READ ME
Hello my dear readers, sorry to keep you waiting. It is my proud duty to
present you with the final chapter of Into Your Arms. I hope you loved my
first story. In font size 10 with proper book format, it's 196 pages.
Beforehand, I'd like to clear a few things up:
-Roain/Harqutio and Raven are currently in a cave in the mountains of Mordor; Legolas is in the wastes looking for Raven; Arien, Darin, and Gimli are in Minas Tirith. -Roy/Roain/Harqutio killed Kasseendra, his sister. He was Raven's stalker, not boyfriend. -Legolas and Raven are not married; Raven had a dream that they were. They are engaged. -Arien mentioned Dartanian in chapter 5 as her significant other.
I hope that makes everything a little clearer for everyone. Now, on with Chapter 16!
Legolas brought his hand to his brow to shield his eyes from the pounding rain. He cast his sight to the growing mountains that loomed forebodingly in the east and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Clamping his teeth on his tongue, the elf fought the urge to call out her name; he could not risk losing the element of surprise. 'Raven . . .', he thought and suppressed the lump growing in his throat; he needed to feel her slender body in his arms again.
A few seconds later, he remembered the journey ahead and realized Arod's slow pace. He patted the horse's neck encouragingly, "C'mon Arod, just a little faster." He knew that the storm and rocky terrain made it difficult for his stallion's hooves, but every second counted for more than just the best time in this race. Legolas blinked the rain from his eyes and whispered his plea, "Raven, please be safe . . ."
From the darkness and security of her niche in the cavern wall, Raven watched a storm rage beyond the entrance to the grotto. After hearing a clap of thunder, her eyes roamed away from the opening and wandered about the rock walls- she liked to know where Harqutio was at all times-, but she could not spot him. Suddenly, lightning flashed and illuminated the face of her captor, which caused Raven to inhale a startled breath; he was perching in a hunched over position about three feet above her head.
"Aren't we jumpy today?" he grinned and flew down from the ledge.
The she-elf sighed, "What do you want Harqutio?"
"You."
Raven muttered several insulting phrases and rude words under her breath.
The demon released an exaggerated sigh, "I thought so." He wrapped his long fingers around her wrist, "Come."
Raven squinted at the floor of the cave in the dim light, and soon a small pool of water materialized just a few feet away. She furrowed her brow and looked to Harqutio just in time to see him dive his free hand into the folds of his black cloak, which made him nearly invisible. A grin crawled across his face as he produced a cloth and handed it to Raven. "Wash," he stated in a devious tone.
The she-elf eyed him distrustfully, "What do you mean?"
"Just what I said," his voice grew stronger.
Raising an eyebrow, she gingerly dipped the piece of rough fabric into the water and brought it to her arm.
She heard the winged demon's laughter almost instantly, "No, you foolish girl, you can't wash yourself like that. Aren't those clothes of yours cumbersome; I think you should remove them." His smirk spread wider.
Raven's mouth and eyes dropped open, "No I won't take my clothes off, you sick fuck! Ba-"
Harqutio quickly cut her off, "Do it yourself, or I'll do it for you."
She moved her mouth to speak, but no words came. After a long swallow, the she-elf turned away from her captor and hurriedly pulled off her tunic and skirts. Although earlier she was skeptic of the safety of the dark waters, she hastily splashed into the pool for cover. The chill of the water made her breath came in raspy gulps, and she felt as if thousands of tiny knives were stabbing at her flesh and bone, but she forced herself to the deepest part of the pool.
"Turn around," came his voice. Her heart slowed at his request, but she did not obey. "Turn around!" he boomed, but still Raven did not respond. Anger flashed in his black eyes as an idea flashed in his mind. He unfastened the belt at his waist and let his robes fall the ground. When his foot splashed in the water, he took great pleasure in seeing the muscles in Raven's back tense. When he finally reached his target, the freezing liquid was up to his waist, and he was quite relieved that he had decided to leave his slacks on. Grinning, he draped his arms around his prey, "Well Raven, the water certainly is cold."
She spoke between her chattering teeth, "Not as cold as your heart."
"Ouch Raven, that hurt." His voice dripped with sarcasm, "You need to be a little," he brought his hands under her arms and to her breasts, and a gasp escaped Raven's lips, "nicer."
"Oh Harqutio, don't, please . . ." she tried to pry his hands away, but instead of letting go, he squeezed tighter, producing pain as a result. Determined to punish and enjoy thoroughly, he turned his prey around to face him. Most of Raven's body was white with cold, but her slight breasts were red and swollen from his brutal attentions . . . and her lips were the color of winter's first frost.
"My Raven, are you cold? Your lips are blue; do you want me to warm them for you?" Without waiting for an answer, he planted his lips on hers. Although it was by no means a soft and gentle kiss like the ones she was used to, it was not as violent as the ones Harqutio usually delivered. For a day and a half, Raven had successfully fought her impulses to rip Harqutio's face off, but when she felt his slick tongue try to force its way through her teeth, she lost control. The she-elf used the heel of her palm to punch him in the temple, pushed off from the demon with all her strength, and struggled away from him in his confusion.
She was beginning to wonder just how big the pool was when she came in contact with the wall of the cave. When Raven heard Harqutio's curses and splashes headed in her direction, she exhaled in defeat and lowered her feet to walk back- she was going to have to face him sooner or later anyway- , but her feet never met the rocky bottom. Instead, she sank like a stone through an opening in the floor, until everything below her neck was submerged. A smile lit her lips as she coolly swam back to an enraged Harqutio and backed away inside her mind- letting him desecrate her body as he pleased. This was the last time he would ever touch her again; tonight, she was escaping through the pool.
Raven lay in an awkward position on the rocks and dirt as she waited for Harqutio to fall asleep. She gazed hungrily at the pile of warm, soft furs he had wrapped himself in. He had invited her numerous times to join him, but each time she had fervently declined.
The minutes rolled into hours, and finally she felt it was safe enough to make her move. Cautiously, the she-elf pulled her stiff body up and crept as quietly as possible to the pool in the back of the cavern. She peered into the dark water and readied herself for the frigid bite they would induce. She carefully dipped herself into the water in an attempt to make minimal splashes, but her slow pace made the cold take hold faster; already her fingers were seizing up, and the icy liquid stung at her sides. Upon reaching the opening in the pool floor, she cast a last fleeting glance back to Harqutio to make sure he was not watching. When she was satisfied, she pulled in a deep breath and dove beneath the surface.
Because she could not see in the pitch-black darkness, Raven had to feel her way through the tight underwater passage. She thrashed about desperately in an attempt to find the way out, but all she found were blocked crevasses and sharp rocks that left cruel gashes on her arms and legs. After another short while of blind searching, she became aware of a nagging sensation in her chest; she needed air! With that in mind, she turned back and swam out of her present chasm, but she ran into a wall of solid rock. She tried again, but once again she came to a dead end. Panic flooded her mind as the cold flooded her brain; she was going to die in the frozen darkness. When all hope left her and her body became wracked with convulsions due to lack of air, she felt arms wrap around her. Lips pressed against hers, and air entered her lungs. A hand grabbed hold of hers and guided her through the maze of passages. Raven broke the surface of the water in fits of gasping for air and coughing. Her chest heaved painfully as she pulled herself from the water and on to the hard, dry ground.
"Stupid bitch," came Harqutio's angry voice.
"You . . . saved me?" she asked between pants.
"Who else?" he answered with a slow drawl.
Raven did not bother to answer.
"I thought so," he said airily as he stood up. Before she could evade him, the demon caught her around the stomach and carried her to his furs. She squirmed to get out of his grip, but he merely smirked- feeling her weakened struggles gave him intense pleasure.
"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded.
"Your little display proved to me that you could not be trusted, so now I simply must keep you close by." He set the she-elf down on his bed and beat his great wings, sending millions of water droplets flying through the air in all directions.
"What are you going to do to me?" she asked blandly.
A twisted smile marred Harqutio's intriguing features, "Get you out of those wet clothes."
Raven lay naked with her back to the winged demon and waited for his hands to find her, but as the minutes passed on, they did not come. Suspicion filled her mind, and soon curiosity took over. She pulled a fur up to her neck, rolled over to face Harqutio, and caught him gazing intently at her porcelain skin- much like the way a starving man behind bars would look at a juicy piece of meat just beyond his reach; she felt her skin crawl. "Don 't look at me like that," she said coldly.
"I can't help it . . . you are such an exquisite creature. Did they ever tease you for your small breasts?" When she looked away with a sour expression on her face, he assumed his assumption was correct. "How typical. Humans are so materialistic and cruel." He stroked her shoulder. "Tis a pity you would refuse to come to me willingly if I did not have," he licked his lips, "certain leverage."
"Humph," came Raven's response. She contemplated the demon's words and thought of the reasons she was here- Legolas, Arien, and Darin. Had they forgotten about her? 'Tch, no.' Were they out there looking for her? 'They better not be.' Were they angry with her? Would she ever see them again . . . would she ever see him again? The question hit her heart like a gunshot. How she wished she could just runaway and escape . . .
"Don't even think about it," Harqutio's voice stopped her train of thought. "If you ever try another stunt like what you pulled earlier, I'll bring your two friends and your," he ran his tongue across his teeth, "lover and make you eat their hearts."
The green-eyed girl narrowed her eyes and sent her most powerful punch rocketing toward his face, but the demon caught her fist with ease and twisted her wrist until she shrieked with pain, and a deafening snapping sound echoed against the cavern walls.
Harqutio shot out his hand and gripped her chin and neck to force her to look at him. "Let me get one thing straight- I am the one in control. I throw the punches." He released his hold.
Pain-stimulated tears welled in Raven's eyes as she stared in disbelief at her hand, which now faced the wrong direction, "You're sick," she hissed trough gritted teeth.
"And your wrist is broken," he said nonchalantly. "Here." He took the she- elf's arm and twisted her hand back to its original position- making her cry out.
Raven quickly pulled her arm away and cradled her shattered wrist. "How often does the moon enter the correct position for what you want to do to me?" She tried to distract herself from the throbbing pain.
"Oh, every five hundred years, but it's always the same date."
She had to force herself not to scream, "And when is the next one?"
A smile crept onto Harqutio's mouth and horror crept into Raven's heart, "Tomorrow night."
The demon watched the she-elf long after she fell asleep, and he could tell from the serene smile on her lips that she was dreaming of her lover, Legolas. He narrowed his eyes when the elf's name crossed his mind; how he hated him. His resentment toward the prince had nothing to do personality or position, but rather he was insanely envious of Raven's love for him. He wanted so deeply for her to run to him, to embrace him, to need him, or even to just confide in him like she did Legolas. Right when he thought that final desire, a scheming plot unfolded in his manipulative mind; to whom would she turn with her pain if no one was there . . . but him? Speaking in a dark tongue that few others knew, the demon placed his hand an inch over Raven's head, rolled his red-slit pupils back, and summoned cursed spirits of evil.
The salty tastes of blood and tears were in Raven's mouth as she scrambled up against the grime-encrusted wall, and Sibella Marr towered over her ten year old daughter. The woman held an eight-inch turkey-carving knife at ready by her side. With her other hand, she clamped her vice-like fingers around the sobbing girl's elbow and screamed in her alto voice, "This'll teach you to smash the glasses, you worthless piece of shit!
"Mommy please," she pleaded, "I promise I'll be more careful!"
"The hell you will!" Raven's mother drove the steel blade into her struggling daughter's wrist and racked a line of blood to the opening of her elbows.
