Disclaimer: This is getting really annoying! I own my characters, including
my newly added character in this chapter, Maleena; have my friends
permission to use theirs; and don't own anyone else!
I just saw Moulin Rouge for the first time and totally don't understand how
it beat the Fellowship of the Ring! The music's great and all and the plot
was ok, but the movie itself, in my opinion, sucked! I still have to see
Chicago and see if it should have beat the Two Towers, but I highly doubt
it.
Rusty
ps- Went home sick today. Hope to finish this chapter... Throat hurts, head hot, rest of me cold, want Sprite!
pps- And that is how you spell Gwaihir! I looked it up in The Complete Guide to Middle Earth. Go me! HA! I actually bothered to look it up! I'm so proud of myself! So now nobody can get mad! HAHHAHAHA!!!!!!
Chapter Nine: Love and Hatred
"What is the meaning of this?!" An official-looking elf came striding towards Legolas and Aliana, looking very upset. "You can't just land a whole flight of eagles here without permission!" When he got closer, he swallowed the harsh reprimand he had been about to yell. "P-p-prince Legolas! I'm sorry, my Lord! I did not know it was you!"
"It's quite alright, Haldir," Legolas said, smiling at the tall blonde elf. "But I am in a great hurry." He gestured towards Aliana who stood, almost asleep, at his side, leaning on him for support. "I seek the aid of an elven healer."
Haldir nodded and pointed to a flet at the very top of a particularly tall tree. He then led Legolas and Aliana towards it and began to climb a ladder in the center. Legolas followed more slowly, holding Aliana in one arm and the ladder in the other. At the top, Haldir reached down to lift Aliana up and Legolas came to stand beside him.
A she elf with brown hair and an apron bustled about the room, tending to patients who lay in beds scattered about the room. A large cabinet filled with potion bottles and a strange array of herbs and oils stood in the corner of the room. Haldir cleared his throat and she turned around.
"Just a minute, sir," she said in a very flustered voice. "I'm extremely busy at the moment."
"We don't have a minute, Maleena!" Haldir cried sharply.
She turned around again and took a closer look at the three elves standing in center of the room. Seeing Aliana, she gasped and quickly hurried forward. She took the girl from Legolas's arms and laid her down on an empty bed. "You two, out!"
Maleena pushed the two remaining elves towards the ladder and pointed her finger commandingly at it. Legolas tried to object, but Haldir dragged him down the ladder to wait outside. Maleena took off the cloak that was wrapped tightly around Aliana and placed it at the foot of the bed. She carefully removed her shirt and gazed at the deep arrow wound just below her shoulder. "Oh my, this is bad!"
Maleena strode to the cabinet and shuffled through the bottles and jars. Finding a few she knew would be useful, she carried them to the bedside and quickly washed her hands. She pulled the cork out of a bottle and rubbed its contents-an oily yellow liquid with the scent of dandelions- over the wound. As she sprinkled flecks of green and red flower petals over the oil, she whispered three words in elvish.
Aliana jumped in pain and gave a short cry. Maleena smiled sympathetically at the girl. "Perhaps it would be best if you weren't awake for this part..." She went over to the cabinet again and withdrew a small bottle with a white dust inside. She sprinkled this over Aliana's eyes and she soon drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
Outside, down on the ground, Legolas paced back and forth anxiously. Haldir watched his friend and could not understand what was making him so nervous. When the Prince stopped and stared up at the flet, Haldir looked at the expression on his face and all at once, he understood. Love. Love was what kept this elf from being unable to rest until he knew Aliana was safe and sound.
"Come, my Lord," Haldir said, motioning towards the stairway that would lead him to the throne room of the Lady Galadriel and the Lord Celeborn. "The Lady would like to speak with you."
With one last glance at the flet, Legolas turned and followed Haldir up the flight of stairs and across wooden platforms from tree to tree until at last, he stood in front of a wide stairway. Legolas glanced at his surroundings. He had been in this room only once before, in his days with the Fellowship-traveling with Frodo to destroy the Ring.
A strange light emitted from the top of the stairway, though no light fixtures or candles were lit. The light seemed almost holy, untouchable, pure. It seemed to come from something so good that even the darkest shadow could not penetrate its radiance. Staring closer, Legolas saw two figures descending the stairs.
"My Lady," Haldir said with a bow. "My Lord. Here is Prince Legolas, just as you requested. Will there be anything else, my Lords?"
"No, Haldir," came a strong mysterious voice. "That will be all."
