Sorry this took so long! I'm having a minor writer's block.
Oh, yes, and if you think that any of Tolkien's creatures are mine, or that I'm making money off this story, then you're on crack!
Chapter Seventeen:
Legolas immediately sent all of the guards to search every room, checking the warriors who had been wounded in the previous battle. If any of them had unusual symptoms they were to report to Calathi's room, where the King and Prince of Mirkwood were both watching over a feverish female elf.
Legolas was then called from the hall by his father. "Alas," he said sadly, "I can do nothing more. I have already tried every herbal medicine that could possibly cure her, and the healing chants seem to be doing nothing. I am sorry son, but all that we can do is wait it out and see what happens."
The Prince shook his head, disbelieving. A moment of silence stretched on before he pleadingly asked, "Father, are you sure?"
"Aye, Legolas. You know the chants, so if you will stay with her perhaps you could repeat them? They may help in the long run."
"Of course," Legolas said, his eyes slightly blurring, a rare occurrence for the elf. At that moment several guards raced into the room.
"Your highness," one said, bowing, "we have checked all the wounded of yesterday's battle. None have been found with symptoms such as these," he said, gesturing to Calathi, who was staring unseeing at the ceiling.
Legolas sighed in frustration. Why was his beloved the only one to be affected by the poison? Was it because she was female? It was so unfair!
"Thank you," Thranduil said to the guards, dismissing them. Then he turned to his son. "Remember what I told you." He turned to go, then hesitantly added, "It would be wise, son, not to raise your hopes too high." Then he left the room.
Legolas was left with only his thoughts and the plagued maiden lying on the bed. He joined her, wrapping his arms around her slender, shivering body as his tears fell into her hair. "Please, Calathi, fight this. You must survive. I can't live without you." He kissed her cheek, willing his tears away. He had to be strong for her.
* * * * *
That day passed very slowly.
Calathi's breathing seemed to be slowing and becoming shallower by the hour. Legolas stayed by her side the entire time, singing softly to his love and chanting healing words to her. The elves throughout the rest of the palace did not rejoice over their victory; rather, they mourned for those lost and for the female who appeared to be dying in the arms of their Prince.
The kingdom did not know what to think of the way Legolas was acting. He never left the room holding the sick elf. When his meals were brought to him by the servants, he ate very little, or nothing at all. He was found embracing Calathi, and looked as though he had been crying. No one had ever seen this particular elf cry before, which suggested that something between the two elves was more than it seemed.
Nora paced outside her room, looking in once in a while to see if anything had changed. She suspected the truth about the Prince and her master, and though she was extremely worried, she was happy that her friend had found someone to be with her throughout the ages. The servant wouldn't let herself believe that Calathi would die. Her mind constantly denied it.
Legolas had pulled Calathi close to him, and her head was now resting on his chest. He was softly kissing her hair and forehead over and over, trying to show her comfort so she could find her way out of the delusional world she was experiencing back to him. Suddenly she arched her back and began to cough violently. And as suddenly as that started, she stopped, only to hold her neck as though she were choking, her breath coming in occasional gasps.
The Prince watched in horror as her skin lost its color and her eyes became dilated. Nora rushed in to see her mistress in this shape, and she sat down on a chair quickly to keep from fainting. A few minutes had passed by, with hardly any air entering Calathi's lungs, when her seizure stopped and she inhaled deeply, coughing and crying.
Legolas pulled her close once again, tears silently streaming down his own streaks. *Valar help her, * he prayed. *End her suffering. * Nora stood slowly and retreated from the room, quietly thanking the Valar herself.
"She can't survive for much longer," Legolas murmured to himself. "We must find a way to help her now, before it is too late." With one last kiss to his love's brow, he stood and left the room. Finding her servant outside, he beckoned to her. "My lady, please stay with Calathi. I must go and tend to another urgent matter." Nora nodded and went to sit beside the stricken elf.
*What can I do? * he wondered. *I cannot just sit by while the only one I have ever loved is dying. * Suddenly an idea came to him. It did not give him much hope, but it was worth a try. Walking as quickly as he could, he went to the stables and saddled his horse. Then he galloped away into the forest.
I know, this chapter is rather short. Sorry! I'll try to make it up in the next chapter, which I'll be working on as quickly as I can.