The small girl writhed with pain and she shrieked in agony, but no one answered her cries of terror. Trying desperately to get free, she sunk her teeth into Sibella's arm until the woman pulled away.
"You little animal! I'll kill you; I'll KILL you, you hear!"
She was just about to pounce when Jason came in yelling, "Mother no!" he cried, but he was too late; Sibella had sliced his sister's other arm before he could reach either of the two. "Stop it! You'll kill her!" the young boy begged.
"What do you THINK I'm trying to do?" she bellowed and pointed the bloody knife at her half-conscious daughter's chest.
"No!" Jason shrieked and fought against his mother.
"Why you little-!" Sibella bared her teeth and scrunched her lips. All Raven could do was watch in horror as her mother slowly overpowered her brother and jammed the blade into his throat. From her puddle of blood, she looked on in despair as the boy- the only person who ever loved her- choked on his own blood and died at her feet.
Raven woke suddenly with sweat on her brow and a scream on her lips. She glanced in all directions and felt around for her brother, but her hands only groped the furs. After a few more seconds, she remembered the past eight years and felt herself calm down, but the fear in her heart could not be eased. The dams in her eyes broke, and fresh tears glided down her cheeks as she tried to force the flashback from her mind. Then more than ever she wished Legolas were there- she wanted to be held and soothed so badly . . .
Harqutio had watched Raven twitch and moan in her nightmare with a smug grin on his face, which spread nearly from ear to ear when she awoke in tears. Sensing her fear and need for comfort, he out stretched his hand to her quavering shoulder, "Raven, what's wrong?" he pumped concern into his voice.
"Nothing!" she snapped and turned away.
He ignored her retort, "Why are you crying, my love?"
Her back straightened, "I am not your love," she said firmly through gritted teeth.
The demon exhaled through his nose but kept his temper, "Why are you so upset? What did you dream?" He already knew what the answer was.
"None of your business," her tears were oh so obvious in her voice.
"Was it about that woman? Did she hurt you?" He could almost see her thoughts in the air. "Was is about that boy? Did she hurt him too?"
The she-elf's crying grew louder.
Seeing how easily manipulated she was in her fear, he grinned maliciously, "What did she do to him?"
"She killed him!" Raven yelled, "She KILLED him!" She cried so hard she could not speak for several seconds. "And she, she-" the girl stopped struggling with words and rubbed her arms uncontrollably. Harqutio opened his mouth to speak, but Raven continued, "I just wanted her to love me! She hated me!" Her screams grew hysterical, "She said EVERYONE hated me! But not Jason; Jason was the only person who cared! But she killed him! She took him away from me! And I just wanted to be her little girl!" She shook in her sobs.
"Raven, it's alright. It's all over." He stroked her back.
"Harqutio, please, don't touch me . . . I don't think I can take it."
"Why?" He moved in until he was pressing against her body. The demon wrapped his arms around the girl's waist and shoulders. "I just want to care for you." He ran his fingers across her torso and felt himself grow so hard it almost hurt.
Raven's mind was a mess; her memories haunted her, she needed comfort, and Harqutio was trying to give it, but he was evil, right? Exactly. So what if he had saved her life? He'd taken it before. So what if he was trying to calm her? He'd nearly driven her insane in the past. While she was committing her analysis of the situation, Harqutio took full advantage of her body during her mental absence.
When Raven returned to full consciousness, she became aware of the demon's hand crawling across her skin toward her most private area. Her blood boiled with rage; he had been manipulating her through her fear. She quickly threw herself from his grasp and onto the rocks. "Stay the hell away from me!"
Seeing that his plans of seducing her were foiled, anger flashed in Harqutio's black eyes. "One day soon, Raven, you'll be on your hands and knees BEGGING for me to throw you on the ground and take you! You'll be my fucking slave!" He laughed at the pun and the repulsed expression on the she-elf's face. "Face it, Raven, tonight's the night, and somehow I doubt your betrothed will come for you." He looked out toward the entrance of the cave and saw the sun's rays poke out from behind a cloud. "Look you stupid girl, it's dawn already; you have a little over twelve hours before you become mine!" He cackled at her futile attempts to ignore him as she pulled on her clothes.
"One day, I'll kill you," she said darkly.
"Foolish girl," he laughed, "no mortal weapon can kill such a demon as me!" Raven turned away and cast her eyes to the ground as he continued, "And besides, what would the point be? Who would you turn to, after you destroyed me? Your friends . . . your love? They've all forgotten about you, Raven. You forfeited your life to save them, and they can't even remember your name."
"That's not true," she said.
He snorted, "Oh really? Then where are they? Where are your friends? Where is your precious Legolas?"
"Right here," the elf said from the entrance to the cavern.
"Legolas!" Raven cried in joy and terrible fear for his life as she ran toward the figure traced in the blinding light of the sun; he looked like a glowing angel straight out of heaven, but she had a horrible feeling that the demon that held her could easily kill such an ethereal being.
"Oh no you don't!" Harqutio bellowed and caught her arm.
"Let go of her!" Legolas shouted in fury and let an arrow fly. The winged demon roared with anger when the bolt pierced his hand.
The she-elf broke free of Harqutio's severely weakened grip and ran to the prince. "Run!"
He ignored her command, "Where's Roain?" He loaded another arrow and screened the cave.
"He is Roain," she nodded to Harqutio, "Now hurry, you need to get out of here!"
Mentally thanking the Valar for letting his love be safe, he dropped his bow and held her in his arms when she reached him. Raven would have loved to stay in his embrace forever, but she had to get him out of there. To the prince's utter confusion, she pushed away from him. "He's a demon! You need to get out of here before he kills you!"
"Roain's a demon?" he nearly yelled in his bewilderment.
Before the she-elf could answer, Harqutio flew from the back of the cavern with a new pair of wickedly sharp harpy talons to match his wings. "She's mine!" he shrieked as he snatched her by the arms and threw her kicking and screaming into a pool of shadows.
"Raven!" Legolas yelled and started to run over to her, but Harqutio blocked him with a flare of his wings.
"Leave her," he demanded.
"Never!"
"Then die," the demon bared his fangs and launched himself at the elfish warrior.
Legolas and Harqutio's battle was one of the most intense either of them had ever participated in. The elf took mainly the defensive with his short swords while his enemy aggressively attacked with his cruel talons and fists. Jumping agilely to evade a blow from Harqutio's onslaught, the elfish warrior found his opponent's left side completely defenseless. Legolas could hardly believe his luck as he slashed at the other's shoulder- severing his left arm off from the rest of his body with one clean stroke. Instead of howling and writhing with pain, Harqutio sighed as he picked up his left arm, placed it on his shoulder, and twisted it as if he was screwing it back in place. He looked up at Legolas and smiled at his thunderstruck expression. "And they said elves were wise. You should know that no mortal weapon could ever kill me. Go ahead and hack off my limbs all you want, and I'll just put them back on. You can't defeat me; eventually you'll run out of strength, but I'll just be getting started."
Before the other had time to think, he continued his assault with his talons. Laughing maniacally, Harqutio flung himself at the elf, knocking his victim to the ground. "Perhaps I won't kill you right away; maybe I will let you watch as I take your beloved Raven and break her soul." He smiled at the raw fury that appeared on Legolas's face. Of course he meant none of his words; because she willingly surrendered herself to him, her soul would be fine, and he intended for that night to be without distraction. "Maybe I will let you see her writhing and screaming beneath me as I thrust inside h-" Legolas's enraged cry cut him off.
The deepest hate the elf had ever experienced replenished his strength ten fold as he sent a punch rocketing to Harqutio's jaw, sending him flying through the air; if he had not been a demon, the blow probably would have broken his neck. Not waiting for his enemy to regain his composure, the warrior charged with his twin blades flashing. Once again the battle commenced, but none of Legolas's well-aimed blows had any lasting effect on Harqutio, but with each swing of his swords, he felt his energy slowly leave him. When the demon knocked him to the ground again and send his swords skittering away, he knew this would be his last battle. He cast a fleeting glance to where his love had fallen; the only thing he lived for now was offering her enough time to escape. As Harqutio beat his great wings until he was high above his target and readied his claws for his killing move, the other wrapped his fingers around the hilt of a dagger that he had hidden in the folds of his cloak. He was prepared to make his last stand.
Raven's head spun from its collision course with one of the many rocks that littered the floor of the cavern. From her pool of shadows, she watched most of the fight without any of it sinking in, but when her disorientation finally faded away, it was almost too late. Gazing with intelligent eyes, Raven saw Harqutio fly high above Legolas and ready his talons for his final attack. Horror flooding her mind, the girl envisioned her love's death. As she pulled herself up from the ground, an idea popped in her head, and a grin came to her lips. She ran faster that she ever had before- she had lost Jason, but she would not lose Legolas. Just as they closed in on each other, she threw herself between the two fighters before either of them had a moment to react. Because the pain was so intense as Harqutio's talons dug into her shoulders and Legolas's dagger gored her stomach, she couldn't find her voice to scream, but the demon could. The most primal screech any of them had ever heard erupted from Harqutio's throat, and even though Raven couldn't see him, she knew he was dead.
She felt Legolas's shaking arms pull her into his lap. "Why did you do it? Why did you leave me? Why did you run between us?" His voice was pained.
"He would have killed you." A glaze came to her emerald orbs.
"Don't you understand? I don't give a damn what happens to me so long as I know you're safe."
She smirked, "But I do." She could feel her life seep away as she rested her head against Legolas's chest. Her words came soft and weak, "You've shown me so much, my love. Never in all eternity could I show how thankful I am to have known you."
Tears welled in his eyes, "Raven, don't talk like that. You're going to be fine. I'm going to get you out of here." He knew in his heart that there was nothing he could do, but he didn't care. His hands shook as they went to the pouch he carried at his side.
"No," she placed her hand on his, "It's over. Stay with me just a little longer . . ." She grasped his hand. "Promise me something."
"Anything, my love." His tone rang with despair
She struggled to pull in one last painful breath, "Live."
Legolas didn't know what to say as he saw the color fade from her lips "Raven . . ." he said and kissed her- as if he could keep life in her- but it was too late.
He pulled away just in time to see her eyes close, "Goodbye, my love," she said, and her hand fell from his.
Tears falling freely from his deep-blue orbs, he gathered her lifeless body in his arms and spoke in a wavering voice, "Raven? Please, don't go . . ." But in his heart, he knew she was already gone.
He sat on his white throne, and with his white eyes he gazed with a bored expression at the endless white surrounding Him. Everywhere and everything was white; that was the norm.
As His eyes wandered lazily along the horizon, a speck of black came into view. He would have been extremely surprised if He were capable of such a feeling. In order to investigate the disturbance, He reached out toward the speck and slowly brought His hand back to his chest. In an instant, the dark spot vanished from the distance, and a heap of filthy, tattered clothes appeared at His feet. A scarlet liquid leaked from the rags.
He neared the bundle and began folding back the layers of worn fabric, and in a few moments, a girl's bloody body emerged from the mess. He nodded in knowing as He looked upon her familiar face and wounds. Without showing any emotion, He placed a hand over her stomach and another on her back. The red liquid stopped spreading, and the girl's eyelashes fluttered open.
Blinking her incredibly green eyes, she sat up and blurted, "Where in God's name am I?" She scanned the never-ending whiteness.
"The afterlife, Raven Marr," said He.
She nearly jumped out of her skin, "Who's there?"
"I am," He reached out and put a firm hand on her shoulder so she could see its outline against her green tunic.