Haldir made a final bow and left the room. Legolas watched as the two figures reached the bottom of the stairs and stood right in front of him. He could see them both clearly. One was an elf in a long white dress with lacy sleeves, long, wavy blonde hair, and blue eyes. The other was an elf as well, his hair not as long, his eyes not as bold, wearing a white tunic and white leggings. "Welcome, Legolas of Mirkwood."
The Prince stared in awe at the beauty of the Lord and Lady he knew to be Galadriel and Celeborn and almost forgot to bow. "Forgive me for this intrusion, Majesties, but my companion was in great need of healing."
The Lady smiled. "It is quite alright, Legolas. I knew you were coming. Your father informed me that you might visit us on your way to Isengard. You are welcome to stay as long as you wish. You and the rest of your companions who are, as we speak, entering the forest. It will take them about a day to reach you."
Legolas didn't know what to say and he really didn't want to talk to Galadriel or Celeborn. He wanted to make sure Aliana was alright. That was the only thing occupying his mind right now, and the Lady of Lothlorien sensed it. "Do not fear, Legolas. We shall not keep you any longer. Go to her."
She smiled at him and nodded her head. "Thank you, majesties." Legolas bowed and left the room, following the pathway back through the trees and down to the ground. After about fifteen minutes of waiting, pacing back and forth, Legolas grew impatient and climbed the ladder again to find Maleena looking over the body of Aliana with a sad expression on her face.
Legolas immediately ran to the bedside. "What's the matter?!"
Maleena glared at him harshly. "Hush!" The elf stared at the large wound she had just stitched up and then at Legolas. "She's lost a lot of blood."
"Is she going to be alright?!" Legolas asked impatiently.
Maleena shook her head sadly. "I don't know. It's highly unlikely in the state she's in. The wound had stopped bleeding when I stitched it, but only because there was almost no blood left in her."
Legolas was struck dumb. He felt as if a dagger had just been sliced through his heart. Tears came to his eyes which he unintentionally let fall on the lacy white sheets. He looked down at Aliana's face. It was filled with calmness and rest, not with pain and agony as he had seen it just hours before. "I am sorry, my Lord. But there is nothing either of us can do. Now I suggest you take some rest. I will watch over her tonight as I have no more patients to tend to."
"No!" Legolas cried. "I will stay."
"But my Lord, you have traveled far and without any rest. It's very unhealthy-"
"I'll stay," Legolas said defiantly, gritting his teeth to keep from screaming. Maleena just shook her head and began to carry the ingredients she had used back to the cabinet. Legolas took Aliana's hand and held it in his on. He watched her chest move up and down slowly.
"If you have no further need of me, my Lord, I shall take my leave now," Maleena said hesitantly.
Legolas gave no reply but simply waved his hand. The girl quickly hurried out a door to her right and to another part of the flet where she lived. She then proceeded to draw a warm, relaxing bath and sit down in a big comfy armchair to read a book. She sang silently to herself, mourning the ailment that had befallen the beautiful elf maiden and hoping that she would last the night.
Legolas gently pushed the hair from Aliana's face and caressed her cheek lovingly. A smile crept across the she elf's face at the soothing touch of Legolas's hand. Tears slid, unchecked, down his face. By now, the sheet had a big stain on it where the salty tears fell.
All night Legolas watched her, growing more and more tired by the second. At last, his head drooped and rested on Aliana's chest. His eyes slowly closed and finally, the two were asleep, neither one knowing that their dreams were very much the same.
The early light of dawn entered the room and shed its light across the pair of elves. Two anxious onlookers stood in the center of the room, having just climbed up the ladder, smiling at them. Although saddened by the terrible news about Aliana, they were happy to know that, for once, Legolas and Aliana had no objections with being so close to each other.
Rina smiled and quietly ushered Ben towards the ladder. "We should go. Let them sleep a while longer before they realize what's happened and start yelling at us for letting them fall sleep together. I know at least Aliana won't be very happy with this."
But, seeing her shift comfortably in her sleep and put one arm around Legolas's neck, Ben objected. "I'm not so sure about that. She seems perfectly content to me."
In seconds, the two companions were gone, leaving the two elves to their silent slumber. Maleena came in a few minutes after and smiled. Though they refused to admit it, there was a love there. A love so strong that-if need be-would conquer all obstacles, no matter how impossible they may be, just so they could be together. She saw this the moment she looked at the pair of them, but her thoughts would soon become confused.
