"How can you make such promises?"
"I..." Carrie faltered. "I just can. Trust me." And because he looked so sad, because her heart went out to him, because she knew what he was soon going to have to go through and what he had already been through, she reached up to give him a friendly kiss on the cheek.
As she pulled away, she realized that he was holding both of her hands. They stood there for a moment, facing each other like that, until a feeling welled up inside Carrie and she thought her chest was going to explode. 'No' she cried out against the feeling but it was no use. Her heart had a mind of its own and she knew she was destined to be hurt by it.
Legolas regarded her intently without saying a word. His eyes were a mask of emotions and Carrie would have given anything at that minute to know what it was he was thinking. One second she thought he looked pained, the next determined, the next confused. Afraid of what thoughts were going through his head, Carrie remained unmoving and continued to look at him.
Ever so slowly, so that Carrie at first thought she was imagining it, Legolas leaned down towards her. She had an idea of what he was doing, and she knew she should absolutely stop it but for the moment she was paralyzed. She felt his lips touch hers and she didn't know if she would be able to continue to stand. It was the gentlest kiss she had ever received, yet it still sent shock waves through her entire body. It was completely different from the one that had parted them the last time. She felt his hands let go of hers and slip around her waist. She slid her hands up his chest and around his neck. She felt the softness of his hair in her fingers.
The kiss deepened, and she felt her whole body tingle. It was still gentle, but extremely passionate. Carrie had never been kissed like this before. She didn't want this moment to ever end, but she knew that inevitably it had to. They stayed that way for a while, lost in the moment, lost in each other. Then just as slowly and gracefully as it had started, the kiss ended and they stood there, looking into each other's eyes. His hands slid to rest on her sides and hers on his chest. He opened his mouth to speak but Carrie interrupted before he could start.
"Please don't say anything." He looked at her and a frown creased his brow. "I just...I want to enjoy the moment for a little while longer before you say something that upsets me." The words were out before she could sensor herself. She saw his eyes flash, hurt and angry.
"I'm sorry that my words upset you."
Carrie mentally kicked herself. "No. I'm sorry I said that. What was it you were going to say?" Legolas shook his head. "Please," she pleaded with him.
"I was going to say it does 'faze me' that you are here." His eyes bored right into her. "I was going to say 'Thank you'." Carrie looked at him, puzzled. "For your presence here and your actions comfort me immeasurably." He was back to looking at her emotionlessly. He had taken a step back, and they were no longer in contact with each other. "I'm sorry mine upset you."
"Look." Carrie said, patience leaving her. "What do you expect? The last time you kissed me, you promptly ran out of my life afterwards." He just looked at her. "Didn't expect me to bring that up, did you?" She smirked at him. "You can't do that! You can't blow hot and cold. You hate me, you want me, you don't want me here, you're kissing me, you're running away, you're thanking me." She paused, shaking her head. "You can't mess with someone's head like that!" He stood there, looking at her, his face giving nothing away. Finally he glared at her.
"You are overly emotional." His expression cooled and he spoke quietly. "I intended nothing more than to be your friend."
Right. Whatever. "Fine." Carrie said, her eyes flashing. "Then you really need to stop kissing me every time we are alone together." His eyes narrowed at her. This was not what she wanted, but she couldn't go through this. Not with everything else that was currently going on.
"If that is what you wish. I'm sorry my actions upset you," he said sullenly.
Jerk. "Fine." Carrie turned on her heel and walked away. She got a few paces and turned around to see Legolas standing there, arms folded, his expression set. "Fine." She said again and stormed towards the rooms wanting nothing more to do with him.
Thank you, again, reviewers. I love you all to pieces.
nap-003 & Shadowfax04: I'm glad you guys are cleared up. Carrie would have been confused with all the stuff being thrown at her and I was trying to convey that feeling. Sorry that I actually did confuse you a little.
XxgemxX: I left you a review. :)
rain137: Wow. That's all I can say.
PsychoPixie: Carrie says thank you.
WhIPpeD CrEaM 0: Thank you.
Jack-Sparrow-Lover: Hey, any luck with that search? Do you think I could, um, you know, borrow him when you find him?
LtSonya: Lovely argument? Am I seriously that predictable? --cries-- Oh well, as long as it's entertaining, right?