"Oh . . ." Raven said and followed His arm up to His body; she could very faintly make out the silhouette. "Sorry, I just couldn't see you. I guess you have some sort of camouflage thing going on. Nice." After a few more seconds, she remembered the first thing He had said. "Uh, are you like some sort of deity?"
"Yes."
Her voice was downcast, "I guess that means I'm dead then, right?"
"Yes."
"Is Legolas okay?"
"No, Legolas Greenleaf is experiencing extreme emotional trauma."
Raven's heart panged, "Will he be all right? He's not about to do anything stupid, is he?" she asked quickly.
"I cannot say; the future has yet to be written, but it is likely that he will not take his own life."
The elf was relieved to hear this, but she didn't quite understand. "How do you know?"
"You made him promise not to."
With a pleased smile, she pulled herself up. "What about Harqutio? What happened to him?"
"He died as well."
She furrowed her brow in confusion, "That's what I thought, but I don't know how that's possible. Could you tell me who killed him?"
"You did."
"WHAT?"
"The demon's only weakness resided in his own desires."
She blinked, "Come again?"
"He had a lust for virgin blood, and it was a virgin's blood sacrifice that was his undoing. The instant such a pure fluid touched his flesh, he ceased to be in the physical word, and his soul was cast into the depths."
The elf nodded as she once again glanced about her new surroundings and came to the conclusion that she really did not like what she saw, or perhaps, what she didn't see. "Um, is it always so . . ." she twirled her fully healed wrist and tried to think up the proper adjective.
"White?" He offered.
Raven smiled, "Yea, that's the word!"
"Yes."
"Oh. Uh, where's everybody else? You know, the others like me?"
"You will see soon enough," He said and pulled a golf-ball sized item out of His robes.
Raven squinted to make it out, "What's with the ball?"
"This is not a ball, for a ball is a sphere."
"It looks pretty spherical to me," she stated bluntly.
"That is because it has so many sides that your eyes cannot distinguish them."
"Oh really?" Raven asked with interest, "How many sides are there?"
"It would take nine hundred billion of your centuries for me to tell you, and by then the number would be inaccurate."
"Why?" She scrunched her brow.
"Because it is always gaining more."
"What?"
"For each conscious being that dies, this object will receive another side, but it will never become round because there will always be life to loose."
"Nifty," she didn't mean to sound sarcastic, but after all that had happened to her that day, an ever-changing-almost-ball didn't impress her that much.
"Touch it."
"Uh, alright." The instant she did so, the strange item almost seemed to get a bluish cast.
"Before we proceed, I want you to clarify something."
"Shoot."
"Why are you not in despair for missing Legolas Greenleaf?"
"I am, but I prepared myself the instant I gave myself up to Harqutio. Besides, I'll see him again eventually."
"That is unlikely."
"What?" Concern hung on her words.
"How can an immortal join the dead if he chooses to live? Was it not you who told him to do so?"
Raven found herself speechless; she was never going to see Legolas again? It couldn't be true!
"And now your soul must join the others in the Beyond." He lifted the almost-sphere before the she-elf. "I am afraid there will be no return."
"NO!" she shrieked as she felt it suck at her soul like a vacuum. "I LOVE him! We are supposed to be together forever, not apart for all eternity!" Raven tried to pull herself away and fight, but it was useless. "I'm lost without him. Don't you see; he's my other half, my soul-mate!" The instant the words left her lips, the ring Legolas gave her began to glow with a brilliant radiance, like a star on the horizon during the darkest part of the clearest night. "What?" Raven said and gazed in mystification at her hand. She hardly realized that the strange being's object had stopped pulling at her before the mithril band caused a blinding flash of light and sent her hurtling out of the eternal whiteness.
After what felt like hours but was little more than two seconds, a tree exploded into view directly below Raven. With a shriek, she plummeted like a stone through the leaves and slapping branches until she hit the hard ground. "What is it with me and falling through trees?" she asked once she caught her breath. With a sigh, the she-elf glanced about the wood and determined she was definitely in Middle-Earth, but where exactly? She didn't recognize the forest at all, but it certainly was beautiful. Ancient twisting trees formed a thick, lush canopy that stretched for miles in all directions; the light that penetrated the leaves was stained green and gold, and she knew this place was a home to elves.
With a smile, Raven randomly selected a direction and started her trek- any path she chose was as good as another. All that mattered now was finding her way back to Minas Tirith. She wandered for hours through the quiet, golden-green corridor, all the while hoping to find someone who could help her. Her straight path led her over magnificent bluish-gray rocks, through dimly lit moss-covered ravines, and down and around cozy hollows. Though she couldn't see the sun through the branches, she could tell from the soft wind that it was just about mid-morning. It was then that she noticed out of the corner of her eye a person reading in the tree directly beside her.
"Hello?" said the girl hopefully.
Startled by the sound, the other nearly fell from the branch, "Who's there?" came the voice of a frazzled young she-elf.
"Uh, just me," she said and walked in clear sight. "I was wondering if you could help me."
"Oh," she smiled with relief. "Sorry if I seemed frightened- I tend to alarm easily." She leapt from the branch and tucked her leather-bound book in a pouch hanging from her hip. "My name is Lenolin." She nodded her head politely.
Raven couldn't help staring into the other she-elf's astounding blue eyes; they were so familiar. She could remember gazing into those same blue eyes before, but she'd never seen this girl in her life. A face popped into her head, but she quickly dismissed it- that wasn't possible.
Starting to feel uncomfortable in the silence, Lenolin spoke, "Um, begging you pardon my lady, but what is your name?" She tucked a loose piece of blonde hair behind her ear.
"Oh," she snapped back to the present. "I'm Raven." She bowed her head slightly.
A line appeared on the other's brow, "Raven," she said to herself, "Where have I heard that name before?" She shrugged a few seconds later. "Oh well. It was probably nothing, sorry! Anyway, you said you needed help?"
"Yes, actually. I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to Minas Tirith."
Lenolin laughed slightly, "Well, you're quite a long ways from Gondor!"
"Where are we exactly?" Raven asked quickly.
She almost looked offended by her question, "Why, this is Eyrn Lasgaelen."
It wasn't the first time that day that Raven was seriously confused. She gave the other a questioning look. "Do you mean Mirkwood? Where is all the gloom and darkness? Where are all the spiders?"
"They're all gone; I thought everyone knew that. My father and his friend have been clearing it up for as long as I can remember. Are you all right my lady?" she asked when the perplexed expression didn't leave Raven's face.
"Yea, I'm fine, but wow, they really fixed this place up in a hurry." She looked over the forest once again. It was really hard to believe that place was once home to a hoard of evils.
"Come. I can't tell you how to reach Minas Tirith, but I'm certain my mother and father will be able to." Lenolin smiled and motioned for Raven to follow her.
"How far is it?"
"Not far. Only about a mile."
Lenolin was right. In a little over ten minutes, their brisk pace brought them to the entrance of a grand palace. "May I present my home." She gave a sweeping bow for drama as she pushed open the great door and let her guest enter.
Raven recognized the palace in an instant. It was where she had spent the best six months of her life. It was where she had fallen in love. "That's strange; I didn't know you lived here."
The girl shrugged, "I've lived here all my life."
"Hm," Raven started to grow suspicious.
"Well, come along. You must meet my mother and father!" Lenolin clasped her hand and ran down the oh-so-familiar hall. They traveled up two flights of stairs, down several corridors, and finally stopped in front of a door with two guards.
"Lady Lenolin," they said and bowed on one knee in unison.
'Who is this girl?' Raven mentally demanded as the door swung open, and the two she-elves stepped inside.
Two tall figures with wine glasses in their hands stood side by side on the balcony. Their backs faced the door.
"No way," Raven said to herself; the hair unmistakably gave away the elf's identity.
"Mother! Father! I met a girl in the forest." she smiled brightly and ran toward them.
Lenolin's parents turned to face their daughter and two wine glasses smashed on the floor at the exact same moment. Wide-eyed and gaping, "Raven!" Arien and Darin shouted in unison.
She narrowed her eyes in utter confusion, "What!" her statement sounded like a question. "How the hell did you guys get here so fast? You had a daughter and you never told me? You have daughter!"
"Well, that's what happens when you've been dead for a thousand years!" Arien cried, still in shock.
"Dead? She's-" Lenolin said softly and fainted, but no one noticed.
"What are you talking about?" Everything made sense now, but somehow their times didn't add up.
Forcing himself to calm down, Darin finally spoke, "You never came back from the fight with Roain. You died a thousand ago. How long did you think it has been?"
Raven found that she couldn't stand anymore and had to lower herself onto a couch. "I don't know. Less than half an hour maybe."
Arien sighed, "What happened?" she took a seat next to her long-lost friend. The only parts of her that showed how much time had passed were her eyes.
"Well, I surrendered myself to-"
"We already know that story; Legolas told us everything . . . Everything but what happened after you died."
"Oh, well, I woke up in this creepy white place. Then this guy I could hardly see made His crazy ping-pong ball of doom try to suck up my soul like a smoothie. But before it finished the job, my ring lit up, and the next thing I knew, I nearly broke my ass on the forest floor."
Darin was glad he had shared a bottle of wine with his wife. Fainting in front of she-elves would have been so embarrassing.
"What happened to you people?" Raven asked.
Arien, who was not at all surprised at her friend's tale, exhaled and began, "Well, quite a lot. Legolas, Darin, and I came back here after your burial, but we didn't think Legolas would make it- he was in so much pain, and his eyes were dark and hallowed. But something you said kept him going." She gave Raven a curious look before continuing, "Darin and I were married a few years later, and shortly after, Lenolin was born." She smiled lovingly at her husband and daughter, not at all surprised that she lay in a heap on the floor. "Thranduil sailed to Valinor several centuries ago, leaving Legolas as King. Many people feared his despair would spell doom for the kingdom, but the results were quite the contrary. Since you were gone, his only passion became the eradication of evil in these lands, and as you can see, he's almost finished his quest."
"Where is he now?" her voice rung with suspense.
"He went south several weeks ago for what he thought would be the final colony of spiders. He should return in a few days. While you wait, I can show you everything that's changed. Don't worry Raven; the time will pass by quickly."
She could hardly believe her pointed ears, "What? You think I'm just going to sit here and wait for him to come home? Like hell I am! Too much waiting has been going on, and it's time for it to end. I've got to go look for him!" she shouted and disappeared out the door.
"That was unexpected," said Darin.
"Quite," Arien nodded the affirmative.
"How was that possible?"
"Darling, it's called love."
"Yea, but still."
His wife shrugged. "There are many things in this life and beyond that simple beings like us cannot understand."
"But doesn't that ever bother you?" Darin furrowed his brow.
Arien sighed, "It did, but then I accepted that maybe there are things we're not supposed to understand."
The elf nodded, satisfied, and a grin grew on his lips.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I was just thinking about Legolas's reaction to seeing Raven alive."
Arien smiled, "Yes, you're right," she said and retrieved two new full wine glasses and passed one to Darin. "This calls for a celebration." She took a seat on his lap and clinked the crystal chalices together.
"I'll drink to that," he said and kissed his wife.
Finally admitting defeat, Raven decided to call it quits for the night and set up camp, which included noting more than trying to find the softest piece of ground and sleeping on it. She would have gladly continued her search for Legolas, but she had to be rational; not even she could see in the dark. Besides, she could see a small clearing ahead, and from the sound of things, it boasted a small pond. When she emerged from the trees, she was surprised at how bright the moon and stars were. She also noticed that her speculation of the existence of a pool was correct. Curious, she dipped her fingertips into the cool waters and got the sudden urge to submerge herself in them. She quickly stripped off her clothes and made her way to the far side where a small stream formed a short waterfall.