In the early afternoon, Rina and Ben came by again, to check on their friends. Maleena was busy with another elf that had just come in this morning and seemed to have a terrible cold. While tending to the poor man, she lost all realization of the world around her and accidentally dropped a vase that shattered with a loud crash on the floor. Legolas and Aliana both woke up with a start, glancing around sleepily.
When their gaze interlocked, Aliana opened her mouth in protest. It took her some time to regain her composure and proceed to yell at her friends-who she'd noticed standing by her side. "You let me do this?!"
Maleena looked about as if the world would come to an end. "Hush, me heri! You need your rest!"
"Do what?" Rina asked, with hidden amusement.
Aliana glared at her friend. "You know what! Let me..." She stopped, apparently trying to decidr how to phrase this. "Be like....THIS with...HIM!"
Rina looked at her with a slight air of disgust in her face. "Aliana! I'm surprised in you! Legolas has done nothing but care for you and this is how you repay him?!"
"You're not my mother, Rina! Stop acting like it!"
Rina rolled her eyes and stormed from the room, leaving Aliana to glare at Ben. "Well? Are you going to yell at me, too?!"
Ben looked hesitant at first, but soon sported a look much like Rina's. "If it wasn't for Legolas, you'd probably be dead! Can you not be even a little bit polite?! I know, for some reason, you don't seem to like him very much, and he often highly annoys you, but those are no grounds for you to be so cruel towards him, Aliana!"
Legolas, somewhat annoyed at being talked about like he wasn't there and at the way Aliana was acting, stood up and, turning on his heel, climbed back down the ladder in frustration and anger. Ben followed, not shortly after. Maleena shook her head and rushed over to Aliana. "Me heri, you really should get some rest. You need some strength if you're going to get through this."
"Why does it matter anymore?!" Aliana asked angrily, but quietly. "All my friends hate me now, so what's the point?!"
Maleena smiled pitifully. "I'm sure your friends do not hate you, me heri. They are just upset. If I may say something on the subject?"
Aliana nodded her head and Maleena continued. "Though you try to hide it, to eyes such as my own, it appears that you like this elf a lot. And I am not usually wrong about these things."
Aliana, far too weak to yell any longer, simply gave a short laugh and replied. "I'm sorry, Maleena, but you are quiet mistaken. I have no feelings for this elf whatsoever." Her last sentence was with much more hesitance than the first, but she said it nonetheless.
Maleena nodded, though she did not fully believe her, she was not so sure that what she said was a lie. The way she acted towards this elf showed complete hatred, yet she couldn't see why the Prince would bring her all the way here in an attempt to save her life if he did not love her. And it rarely happened that two people were placed on this earth, one hating the other more than death itself, the other loving them with a passion unimaginable.
Placing this thought to the back of her mind, Maleena checked over Aliana's wound. It did not appear to have healed at all. There was no blood, but as Maleena had told Legolas, that was because there wasn't much blood left to bleed. Aliana glanced up at Maleena, looking fearful. "Um...am...am...am I going to be...alright?"
The elf in question thought for a moment before answering her. "I am not sure, me heri. But if you stay rested and refrain from yelling as much, there's a good chance you will be fine."
Maleena smiled-much as she had many times that day and went over to the elf with a cold. She mixed a potion from some strange looking ingredients from the cabinet and helped the elf sit up to drink it. "This should help ease the pain."
When they had reached the bottom, the three companions stood in silence for a while, neither of them wishing to speak about the previous conversation up in the flet. Ben kicked at the ground with his boot and watched the dust rise. Rina absentmindedly ran her hand along her bowstring, making a very unmusical sound as she plucked at it. Legolas stood perfectly still, thinking to himself, trying to hide his emotions that were written all over his face and not succeeding very well.
Finally having enough of the awkward silence, Rina lifted her head to look at Legolas. "I don't know why she's acting like this! I'll never understand her! And now, I just don't care anymore!" She strode off at a quick pace towards an empty flet that Galadriel had allowed her to stay in.
Ben looked sadly at Legolas. "I don't think she hates you that much..." He walked off after Rina and to a flet just beside hers. Legolas sighed and went off in search of a quiet place where he wouldn't be bothered.
He found a small orchid of apple trees and sat down at the base of one. It was near the edge of the city and he knew not many people came out this far in the winter with the trees dead and the apples not in season. He needed to get the thoughts in his head together.