Oh, yes, and if you think that any of Tolkien's creatures are mine, or that I'm making money off this story, then you're on crack!
Chapter Seventeen:
Legolas immediately sent all of the guards to search every room, checking the warriors who had been wounded in the previous battle. If any of them had unusual symptoms they were to report to Calathi's room, where the King and Prince of Mirkwood were both watching over a feverish female elf.
Legolas was then called from the hall by his father. "Alas," he said sadly, "I can do nothing more. I have already tried every herbal medicine that could possibly cure her, and the healing chants seem to be doing nothing. I am sorry son, but all that we can do is wait it out and see what happens."
The Prince shook his head, disbelieving. A moment of silence stretched on before he pleadingly asked, "Father, are you sure?"
"Aye, Legolas. You know the chants, so if you will stay with her perhaps you could repeat them? They may help in the long run."
"Of course," Legolas said, his eyes slightly blurring, a rare occurrence for the elf. At that moment several guards raced into the room.
"Your highness," one said, bowing, "we have checked all the wounded of yesterday's battle. None have been found with symptoms such as these," he said, gesturing to Calathi, who was staring unseeing at the ceiling.
Legolas sighed in frustration. Why was his beloved the only one to be affected by the poison? Was it because she was female? It was so unfair!
"Thank you," Thranduil said to the guards, dismissing them. Then he turned to his son. "Remember what I told you." He turned to go, then hesitantly added, "It would be wise, son, not to raise your hopes too high." Then he left the room.
Legolas was left with only his thoughts and the plagued maiden lying on the bed. He joined her, wrapping his arms around her slender, shivering body as his tears fell into her hair. "Please, Calathi, fight this. You must survive. I can't live without you." He kissed her cheek, willing his tears away. He had to be strong for her.
* * * * *
That day passed very slowly.
Calathi's breathing seemed to be slowing and becoming shallower by the hour. Legolas stayed by her side the entire time, singing softly to his love and chanting healing words to her. The elves throughout the rest of the palace did not rejoice over their victory; rather, they mourned for those lost and for the female who appeared to be dying in the arms of their Prince.
The kingdom did not know what to think of the way Legolas was acting. He never left the room holding the sick elf. When his meals were brought to him by the servants, he ate very little, or nothing at all. He was found embracing Calathi, and looked as though he had been crying. No one had ever seen this particular elf cry before, which suggested that something between the two elves was more than it seemed.
Nora paced outside her room, looking in once in a while to see if anything had changed. She suspected the truth about the Prince and her master, and though she was extremely worried, she was happy that her friend had found someone to be with her throughout the ages. The servant wouldn't let herself believe that Calathi would die. Her mind constantly denied it.
Legolas had pulled Calathi close to him, and her head was now resting on his chest. He was softly kissing her hair and forehead over and over, trying to show her comfort so she could find her way out of the delusional world she was experiencing back to him. Suddenly she arched her back and began to cough violently. And as suddenly as that started, she stopped, only to hold her neck as though she were choking, her breath coming in occasional gasps.
The Prince watched in horror as her skin lost its color and her eyes became dilated. Nora rushed in to see her mistress in this shape, and she sat down on a chair quickly to keep from fainting. A few minutes had passed by, with hardly any air entering Calathi's lungs, when her seizure stopped and she inhaled deeply, coughing and crying.
Legolas pulled her close once again, tears silently streaming down his own streaks. *Valar help her, * he prayed. *End her suffering. * Nora stood slowly and retreated from the room, quietly thanking the Valar herself.
"She can't survive for much longer," Legolas murmured to himself. "We must find a way to help her now, before it is too late." With one last kiss to his love's brow, he stood and left the room. Finding her servant outside, he beckoned to her. "My lady, please stay with Calathi. I must go and tend to another urgent matter." Nora nodded and went to sit beside the stricken elf.
*What can I do? * he wondered. *I cannot just sit by while the only one I have ever loved is dying. * Suddenly an idea came to him. It did not give him much hope, but it was worth a try. Walking as quickly as he could, he went to the stables and saddled his horse. Then he galloped away into the forest.
I know, this chapter is rather short. Sorry! I'll try to make it up in the next chapter, which I'll be working on as quickly as I can.