Thoroughly contented, Raven remembered one of her favorite songs and brought it alive with her voice.
Roaring wildly, Legolas slashed mercilessly at the last of his hideous prey of spiders. It shrieked angrily in its harsh voice, barely aware that a single deranged elfish warrior had slaughtering the entire colony. The King fought savagely, for this was all he cared about. He lived for only the hunt and the kill, or at least since she died. He longed to join her, but she made him swear to live. He'd broken every other oath he'd sworn her, but he would never break that final promise.
He blamed himself for everything that had happened to her. If only he had killed Roain when he had the chance; if only he hadn't given up on finding him so soon; if only he had stopped her the morning she left; if only he had gotten there sooner. His mind was tortured by 'if only's, and few things made him forget his pain and guilt. Killing was one of them.
Finally, the last of the spiders fell, oozing black blood. Legolas's sword was covered in the sticky liquid, but he didn't give a damn and sheathed it. After exhaling a long breath, he began the long walk north, hating himself with every step. Not long after, a strange sound met his ears. It was singing. He had forgotten his love for music a millennia ago, but somehow the melody captivated him. The elf merely caught pieces of the lyrics- something about a world of wonders and china roses-, but they were beautiful. He followed the lovely voice to small pool in the center of a clearing. Its owner was on the other side of the water with her back to him, but he knew who she was.
When her song ended, Raven turned and met Legolas's icy blue eyes. Her heart skipped a beat; it was so wonderful to see him again, but his frozen orbs frightened her. "Hello, Legolas."
"Can this be?" He asked, not trusting his sight
"It can." She offered a weak smile.
"This isn't possible." With no warning whatsoever, Legolas waded out toward Raven, his cloaks fanned out behind him as he walked, and he didn't stop until his face as just inches from Raven's. "How can this be real?" he whispered and begged silently that she was not an illusion of his tormented mind.
She could feel his breath on her forehead. "Very easily." Her heart pounded.
"I'm dreaming." He breathed and shook his head slightly, but he couldn't break his eye contact.
"Dream this," she whispered quickly and pressed her lips against his and shivered; they were so cold. Undaunted, she pressed harder, willing him to kiss her back. Finally, she pulled away and gazed into Legolas's shocked blue eyes.
"Raven?" His voice was unsure as he placed a shaking hand on the side of her face. Smiling faintly, she nodded and leaned into his palm. Legolas couldn't believe she was still there. She was real. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and waist and pulled her naked form against him. He felt as if he had been having a horrible nightmare, and then had awoken to a beautiful sunrise. "Oh Raven," Legolas said and kissed her lips lightly at first, but as he became more and more aware of the fact that Raven was indeed alive and in his arms, his kiss grew stronger. He pulled her so close he could feel her heart drumming in her chest, and any tighter could have broken her ribs. He felt tears well in his eyes as he thanked the Valar for bringing her, his Raven, back to him, and the ice in his heart melted. Still holding her in his arms he asked, "What happened after you-" a knot formed in his throat and kept him from finishing his question, but the she-elf knew what he was going to ask.
She sighed softly as Legolas trailed kisses across her brow. "It was white forever, and a man I couldn't see tried to send my soul Beyond. When he told me I could never see you again, I snapped. The next thing I knew, the ring you gave me lit up, and I found myself in the forest.
The King's mouth opened slightly before he spoke, "Nothing shall hinder our undying love."
"I beg your pardon?"
"It's the spell engraved on the inside of the ring . . . Somehow it must have brought you back. It worked!" He held her hand and gazed in wonder at the mithril band.
"But Legolas," she swallowed and tried to choose her words wisely, "how then is it that your mother . . ."
He knew that she couldn't bring herself to put in the last word because she feared causing him pain, and her sensitivity made him love her even more, despite the fact that now that he held her in his arms, nothing could sting his heart. "She had taken it off because she feared losing it in the river while she bathed; the water came in too fast, and she drowned. The ring must only work when it is worn." He looked down at her golden head and couldn't remember a moment when he was more thankful that he had been able to successfully propose.
For the first time in ten centuries, Legolas smiled, but it soon faded as he recalled the toll of his emotions. "It's far too cold to stay in here much longer," said the King. He smoothly brought an arm to the back of her knees, scooped her up, carried her to the bank of the pool, threw down his royal blue cloak, and gently placed her on it.
Before he could command himself to turn away, he got a good look at the she- elf who sacrificed her soul to save him, who fought the gods to return to him. Her wet, buttermilk skin sparkled in the moonlight, and her eyes were the deepest shade of green he had ever seen; he was almost surprised he hadn't drowned while gazing into her orbs. Her lithe body lay outstretched with one arm resting by her side while the other was placed just inside her hips. Her right leg lay flat, but the left was slightly arched toward him. He could hardly believe such a perfect creature found him worthy enough to see her naked flesh. Desperately hoping not to upset Raven, Legolas turned away. Though she didn't know it, she was in a very seductive position, and after all that time, he was having a difficult time keeping himself from unleashing his bottled-up passion on her.
"Has it really been a thousand years?" Raven asked as she pulled Legolas's cloak about herself.
The King of the Wood-elves swallowed, "Aye. A thousand years ago today to be exact." Daring to face her, he turned around. His throat tightened and stung, "After you died, I didn't know what to do. It felt like all the joy had been torn from my soul; I wanted nothing more than to wither up and die, but I couldn't," his voice shook with angst, and he turned away as he remembered all the endless hours of agony. He had known she wasn't coming back. Bitter tears forming on his eyes, he recalled the hatred he had held for himself. "My mind fell into darkness, and I was left with only my pain and guilt."
"What? Legolas, what happened wasn't your fault. I made the decision to run between you and Harqutio!" Holding the cloak tightly to her chest, she sat up. "There was no-"
The warrior interrupted and spun around to face her, "Raven, can you not see?" His eyes were red with remorse and anger, and tears flowed down his cheeks. "I killed you! I knew I could have stopped my dagger, but my rage dulled my reflexes, and I lost control. Don't you understand? I let my emotions get involved with the fight and cost you your life! I . . . I-" his tears choked his words.
Clutching the cloak to her breasts with one hand, Raven rose and wrapped the other around the elf's neck. "Legolas, there was no other way; if Harqutio was to die, my blood had to be spilt. All these years, you carried a guilt you didn't deserve." She looked up to the king. "It's time to let go."
Gazing down into Raven's concerned eyes, Legolas buried her lips beneath his. He sent his hands to her bare back before pulling away. "You're so good to me, melamin. I love you; I want us to be together always. Please, bind yourself to me, here and now. Be my lover. . . be my queen," he tried to sound more intent than pleading.
"I'd like that," she smiled before continuing, "and I'd be proud to call myself yours. I love you Legolas, and I always will; you already have my heart, and now I give you my soul."
He placed a finger under her chin, "I've already given you mine." And with a gentle kiss, he sealed their vows. When the elf felt the nature of their contact grow more and more ardent and Raven pulling down slightly, he broke away. "I can't; I won't. Raven, I don't want you to do something like that just to make me happy. I could never break you spirit," his voice was firm. "After we got close, all those years ago, I spoke to my father, and he said- "
The she-elf interrupted, "Legolas, I wasn't ready then, but I am now. I've willingly given myself to you; it's all right."
The King was still unconvinced, "How can you be certain?"
"It's just one of those things you know, like being in love. No one can tell you; you just, know."
His eyes bright with understanding, he nodded and trailed kisses across her neck. As the elf lowered her to the soft ground, he met her eyes with his, "It will hurt," he warned.
"I am yours, my love," her voice was barely above a whisper, "Do what you will with me." She closed her eyes. Moments later, she felt the other elf lie next to her.
"I love you, Raven," he said and stroked her cheek.
"I know," said the girl as she opened her eyes and saw her husband, but she quickly gasped and looked away- she had never seen a naked man before-, and she forgot that it was now her right to look. However, curiosity soon won over, and Raven turned her eyes back to his body, perfectly sculpted by countless hours of training and battle. The cool look in Legolas's blue orbs, the amused grin on his bow-shaped lips, and the sinuous position of his body reminded her of a cat. His beautiful face and neck led down to elegant, strong arms. Raven felt butterflies in her heart; she had spent many happy moments in those gentle arms, but she could see that they could easily crush her in an instant. From there, her eyes roamed passed his highly toned, muscular chest to his enviable core, and down to his-. She swallowed, and a blush came to her cheeks. If she had not known that he was an elf, she could have easily mistaken him for a god.
Legolas smiled at her childish display. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle," he said softly and kissed his bride as he placed himself above her, fully aware that the only thing between them was a royal blue hunting cloak. He felt himself grow hard. As he removed the barrier, he remembered all the innumerable occasions in which he had longed for this moment, and only sheer willpower had held him back. He realized then that he was going to find out what it's like to sleep beside his love, breath in the aroma of her skin, and wake up to her beautiful face. He planted a tender kiss on her lips. Then the king placed his palms on the ground on either side of her head and pushed himself up. "Raven, are you sure?" He could feel her fingers play with one of his loose braids.
"Legolas," she said in a silky voice, "I was ready to die for you. Trust me, I'm ready to do this." The she-elf removed the tie that held his hair back, and his shimmering locks fell about them, forming a golden curtain.
After one last brief kiss, the king lowed his lips to his love's leaf- shaped ear. "I'm sorry," he breathed and entered, shattering her fragile innocence. Raven's outburst of pain was instantaneous as she involuntarily dug her nails into her lover's back. Legolas swiftly cut off her cry with his lips. When he felt her start to calm down, he kissed the tears from her cheeks, all the while moving with a slow, rhythmic pace. "The pain will soon pass, melamin," he said soothingly. Raven nodded quickly and could already feel the truth to his words as the hurting melted away; soon there was no pain- only pleasure. Her toes curled.
The two elves made love long into the night, each of them reaching their climax over and over again. Legolas kissed his wife's forehead and smiled- though she was utterly inexperienced and unsure with her movements, he had never felt so pleasured, so exhilarated, so alive in his lovemaking. All the other women he had bedded with loved him for only his power and body, while the she-elf beneath him was in love with him, Legolas the elf, not Legolas the king. He sighed happily; they would spend many more blissful nights in each other's arms, and he would teach her.
Wrapping his arms around his lover, Legolas pulled Raven to his bare chest and stroked her silken hair. As he finally pulled out, a strange, buzzing warmth flooded through his body, almost as if a strange power now coursed in his veins. He could tell that she had felt it too, for her brow had creased in confusion for a brief moment, but soon a peculiar twinkle came to her eyes as she gazed up to the moon. When the sensation faded, he shrugged it off and nuzzled into her neck. "I love you," he said and kissed her.
"I love you too, Legolas. I will forever. And no matter what happens, I'll always come running," she looked away from the silvery moon and met his eyes, "into your arms."
I'd like to thank all my readers for their support, encouragement, and advice. It was an incredible journey, and I needed you guys. I hope you all enjoyed it; I sure did. I know I'm still developing my skills and style, but one day I hope to be a professional writer. Who knows? A few years from now, maybe you'll be reading one of my best sellers. {I wish} Please give me your honest opinions of my story; they are extremely valuable to me.
I cherish you all.