Why did he love this girl when all she did was yell at him? No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't gain her trust or her affection. She was just so stubborn and distant. He didn't know how Rina and Aliana had ever become such good friends. They seemed to have nothing in common and Rina enjoyed arguing with Aliana whenever the chance came along.
He had to forget about her! No matter how hard it was, he must throw away his love for her. If she didn't love him, then why should he waste his time bothering her? He would go with her until she was safe in Isengard and then he would leave her. He would walk out of her life forever, hoping to never see her again.
Legolas sat in the peaceful silence and the cool evening air for close to an hour. He had no sense of the cold except perhaps the bitter chill wind, but even that did not bother him very much. The crisp air felt so refreshing after his long journey that he wished he could stay there forever.
His thoughts strayed back to days of his childhood when he had been so eager to grow older and venture out into the world. He longed so much to return to those days when he did not have the responsibility and worries he carried now. He willed to be young again, to run through the forest along with Ivellios and scare the young girls who were gossiping in the forest. Oh how he would have loved to be back in the palace, laughing as Layanna tried to draw a bath for him and he pushed her into the tub.
Then he began to think of his journey to Rivendell and all that had happened afterwards. His journey through Moria, then to Lothlorien. The death of Boromir, the capture of Merry and Pippin. Their encounter with the Riders of Rohan and their shock when they saw Gandalf alive. The battle at Helm's Deep, the Lady Eyown.
Thinking of her led his thoughts to his friend Aragorn. It must have been hard for him then. He loved Arwen, but then Eyown came along. She was more like him than the Evenstar. She was brave, daring, and learned in the skill of fighting. She wasn't the princess Aragorn had seen in Arwen, she was a warrior.
Legolas wondered how his friend ever dealt with all his emotions. There was only one Aliana and he still didn't know what to do. He had never felt like this towards anyone before and now it showed up in his life quicker than the arrow that struck Aliana's chest.
Legolas was so lost in his thoughts that he did not notice a tall, swift figure slip past him. The figure looked at him from behind a bush and when he was sure Legolas had not noticed his presence, quickly made his way towards the center of the town where Aliana was.
Rusty
ps- Went home sick today. Hope to finish this chapter... Throat hurts, head hot, rest of me cold, want Sprite!
pps- And that is how you spell Gwaihir! I looked it up in The Complete Guide to Middle Earth. Go me! HA! I actually bothered to look it up! I'm so proud of myself! So now nobody can get mad! HAHHAHAHA!!!!!!
Chapter Nine: Love and Hatred
"What is the meaning of this?!" An official-looking elf came striding towards Legolas and Aliana, looking very upset. "You can't just land a whole flight of eagles here without permission!" When he got closer, he swallowed the harsh reprimand he had been about to yell. "P-p-prince Legolas! I'm sorry, my Lord! I did not know it was you!"
"It's quite alright, Haldir," Legolas said, smiling at the tall blonde elf. "But I am in a great hurry." He gestured towards Aliana who stood, almost asleep, at his side, leaning on him for support. "I seek the aid of an elven healer."
Haldir nodded and pointed to a flet at the very top of a particularly tall tree. He then led Legolas and Aliana towards it and began to climb a ladder in the center. Legolas followed more slowly, holding Aliana in one arm and the ladder in the other. At the top, Haldir reached down to lift Aliana up and Legolas came to stand beside him.
A she elf with brown hair and an apron bustled about the room, tending to patients who lay in beds scattered about the room. A large cabinet filled with potion bottles and a strange array of herbs and oils stood in the corner of the room. Haldir cleared his throat and she turned around.
"Just a minute, sir," she said in a very flustered voice. "I'm extremely busy at the moment."
"We don't have a minute, Maleena!" Haldir cried sharply.
She turned around again and took a closer look at the three elves standing in center of the room. Seeing Aliana, she gasped and quickly hurried forward. She took the girl from Legolas's arms and laid her down on an empty bed. "You two, out!"
Maleena pushed the two remaining elves towards the ladder and pointed her finger commandingly at it. Legolas tried to object, but Haldir dragged him down the ladder to wait outside. Maleena took off the cloak that was wrapped tightly around Aliana and placed it at the foot of the bed. She carefully removed her shirt and gazed at the deep arrow wound just below her shoulder. "Oh my, this is bad!"
Maleena strode to the cabinet and shuffled through the bottles and jars. Finding a few she knew would be useful, she carried them to the bedside and quickly washed her hands. She pulled the cork out of a bottle and rubbed its contents-an oily yellow liquid with the scent of dandelions- over the wound. As she sprinkled flecks of green and red flower petals over the oil, she whispered three words in elvish.