Into Your Arms By: Breanna Marr, Earenidiel Silverwing Edited by: Rebekah Kotcon Started- December 2001 Finished- July 3, 2004; 11:08 pm
Beforehand, I'd like to clear a few things up:
-Roain/Harqutio and Raven are currently in a cave in the mountains of Mordor; Legolas is in the wastes looking for Raven; Arien, Darin, and Gimli are in Minas Tirith. -Roy/Roain/Harqutio killed Kasseendra, his sister. He was Raven's stalker, not boyfriend. -Legolas and Raven are not married; Raven had a dream that they were. They are engaged. -Arien mentioned Dartanian in chapter 5 as her significant other.
I hope that makes everything a little clearer for everyone. Now, on with Chapter 16!
Legolas brought his hand to his brow to shield his eyes from the pounding rain. He cast his sight to the growing mountains that loomed forebodingly in the east and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Clamping his teeth on his tongue, the elf fought the urge to call out her name; he could not risk losing the element of surprise. 'Raven . . .', he thought and suppressed the lump growing in his throat; he needed to feel her slender body in his arms again.
A few seconds later, he remembered the journey ahead and realized Arod's slow pace. He patted the horse's neck encouragingly, "C'mon Arod, just a little faster." He knew that the storm and rocky terrain made it difficult for his stallion's hooves, but every second counted for more than just the best time in this race. Legolas blinked the rain from his eyes and whispered his plea, "Raven, please be safe . . ."
From the darkness and security of her niche in the cavern wall, Raven watched a storm rage beyond the entrance to the grotto. After hearing a clap of thunder, her eyes roamed away from the opening and wandered about the rock walls- she liked to know where Harqutio was at all times-, but she could not spot him. Suddenly, lightning flashed and illuminated the face of her captor, which caused Raven to inhale a startled breath; he was perching in a hunched over position about three feet above her head.
"Aren't we jumpy today?" he grinned and flew down from the ledge.
The she-elf sighed, "What do you want Harqutio?"
"You."
Raven muttered several insulting phrases and rude words under her breath.
The demon released an exaggerated sigh, "I thought so." He wrapped his long fingers around her wrist, "Come."
Raven squinted at the floor of the cave in the dim light, and soon a small pool of water materialized just a few feet away. She furrowed her brow and looked to Harqutio just in time to see him dive his free hand into the folds of his black cloak, which made him nearly invisible. A grin crawled across his face as he produced a cloth and handed it to Raven. "Wash," he stated in a devious tone.
The she-elf eyed him distrustfully, "What do you mean?"
"Just what I said," his voice grew stronger.
Raising an eyebrow, she gingerly dipped the piece of rough fabric into the water and brought it to her arm.
She heard the winged demon's laughter almost instantly, "No, you foolish girl, you can't wash yourself like that. Aren't those clothes of yours cumbersome; I think you should remove them." His smirk spread wider.
Raven's mouth and eyes dropped open, "No I won't take my clothes off, you sick fuck! Ba-"
Harqutio quickly cut her off, "Do it yourself, or I'll do it for you."
She moved her mouth to speak, but no words came. After a long swallow, the she-elf turned away from her captor and hurriedly pulled off her tunic and skirts. Although earlier she was skeptic of the safety of the dark waters, she hastily splashed into the pool for cover. The chill of the water made her breath came in raspy gulps, and she felt as if thousands of tiny knives were stabbing at her flesh and bone, but she forced herself to the deepest part of the pool.
"Turn around," came his voice. Her heart slowed at his request, but she did not obey. "Turn around!" he boomed, but still Raven did not respond. Anger flashed in his black eyes as an idea flashed in his mind. He unfastened the belt at his waist and let his robes fall the ground. When his foot splashed in the water, he took great pleasure in seeing the muscles in Raven's back tense. When he finally reached his target, the freezing liquid was up to his waist, and he was quite relieved that he had decided to leave his slacks on. Grinning, he draped his arms around his prey, "Well Raven, the water certainly is cold."
She spoke between her chattering teeth, "Not as cold as your heart."
"Ouch Raven, that hurt." His voice dripped with sarcasm, "You need to be a little," he brought his hands under her arms and to her breasts, and a gasp escaped Raven's lips, "nicer."
"Oh Harqutio, don't, please . . ." she tried to pry his hands away, but instead of letting go, he squeezed tighter, producing pain as a result. Determined to punish and enjoy thoroughly, he turned his prey around to face him. Most of Raven's body was white with cold, but her slight breasts were red and swollen from his brutal attentions . . . and her lips were the color of winter's first frost.
"My Raven, are you cold? Your lips are blue; do you want me to warm them for you?" Without waiting for an answer, he planted his lips on hers. Although it was by no means a soft and gentle kiss like the ones she was used to, it was not as violent as the ones Harqutio usually delivered. For a day and a half, Raven had successfully fought her impulses to rip Harqutio's face off, but when she felt his slick tongue try to force its way through her teeth, she lost control. The she-elf used the heel of her palm to punch him in the temple, pushed off from the demon with all her strength, and struggled away from him in his confusion.
She was beginning to wonder just how big the pool was when she came in contact with the wall of the cave. When Raven heard Harqutio's curses and splashes headed in her direction, she exhaled in defeat and lowered her feet to walk back- she was going to have to face him sooner or later anyway- , but her feet never met the rocky bottom. Instead, she sank like a stone through an opening in the floor, until everything below her neck was submerged. A smile lit her lips as she coolly swam back to an enraged Harqutio and backed away inside her mind- letting him desecrate her body as he pleased. This was the last time he would ever touch her again; tonight, she was escaping through the pool.
Raven lay in an awkward position on the rocks and dirt as she waited for Harqutio to fall asleep. She gazed hungrily at the pile of warm, soft furs he had wrapped himself in. He had invited her numerous times to join him, but each time she had fervently declined.
The minutes rolled into hours, and finally she felt it was safe enough to make her move. Cautiously, the she-elf pulled her stiff body up and crept as quietly as possible to the pool in the back of the cavern. She peered into the dark water and readied herself for the frigid bite they would induce. She carefully dipped herself into the water in an attempt to make minimal splashes, but her slow pace made the cold take hold faster; already her fingers were seizing up, and the icy liquid stung at her sides. Upon reaching the opening in the pool floor, she cast a last fleeting glance back to Harqutio to make sure he was not watching. When she was satisfied, she pulled in a deep breath and dove beneath the surface.
Because she could not see in the pitch-black darkness, Raven had to feel her way through the tight underwater passage. She thrashed about desperately in an attempt to find the way out, but all she found were blocked crevasses and sharp rocks that left cruel gashes on her arms and legs. After another short while of blind searching, she became aware of a nagging sensation in her chest; she needed air! With that in mind, she turned back and swam out of her present chasm, but she ran into a wall of solid rock. She tried again, but once again she came to a dead end. Panic flooded her mind as the cold flooded her brain; she was going to die in the frozen darkness. When all hope left her and her body became wracked with convulsions due to lack of air, she felt arms wrap around her. Lips pressed against hers, and air entered her lungs. A hand grabbed hold of hers and guided her through the maze of passages. Raven broke the surface of the water in fits of gasping for air and coughing. Her chest heaved painfully as she pulled herself from the water and on to the hard, dry ground.
"Stupid bitch," came Harqutio's angry voice.
"You . . . saved me?" she asked between pants.
"Who else?" he answered with a slow drawl.
Raven did not bother to answer.
"I thought so," he said airily as he stood up. Before she could evade him, the demon caught her around the stomach and carried her to his furs. She squirmed to get out of his grip, but he merely smirked- feeling her weakened struggles gave him intense pleasure.
"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded.
"Your little display proved to me that you could not be trusted, so now I simply must keep you close by." He set the she-elf down on his bed and beat his great wings, sending millions of water droplets flying through the air in all directions.
"What are you going to do to me?" she asked blandly.
A twisted smile marred Harqutio's intriguing features, "Get you out of those wet clothes."
Raven lay naked with her back to the winged demon and waited for his hands to find her, but as the minutes passed on, they did not come. Suspicion filled her mind, and soon curiosity took over. She pulled a fur up to her neck, rolled over to face Harqutio, and caught him gazing intently at her porcelain skin- much like the way a starving man behind bars would look at a juicy piece of meat just beyond his reach; she felt her skin crawl. "Don 't look at me like that," she said coldly.
"I can't help it . . . you are such an exquisite creature. Did they ever tease you for your small breasts?" When she looked away with a sour expression on her face, he assumed his assumption was correct. "How typical. Humans are so materialistic and cruel." He stroked her shoulder. "Tis a pity you would refuse to come to me willingly if I did not have," he licked his lips, "certain leverage."
"Humph," came Raven's response. She contemplated the demon's words and thought of the reasons she was here- Legolas, Arien, and Darin. Had they forgotten about her? 'Tch, no.' Were they out there looking for her? 'They better not be.' Were they angry with her? Would she ever see them again . . . would she ever see him again? The question hit her heart like a gunshot. How she wished she could just runaway and escape . . .
"Don't even think about it," Harqutio's voice stopped her train of thought. "If you ever try another stunt like what you pulled earlier, I'll bring your two friends and your," he ran his tongue across his teeth, "lover and make you eat their hearts."
The green-eyed girl narrowed her eyes and sent her most powerful punch rocketing toward his face, but the demon caught her fist with ease and twisted her wrist until she shrieked with pain, and a deafening snapping sound echoed against the cavern walls.
Harqutio shot out his hand and gripped her chin and neck to force her to look at him. "Let me get one thing straight- I am the one in control. I throw the punches." He released his hold.
Pain-stimulated tears welled in Raven's eyes as she stared in disbelief at her hand, which now faced the wrong direction, "You're sick," she hissed trough gritted teeth.
"And your wrist is broken," he said nonchalantly. "Here." He took the she- elf's arm and twisted her hand back to its original position- making her cry out.
Raven quickly pulled her arm away and cradled her shattered wrist. "How often does the moon enter the correct position for what you want to do to me?" She tried to distract herself from the throbbing pain.
"Oh, every five hundred years, but it's always the same date."
She had to force herself not to scream, "And when is the next one?"
A smile crept onto Harqutio's mouth and horror crept into Raven's heart, "Tomorrow night."
The demon watched the she-elf long after she fell asleep, and he could tell from the serene smile on her lips that she was dreaming of her lover, Legolas. He narrowed his eyes when the elf's name crossed his mind; how he hated him. His resentment toward the prince had nothing to do personality or position, but rather he was insanely envious of Raven's love for him. He wanted so deeply for her to run to him, to embrace him, to need him, or even to just confide in him like she did Legolas. Right when he thought that final desire, a scheming plot unfolded in his manipulative mind; to whom would she turn with her pain if no one was there . . . but him? Speaking in a dark tongue that few others knew, the demon placed his hand an inch over Raven's head, rolled his red-slit pupils back, and summoned cursed spirits of evil.
The salty tastes of blood and tears were in Raven's mouth as she scrambled up against the grime-encrusted wall, and Sibella Marr towered over her ten year old daughter. The woman held an eight-inch turkey-carving knife at ready by her side. With her other hand, she clamped her vice-like fingers around the sobbing girl's elbow and screamed in her alto voice, "This'll teach you to smash the glasses, you worthless piece of shit!
"Mommy please," she pleaded, "I promise I'll be more careful!"
"The hell you will!" Raven's mother drove the steel blade into her struggling daughter's wrist and racked a line of blood to the opening of her elbows.
The small girl writhed with pain and she shrieked in agony, but no one answered her cries of terror. Trying desperately to get free, she sunk her teeth into Sibella's arm until the woman pulled away.
"You little animal! I'll kill you; I'll KILL you, you hear!"
She was just about to pounce when Jason came in yelling, "Mother no!" he cried, but he was too late; Sibella had sliced his sister's other arm before he could reach either of the two. "Stop it! You'll kill her!" the young boy begged.
"What do you THINK I'm trying to do?" she bellowed and pointed the bloody knife at her half-conscious daughter's chest.
"No!" Jason shrieked and fought against his mother.
"Why you little-!" Sibella bared her teeth and scrunched her lips. All Raven could do was watch in horror as her mother slowly overpowered her brother and jammed the blade into his throat. From her puddle of blood, she looked on in despair as the boy- the only person who ever loved her- choked on his own blood and died at her feet.
Raven woke suddenly with sweat on her brow and a scream on her lips. She glanced in all directions and felt around for her brother, but her hands only groped the furs. After a few more seconds, she remembered the past eight years and felt herself calm down, but the fear in her heart could not be eased. The dams in her eyes broke, and fresh tears glided down her cheeks as she tried to force the flashback from her mind. Then more than ever she wished Legolas were there- she wanted to be held and soothed so badly . . .
Harqutio had watched Raven twitch and moan in her nightmare with a smug grin on his face, which spread nearly from ear to ear when she awoke in tears. Sensing her fear and need for comfort, he out stretched his hand to her quavering shoulder, "Raven, what's wrong?" he pumped concern into his voice.
"Nothing!" she snapped and turned away.
He ignored her retort, "Why are you crying, my love?"
Her back straightened, "I am not your love," she said firmly through gritted teeth.
The demon exhaled through his nose but kept his temper, "Why are you so upset? What did you dream?" He already knew what the answer was.
"None of your business," her tears were oh so obvious in her voice.
"Was it about that woman? Did she hurt you?" He could almost see her thoughts in the air. "Was is about that boy? Did she hurt him too?"
The she-elf's crying grew louder.
Seeing how easily manipulated she was in her fear, he grinned maliciously, "What did she do to him?"
"She killed him!" Raven yelled, "She KILLED him!" She cried so hard she could not speak for several seconds. "And she, she-" the girl stopped struggling with words and rubbed her arms uncontrollably. Harqutio opened his mouth to speak, but Raven continued, "I just wanted her to love me! She hated me!" Her screams grew hysterical, "She said EVERYONE hated me! But not Jason; Jason was the only person who cared! But she killed him! She took him away from me! And I just wanted to be her little girl!" She shook in her sobs.
"Raven, it's alright. It's all over." He stroked her back.
"Harqutio, please, don't touch me . . . I don't think I can take it."
"Why?" He moved in until he was pressing against her body. The demon wrapped his arms around the girl's waist and shoulders. "I just want to care for you." He ran his fingers across her torso and felt himself grow so hard it almost hurt.
Raven's mind was a mess; her memories haunted her, she needed comfort, and Harqutio was trying to give it, but he was evil, right? Exactly. So what if he had saved her life? He'd taken it before. So what if he was trying to calm her? He'd nearly driven her insane in the past. While she was committing her analysis of the situation, Harqutio took full advantage of her body during her mental absence.
When Raven returned to full consciousness, she became aware of the demon's hand crawling across her skin toward her most private area. Her blood boiled with rage; he had been manipulating her through her fear. She quickly threw herself from his grasp and onto the rocks. "Stay the hell away from me!"
Seeing that his plans of seducing her were foiled, anger flashed in Harqutio's black eyes. "One day soon, Raven, you'll be on your hands and knees BEGGING for me to throw you on the ground and take you! You'll be my fucking slave!" He laughed at the pun and the repulsed expression on the she-elf's face. "Face it, Raven, tonight's the night, and somehow I doubt your betrothed will come for you." He looked out toward the entrance of the cave and saw the sun's rays poke out from behind a cloud. "Look you stupid girl, it's dawn already; you have a little over twelve hours before you become mine!" He cackled at her futile attempts to ignore him as she pulled on her clothes.
"One day, I'll kill you," she said darkly.
"Foolish girl," he laughed, "no mortal weapon can kill such a demon as me!" Raven turned away and cast her eyes to the ground as he continued, "And besides, what would the point be? Who would you turn to, after you destroyed me? Your friends . . . your love? They've all forgotten about you, Raven. You forfeited your life to save them, and they can't even remember your name."
"That's not true," she said.
He snorted, "Oh really? Then where are they? Where are your friends? Where is your precious Legolas?"
"Right here," the elf said from the entrance to the cavern.
"Legolas!" Raven cried in joy and terrible fear for his life as she ran toward the figure traced in the blinding light of the sun; he looked like a glowing angel straight out of heaven, but she had a horrible feeling that the demon that held her could easily kill such an ethereal being.
"Oh no you don't!" Harqutio bellowed and caught her arm.
"Let go of her!" Legolas shouted in fury and let an arrow fly. The winged demon roared with anger when the bolt pierced his hand.
The she-elf broke free of Harqutio's severely weakened grip and ran to the prince. "Run!"
He ignored her command, "Where's Roain?" He loaded another arrow and screened the cave.
"He is Roain," she nodded to Harqutio, "Now hurry, you need to get out of here!"
Mentally thanking the Valar for letting his love be safe, he dropped his bow and held her in his arms when she reached him. Raven would have loved to stay in his embrace forever, but she had to get him out of there. To the prince's utter confusion, she pushed away from him. "He's a demon! You need to get out of here before he kills you!"
"Roain's a demon?" he nearly yelled in his bewilderment.
Before the she-elf could answer, Harqutio flew from the back of the cavern with a new pair of wickedly sharp harpy talons to match his wings. "She's mine!" he shrieked as he snatched her by the arms and threw her kicking and screaming into a pool of shadows.
"Raven!" Legolas yelled and started to run over to her, but Harqutio blocked him with a flare of his wings.
"Leave her," he demanded.
"Never!"
"Then die," the demon bared his fangs and launched himself at the elfish warrior.
Legolas and Harqutio's battle was one of the most intense either of them had ever participated in. The elf took mainly the defensive with his short swords while his enemy aggressively attacked with his cruel talons and fists. Jumping agilely to evade a blow from Harqutio's onslaught, the elfish warrior found his opponent's left side completely defenseless. Legolas could hardly believe his luck as he slashed at the other's shoulder- severing his left arm off from the rest of his body with one clean stroke. Instead of howling and writhing with pain, Harqutio sighed as he picked up his left arm, placed it on his shoulder, and twisted it as if he was screwing it back in place. He looked up at Legolas and smiled at his thunderstruck expression. "And they said elves were wise. You should know that no mortal weapon could ever kill me. Go ahead and hack off my limbs all you want, and I'll just put them back on. You can't defeat me; eventually you'll run out of strength, but I'll just be getting started."
Before the other had time to think, he continued his assault with his talons. Laughing maniacally, Harqutio flung himself at the elf, knocking his victim to the ground. "Perhaps I won't kill you right away; maybe I will let you watch as I take your beloved Raven and break her soul." He smiled at the raw fury that appeared on Legolas's face. Of course he meant none of his words; because she willingly surrendered herself to him, her soul would be fine, and he intended for that night to be without distraction. "Maybe I will let you see her writhing and screaming beneath me as I thrust inside h-" Legolas's enraged cry cut him off.
The deepest hate the elf had ever experienced replenished his strength ten fold as he sent a punch rocketing to Harqutio's jaw, sending him flying through the air; if he had not been a demon, the blow probably would have broken his neck. Not waiting for his enemy to regain his composure, the warrior charged with his twin blades flashing. Once again the battle commenced, but none of Legolas's well-aimed blows had any lasting effect on Harqutio, but with each swing of his swords, he felt his energy slowly leave him. When the demon knocked him to the ground again and send his swords skittering away, he knew this would be his last battle. He cast a fleeting glance to where his love had fallen; the only thing he lived for now was offering her enough time to escape. As Harqutio beat his great wings until he was high above his target and readied his claws for his killing move, the other wrapped his fingers around the hilt of a dagger that he had hidden in the folds of his cloak. He was prepared to make his last stand.
Raven's head spun from its collision course with one of the many rocks that littered the floor of the cavern. From her pool of shadows, she watched most of the fight without any of it sinking in, but when her disorientation finally faded away, it was almost too late. Gazing with intelligent eyes, Raven saw Harqutio fly high above Legolas and ready his talons for his final attack. Horror flooding her mind, the girl envisioned her love's death. As she pulled herself up from the ground, an idea popped in her head, and a grin came to her lips. She ran faster that she ever had before- she had lost Jason, but she would not lose Legolas. Just as they closed in on each other, she threw herself between the two fighters before either of them had a moment to react. Because the pain was so intense as Harqutio's talons dug into her shoulders and Legolas's dagger gored her stomach, she couldn't find her voice to scream, but the demon could. The most primal screech any of them had ever heard erupted from Harqutio's throat, and even though Raven couldn't see him, she knew he was dead.
She felt Legolas's shaking arms pull her into his lap. "Why did you do it? Why did you leave me? Why did you run between us?" His voice was pained.
"He would have killed you." A glaze came to her emerald orbs.
"Don't you understand? I don't give a damn what happens to me so long as I know you're safe."
She smirked, "But I do." She could feel her life seep away as she rested her head against Legolas's chest. Her words came soft and weak, "You've shown me so much, my love. Never in all eternity could I show how thankful I am to have known you."
Tears welled in his eyes, "Raven, don't talk like that. You're going to be fine. I'm going to get you out of here." He knew in his heart that there was nothing he could do, but he didn't care. His hands shook as they went to the pouch he carried at his side.
"No," she placed her hand on his, "It's over. Stay with me just a little longer . . ." She grasped his hand. "Promise me something."
"Anything, my love." His tone rang with despair
She struggled to pull in one last painful breath, "Live."
Legolas didn't know what to say as he saw the color fade from her lips "Raven . . ." he said and kissed her- as if he could keep life in her- but it was too late.
He pulled away just in time to see her eyes close, "Goodbye, my love," she said, and her hand fell from his.
Tears falling freely from his deep-blue orbs, he gathered her lifeless body in his arms and spoke in a wavering voice, "Raven? Please, don't go . . ." But in his heart, he knew she was already gone.
He sat on his white throne, and with his white eyes he gazed with a bored expression at the endless white surrounding Him. Everywhere and everything was white; that was the norm.
As His eyes wandered lazily along the horizon, a speck of black came into view. He would have been extremely surprised if He were capable of such a feeling. In order to investigate the disturbance, He reached out toward the speck and slowly brought His hand back to his chest. In an instant, the dark spot vanished from the distance, and a heap of filthy, tattered clothes appeared at His feet. A scarlet liquid leaked from the rags.
He neared the bundle and began folding back the layers of worn fabric, and in a few moments, a girl's bloody body emerged from the mess. He nodded in knowing as He looked upon her familiar face and wounds. Without showing any emotion, He placed a hand over her stomach and another on her back. The red liquid stopped spreading, and the girl's eyelashes fluttered open.
Blinking her incredibly green eyes, she sat up and blurted, "Where in God's name am I?" She scanned the never-ending whiteness.
"The afterlife, Raven Marr," said He.
She nearly jumped out of her skin, "Who's there?"
"I am," He reached out and put a firm hand on her shoulder so she could see its outline against her green tunic.
"Oh . . ." Raven said and followed His arm up to His body; she could very faintly make out the silhouette. "Sorry, I just couldn't see you. I guess you have some sort of camouflage thing going on. Nice." After a few more seconds, she remembered the first thing He had said. "Uh, are you like some sort of deity?"
"Yes."
Her voice was downcast, "I guess that means I'm dead then, right?"
"Yes."
"Is Legolas okay?"
"No, Legolas Greenleaf is experiencing extreme emotional trauma."
Raven's heart panged, "Will he be all right? He's not about to do anything stupid, is he?" she asked quickly.
"I cannot say; the future has yet to be written, but it is likely that he will not take his own life."
The elf was relieved to hear this, but she didn't quite understand. "How do you know?"
"You made him promise not to."
With a pleased smile, she pulled herself up. "What about Harqutio? What happened to him?"
"He died as well."
She furrowed her brow in confusion, "That's what I thought, but I don't know how that's possible. Could you tell me who killed him?"
"You did."
"WHAT?"
"The demon's only weakness resided in his own desires."
She blinked, "Come again?"
"He had a lust for virgin blood, and it was a virgin's blood sacrifice that was his undoing. The instant such a pure fluid touched his flesh, he ceased to be in the physical word, and his soul was cast into the depths."
The elf nodded as she once again glanced about her new surroundings and came to the conclusion that she really did not like what she saw, or perhaps, what she didn't see. "Um, is it always so . . ." she twirled her fully healed wrist and tried to think up the proper adjective.
"White?" He offered.
Raven smiled, "Yea, that's the word!"
"Yes."
"Oh. Uh, where's everybody else? You know, the others like me?"
"You will see soon enough," He said and pulled a golf-ball sized item out of His robes.
Raven squinted to make it out, "What's with the ball?"
"This is not a ball, for a ball is a sphere."
"It looks pretty spherical to me," she stated bluntly.
"That is because it has so many sides that your eyes cannot distinguish them."
"Oh really?" Raven asked with interest, "How many sides are there?"
"It would take nine hundred billion of your centuries for me to tell you, and by then the number would be inaccurate."
"Why?" She scrunched her brow.
"Because it is always gaining more."
"What?"
"For each conscious being that dies, this object will receive another side, but it will never become round because there will always be life to loose."
"Nifty," she didn't mean to sound sarcastic, but after all that had happened to her that day, an ever-changing-almost-ball didn't impress her that much.
"Touch it."
"Uh, alright." The instant she did so, the strange item almost seemed to get a bluish cast.
"Before we proceed, I want you to clarify something."
"Shoot."
"Why are you not in despair for missing Legolas Greenleaf?"
"I am, but I prepared myself the instant I gave myself up to Harqutio. Besides, I'll see him again eventually."
"That is unlikely."
"What?" Concern hung on her words.
"How can an immortal join the dead if he chooses to live? Was it not you who told him to do so?"
Raven found herself speechless; she was never going to see Legolas again? It couldn't be true!
"And now your soul must join the others in the Beyond." He lifted the almost-sphere before the she-elf. "I am afraid there will be no return."
"NO!" she shrieked as she felt it suck at her soul like a vacuum. "I LOVE him! We are supposed to be together forever, not apart for all eternity!" Raven tried to pull herself away and fight, but it was useless. "I'm lost without him. Don't you see; he's my other half, my soul-mate!" The instant the words left her lips, the ring Legolas gave her began to glow with a brilliant radiance, like a star on the horizon during the darkest part of the clearest night. "What?" Raven said and gazed in mystification at her hand. She hardly realized that the strange being's object had stopped pulling at her before the mithril band caused a blinding flash of light and sent her hurtling out of the eternal whiteness.
After what felt like hours but was little more than two seconds, a tree exploded into view directly below Raven. With a shriek, she plummeted like a stone through the leaves and slapping branches until she hit the hard ground. "What is it with me and falling through trees?" she asked once she caught her breath. With a sigh, the she-elf glanced about the wood and determined she was definitely in Middle-Earth, but where exactly? She didn't recognize the forest at all, but it certainly was beautiful. Ancient twisting trees formed a thick, lush canopy that stretched for miles in all directions; the light that penetrated the leaves was stained green and gold, and she knew this place was a home to elves.
With a smile, Raven randomly selected a direction and started her trek- any path she chose was as good as another. All that mattered now was finding her way back to Minas Tirith. She wandered for hours through the quiet, golden-green corridor, all the while hoping to find someone who could help her. Her straight path led her over magnificent bluish-gray rocks, through dimly lit moss-covered ravines, and down and around cozy hollows. Though she couldn't see the sun through the branches, she could tell from the soft wind that it was just about mid-morning. It was then that she noticed out of the corner of her eye a person reading in the tree directly beside her.
"Hello?" said the girl hopefully.
Startled by the sound, the other nearly fell from the branch, "Who's there?" came the voice of a frazzled young she-elf.
"Uh, just me," she said and walked in clear sight. "I was wondering if you could help me."
"Oh," she smiled with relief. "Sorry if I seemed frightened- I tend to alarm easily." She leapt from the branch and tucked her leather-bound book in a pouch hanging from her hip. "My name is Lenolin." She nodded her head politely.
Raven couldn't help staring into the other she-elf's astounding blue eyes; they were so familiar. She could remember gazing into those same blue eyes before, but she'd never seen this girl in her life. A face popped into her head, but she quickly dismissed it- that wasn't possible.
Starting to feel uncomfortable in the silence, Lenolin spoke, "Um, begging you pardon my lady, but what is your name?" She tucked a loose piece of blonde hair behind her ear.
"Oh," she snapped back to the present. "I'm Raven." She bowed her head slightly.
A line appeared on the other's brow, "Raven," she said to herself, "Where have I heard that name before?" She shrugged a few seconds later. "Oh well. It was probably nothing, sorry! Anyway, you said you needed help?"
"Yes, actually. I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to Minas Tirith."
Lenolin laughed slightly, "Well, you're quite a long ways from Gondor!"
"Where are we exactly?" Raven asked quickly.
She almost looked offended by her question, "Why, this is Eyrn Lasgaelen."
It wasn't the first time that day that Raven was seriously confused. She gave the other a questioning look. "Do you mean Mirkwood? Where is all the gloom and darkness? Where are all the spiders?"
"They're all gone; I thought everyone knew that. My father and his friend have been clearing it up for as long as I can remember. Are you all right my lady?" she asked when the perplexed expression didn't leave Raven's face.
"Yea, I'm fine, but wow, they really fixed this place up in a hurry." She looked over the forest once again. It was really hard to believe that place was once home to a hoard of evils.
"Come. I can't tell you how to reach Minas Tirith, but I'm certain my mother and father will be able to." Lenolin smiled and motioned for Raven to follow her.
"How far is it?"
"Not far. Only about a mile."
Lenolin was right. In a little over ten minutes, their brisk pace brought them to the entrance of a grand palace. "May I present my home." She gave a sweeping bow for drama as she pushed open the great door and let her guest enter.
Raven recognized the palace in an instant. It was where she had spent the best six months of her life. It was where she had fallen in love. "That's strange; I didn't know you lived here."
The girl shrugged, "I've lived here all my life."
"Hm," Raven started to grow suspicious.
"Well, come along. You must meet my mother and father!" Lenolin clasped her hand and ran down the oh-so-familiar hall. They traveled up two flights of stairs, down several corridors, and finally stopped in front of a door with two guards.
"Lady Lenolin," they said and bowed on one knee in unison.
'Who is this girl?' Raven mentally demanded as the door swung open, and the two she-elves stepped inside.
Two tall figures with wine glasses in their hands stood side by side on the balcony. Their backs faced the door.
"No way," Raven said to herself; the hair unmistakably gave away the elf's identity.
"Mother! Father! I met a girl in the forest." she smiled brightly and ran toward them.
Lenolin's parents turned to face their daughter and two wine glasses smashed on the floor at the exact same moment. Wide-eyed and gaping, "Raven!" Arien and Darin shouted in unison.
She narrowed her eyes in utter confusion, "What!" her statement sounded like a question. "How the hell did you guys get here so fast? You had a daughter and you never told me? You have daughter!"
"Well, that's what happens when you've been dead for a thousand years!" Arien cried, still in shock.
"Dead? She's-" Lenolin said softly and fainted, but no one noticed.
"What are you talking about?" Everything made sense now, but somehow their times didn't add up.
Forcing himself to calm down, Darin finally spoke, "You never came back from the fight with Roain. You died a thousand ago. How long did you think it has been?"
Raven found that she couldn't stand anymore and had to lower herself onto a couch. "I don't know. Less than half an hour maybe."
Arien sighed, "What happened?" she took a seat next to her long-lost friend. The only parts of her that showed how much time had passed were her eyes.
"Well, I surrendered myself to-"
"We already know that story; Legolas told us everything . . . Everything but what happened after you died."
"Oh, well, I woke up in this creepy white place. Then this guy I could hardly see made His crazy ping-pong ball of doom try to suck up my soul like a smoothie. But before it finished the job, my ring lit up, and the next thing I knew, I nearly broke my ass on the forest floor."
Darin was glad he had shared a bottle of wine with his wife. Fainting in front of she-elves would have been so embarrassing.
"What happened to you people?" Raven asked.
Arien, who was not at all surprised at her friend's tale, exhaled and began, "Well, quite a lot. Legolas, Darin, and I came back here after your burial, but we didn't think Legolas would make it- he was in so much pain, and his eyes were dark and hallowed. But something you said kept him going." She gave Raven a curious look before continuing, "Darin and I were married a few years later, and shortly after, Lenolin was born." She smiled lovingly at her husband and daughter, not at all surprised that she lay in a heap on the floor. "Thranduil sailed to Valinor several centuries ago, leaving Legolas as King. Many people feared his despair would spell doom for the kingdom, but the results were quite the contrary. Since you were gone, his only passion became the eradication of evil in these lands, and as you can see, he's almost finished his quest."
"Where is he now?" her voice rung with suspense.
"He went south several weeks ago for what he thought would be the final colony of spiders. He should return in a few days. While you wait, I can show you everything that's changed. Don't worry Raven; the time will pass by quickly."
She could hardly believe her pointed ears, "What? You think I'm just going to sit here and wait for him to come home? Like hell I am! Too much waiting has been going on, and it's time for it to end. I've got to go look for him!" she shouted and disappeared out the door.
"That was unexpected," said Darin.
"Quite," Arien nodded the affirmative.
"How was that possible?"
"Darling, it's called love."
"Yea, but still."
His wife shrugged. "There are many things in this life and beyond that simple beings like us cannot understand."
"But doesn't that ever bother you?" Darin furrowed his brow.
Arien sighed, "It did, but then I accepted that maybe there are things we're not supposed to understand."
The elf nodded, satisfied, and a grin grew on his lips.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I was just thinking about Legolas's reaction to seeing Raven alive."
Arien smiled, "Yes, you're right," she said and retrieved two new full wine glasses and passed one to Darin. "This calls for a celebration." She took a seat on his lap and clinked the crystal chalices together.
"I'll drink to that," he said and kissed his wife.
Finally admitting defeat, Raven decided to call it quits for the night and set up camp, which included noting more than trying to find the softest piece of ground and sleeping on it. She would have gladly continued her search for Legolas, but she had to be rational; not even she could see in the dark. Besides, she could see a small clearing ahead, and from the sound of things, it boasted a small pond. When she emerged from the trees, she was surprised at how bright the moon and stars were. She also noticed that her speculation of the existence of a pool was correct. Curious, she dipped her fingertips into the cool waters and got the sudden urge to submerge herself in them. She quickly stripped off her clothes and made her way to the far side where a small stream formed a short waterfall.
Thoroughly contented, Raven remembered one of her favorite songs and brought it alive with her voice.
Roaring wildly, Legolas slashed mercilessly at the last of his hideous prey of spiders. It shrieked angrily in its harsh voice, barely aware that a single deranged elfish warrior had slaughtering the entire colony. The King fought savagely, for this was all he cared about. He lived for only the hunt and the kill, or at least since she died. He longed to join her, but she made him swear to live. He'd broken every other oath he'd sworn her, but he would never break that final promise.
He blamed himself for everything that had happened to her. If only he had killed Roain when he had the chance; if only he hadn't given up on finding him so soon; if only he had stopped her the morning she left; if only he had gotten there sooner. His mind was tortured by 'if only's, and few things made him forget his pain and guilt. Killing was one of them.
Finally, the last of the spiders fell, oozing black blood. Legolas's sword was covered in the sticky liquid, but he didn't give a damn and sheathed it. After exhaling a long breath, he began the long walk north, hating himself with every step. Not long after, a strange sound met his ears. It was singing. He had forgotten his love for music a millennia ago, but somehow the melody captivated him. The elf merely caught pieces of the lyrics- something about a world of wonders and china roses-, but they were beautiful. He followed the lovely voice to small pool in the center of a clearing. Its owner was on the other side of the water with her back to him, but he knew who she was.
When her song ended, Raven turned and met Legolas's icy blue eyes. Her heart skipped a beat; it was so wonderful to see him again, but his frozen orbs frightened her. "Hello, Legolas."
"Can this be?" He asked, not trusting his sight
"It can." She offered a weak smile.
"This isn't possible." With no warning whatsoever, Legolas waded out toward Raven, his cloaks fanned out behind him as he walked, and he didn't stop until his face as just inches from Raven's. "How can this be real?" he whispered and begged silently that she was not an illusion of his tormented mind.
She could feel his breath on her forehead. "Very easily." Her heart pounded.
"I'm dreaming." He breathed and shook his head slightly, but he couldn't break his eye contact.
"Dream this," she whispered quickly and pressed her lips against his and shivered; they were so cold. Undaunted, she pressed harder, willing him to kiss her back. Finally, she pulled away and gazed into Legolas's shocked blue eyes.
"Raven?" His voice was unsure as he placed a shaking hand on the side of her face. Smiling faintly, she nodded and leaned into his palm. Legolas couldn't believe she was still there. She was real. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and waist and pulled her naked form against him. He felt as if he had been having a horrible nightmare, and then had awoken to a beautiful sunrise. "Oh Raven," Legolas said and kissed her lips lightly at first, but as he became more and more aware of the fact that Raven was indeed alive and in his arms, his kiss grew stronger. He pulled her so close he could feel her heart drumming in her chest, and any tighter could have broken her ribs. He felt tears well in his eyes as he thanked the Valar for bringing her, his Raven, back to him, and the ice in his heart melted. Still holding her in his arms he asked, "What happened after you-" a knot formed in his throat and kept him from finishing his question, but the she-elf knew what he was going to ask.
She sighed softly as Legolas trailed kisses across her brow. "It was white forever, and a man I couldn't see tried to send my soul Beyond. When he told me I could never see you again, I snapped. The next thing I knew, the ring you gave me lit up, and I found myself in the forest.
The King's mouth opened slightly before he spoke, "Nothing shall hinder our undying love."
"I beg your pardon?"
"It's the spell engraved on the inside of the ring . . . Somehow it must have brought you back. It worked!" He held her hand and gazed in wonder at the mithril band.
"But Legolas," she swallowed and tried to choose her words wisely, "how then is it that your mother . . ."
He knew that she couldn't bring herself to put in the last word because she feared causing him pain, and her sensitivity made him love her even more, despite the fact that now that he held her in his arms, nothing could sting his heart. "She had taken it off because she feared losing it in the river while she bathed; the water came in too fast, and she drowned. The ring must only work when it is worn." He looked down at her golden head and couldn't remember a moment when he was more thankful that he had been able to successfully propose.
For the first time in ten centuries, Legolas smiled, but it soon faded as he recalled the toll of his emotions. "It's far too cold to stay in here much longer," said the King. He smoothly brought an arm to the back of her knees, scooped her up, carried her to the bank of the pool, threw down his royal blue cloak, and gently placed her on it.
Before he could command himself to turn away, he got a good look at the she- elf who sacrificed her soul to save him, who fought the gods to return to him. Her wet, buttermilk skin sparkled in the moonlight, and her eyes were the deepest shade of green he had ever seen; he was almost surprised he hadn't drowned while gazing into her orbs. Her lithe body lay outstretched with one arm resting by her side while the other was placed just inside her hips. Her right leg lay flat, but the left was slightly arched toward him. He could hardly believe such a perfect creature found him worthy enough to see her naked flesh. Desperately hoping not to upset Raven, Legolas turned away. Though she didn't know it, she was in a very seductive position, and after all that time, he was having a difficult time keeping himself from unleashing his bottled-up passion on her.
"Has it really been a thousand years?" Raven asked as she pulled Legolas's cloak about herself.
The King of the Wood-elves swallowed, "Aye. A thousand years ago today to be exact." Daring to face her, he turned around. His throat tightened and stung, "After you died, I didn't know what to do. It felt like all the joy had been torn from my soul; I wanted nothing more than to wither up and die, but I couldn't," his voice shook with angst, and he turned away as he remembered all the endless hours of agony. He had known she wasn't coming back. Bitter tears forming on his eyes, he recalled the hatred he had held for himself. "My mind fell into darkness, and I was left with only my pain and guilt."
"What? Legolas, what happened wasn't your fault. I made the decision to run between you and Harqutio!" Holding the cloak tightly to her chest, she sat up. "There was no-"
The warrior interrupted and spun around to face her, "Raven, can you not see?" His eyes were red with remorse and anger, and tears flowed down his cheeks. "I killed you! I knew I could have stopped my dagger, but my rage dulled my reflexes, and I lost control. Don't you understand? I let my emotions get involved with the fight and cost you your life! I . . . I-" his tears choked his words.
Clutching the cloak to her breasts with one hand, Raven rose and wrapped the other around the elf's neck. "Legolas, there was no other way; if Harqutio was to die, my blood had to be spilt. All these years, you carried a guilt you didn't deserve." She looked up to the king. "It's time to let go."
Gazing down into Raven's concerned eyes, Legolas buried her lips beneath his. He sent his hands to her bare back before pulling away. "You're so good to me, melamin. I love you; I want us to be together always. Please, bind yourself to me, here and now. Be my lover. . . be my queen," he tried to sound more intent than pleading.
"I'd like that," she smiled before continuing, "and I'd be proud to call myself yours. I love you Legolas, and I always will; you already have my heart, and now I give you my soul."
He placed a finger under her chin, "I've already given you mine." And with a gentle kiss, he sealed their vows. When the elf felt the nature of their contact grow more and more ardent and Raven pulling down slightly, he broke away. "I can't; I won't. Raven, I don't want you to do something like that just to make me happy. I could never break you spirit," his voice was firm. "After we got close, all those years ago, I spoke to my father, and he said- "
The she-elf interrupted, "Legolas, I wasn't ready then, but I am now. I've willingly given myself to you; it's all right."
The King was still unconvinced, "How can you be certain?"
"It's just one of those things you know, like being in love. No one can tell you; you just, know."
His eyes bright with understanding, he nodded and trailed kisses across her neck. As the elf lowered her to the soft ground, he met her eyes with his, "It will hurt," he warned.
"I am yours, my love," her voice was barely above a whisper, "Do what you will with me." She closed her eyes. Moments later, she felt the other elf lie next to her.
"I love you, Raven," he said and stroked her cheek.
"I know," said the girl as she opened her eyes and saw her husband, but she quickly gasped and looked away- she had never seen a naked man before-, and she forgot that it was now her right to look. However, curiosity soon won over, and Raven turned her eyes back to his body, perfectly sculpted by countless hours of training and battle. The cool look in Legolas's blue orbs, the amused grin on his bow-shaped lips, and the sinuous position of his body reminded her of a cat. His beautiful face and neck led down to elegant, strong arms. Raven felt butterflies in her heart; she had spent many happy moments in those gentle arms, but she could see that they could easily crush her in an instant. From there, her eyes roamed passed his highly toned, muscular chest to his enviable core, and down to his-. She swallowed, and a blush came to her cheeks. If she had not known that he was an elf, she could have easily mistaken him for a god.
Legolas smiled at her childish display. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle," he said softly and kissed his bride as he placed himself above her, fully aware that the only thing between them was a royal blue hunting cloak. He felt himself grow hard. As he removed the barrier, he remembered all the innumerable occasions in which he had longed for this moment, and only sheer willpower had held him back. He realized then that he was going to find out what it's like to sleep beside his love, breath in the aroma of her skin, and wake up to her beautiful face. He planted a tender kiss on her lips. Then the king placed his palms on the ground on either side of her head and pushed himself up. "Raven, are you sure?" He could feel her fingers play with one of his loose braids.
"Legolas," she said in a silky voice, "I was ready to die for you. Trust me, I'm ready to do this." The she-elf removed the tie that held his hair back, and his shimmering locks fell about them, forming a golden curtain.
After one last brief kiss, the king lowed his lips to his love's leaf- shaped ear. "I'm sorry," he breathed and entered, shattering her fragile innocence. Raven's outburst of pain was instantaneous as she involuntarily dug her nails into her lover's back. Legolas swiftly cut off her cry with his lips. When he felt her start to calm down, he kissed the tears from her cheeks, all the while moving with a slow, rhythmic pace. "The pain will soon pass, melamin," he said soothingly. Raven nodded quickly and could already feel the truth to his words as the hurting melted away; soon there was no pain- only pleasure. Her toes curled.
The two elves made love long into the night, each of them reaching their climax over and over again. Legolas kissed his wife's forehead and smiled- though she was utterly inexperienced and unsure with her movements, he had never felt so pleasured, so exhilarated, so alive in his lovemaking. All the other women he had bedded with loved him for only his power and body, while the she-elf beneath him was in love with him, Legolas the elf, not Legolas the king. He sighed happily; they would spend many more blissful nights in each other's arms, and he would teach her.
Wrapping his arms around his lover, Legolas pulled Raven to his bare chest and stroked her silken hair. As he finally pulled out, a strange, buzzing warmth flooded through his body, almost as if a strange power now coursed in his veins. He could tell that she had felt it too, for her brow had creased in confusion for a brief moment, but soon a peculiar twinkle came to her eyes as she gazed up to the moon. When the sensation faded, he shrugged it off and nuzzled into her neck. "I love you," he said and kissed her.
"I love you too, Legolas. I will forever. And no matter what happens, I'll always come running," she looked away from the silvery moon and met his eyes, "into your arms."
I'd like to thank all my readers for their support, encouragement, and advice. It was an incredible journey, and I needed you guys. I hope you all enjoyed it; I sure did. I know I'm still developing my skills and style, but one day I hope to be a professional writer. Who knows? A few years from now, maybe you'll be reading one of my best sellers. {I wish} Please give me your honest opinions of my story; they are extremely valuable to me.
I cherish you all.
Into Your Arms By: Breanna Marr, Earenidiel Silverwing Edited by: Rebekah Kotcon Started- December 2001 Finished- July 3, 2004; 11:08 pm