Aliana jumped in pain and gave a short cry. Maleena smiled sympathetically at the girl. "Perhaps it would be best if you weren't awake for this part..." She went over to the cabinet again and withdrew a small bottle with a white dust inside. She sprinkled this over Aliana's eyes and she soon drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
Outside, down on the ground, Legolas paced back and forth anxiously. Haldir watched his friend and could not understand what was making him so nervous. When the Prince stopped and stared up at the flet, Haldir looked at the expression on his face and all at once, he understood. Love. Love was what kept this elf from being unable to rest until he knew Aliana was safe and sound.
"Come, my Lord," Haldir said, motioning towards the stairway that would lead him to the throne room of the Lady Galadriel and the Lord Celeborn. "The Lady would like to speak with you."
With one last glance at the flet, Legolas turned and followed Haldir up the flight of stairs and across wooden platforms from tree to tree until at last, he stood in front of a wide stairway. Legolas glanced at his surroundings. He had been in this room only once before, in his days with the Fellowship-traveling with Frodo to destroy the Ring.
A strange light emitted from the top of the stairway, though no light fixtures or candles were lit. The light seemed almost holy, untouchable, pure. It seemed to come from something so good that even the darkest shadow could not penetrate its radiance. Staring closer, Legolas saw two figures descending the stairs.
"My Lady," Haldir said with a bow. "My Lord. Here is Prince Legolas, just as you requested. Will there be anything else, my Lords?"
"No, Haldir," came a strong mysterious voice. "That will be all."
Haldir made a final bow and left the room. Legolas watched as the two figures reached the bottom of the stairs and stood right in front of him. He could see them both clearly. One was an elf in a long white dress with lacy sleeves, long, wavy blonde hair, and blue eyes. The other was an elf as well, his hair not as long, his eyes not as bold, wearing a white tunic and white leggings. "Welcome, Legolas of Mirkwood."
The Prince stared in awe at the beauty of the Lord and Lady he knew to be Galadriel and Celeborn and almost forgot to bow. "Forgive me for this intrusion, Majesties, but my companion was in great need of healing."
The Lady smiled. "It is quite alright, Legolas. I knew you were coming. Your father informed me that you might visit us on your way to Isengard. You are welcome to stay as long as you wish. You and the rest of your companions who are, as we speak, entering the forest. It will take them about a day to reach you."
Legolas didn't know what to say and he really didn't want to talk to Galadriel or Celeborn. He wanted to make sure Aliana was alright. That was the only thing occupying his mind right now, and the Lady of Lothlorien sensed it. "Do not fear, Legolas. We shall not keep you any longer. Go to her."
She smiled at him and nodded her head. "Thank you, majesties." Legolas bowed and left the room, following the pathway back through the trees and down to the ground. After about fifteen minutes of waiting, pacing back and forth, Legolas grew impatient and climbed the ladder again to find Maleena looking over the body of Aliana with a sad expression on her face.
Legolas immediately ran to the bedside. "What's the matter?!"
Maleena glared at him harshly. "Hush!" The elf stared at the large wound she had just stitched up and then at Legolas. "She's lost a lot of blood."
"Is she going to be alright?!" Legolas asked impatiently.
Maleena shook her head sadly. "I don't know. It's highly unlikely in the state she's in. The wound had stopped bleeding when I stitched it, but only because there was almost no blood left in her."
Legolas was struck dumb. He felt as if a dagger had just been sliced through his heart. Tears came to his eyes which he unintentionally let fall on the lacy white sheets. He looked down at Aliana's face. It was filled with calmness and rest, not with pain and agony as he had seen it just hours before. "I am sorry, my Lord. But there is nothing either of us can do. Now I suggest you take some rest. I will watch over her tonight as I have no more patients to tend to."
"No!" Legolas cried. "I will stay."
"But my Lord, you have traveled far and without any rest. It's very unhealthy-"
"I'll stay," Legolas said defiantly, gritting his teeth to keep from screaming. Maleena just shook her head and began to carry the ingredients she had used back to the cabinet. Legolas took Aliana's hand and held it in his on. He watched her chest move up and down slowly.
"If you have no further need of me, my Lord, I shall take my leave now," Maleena said hesitantly.
Legolas gave no reply but simply waved his hand. The girl quickly hurried out a door to her right and to another part of the flet where she lived. She then proceeded to draw a warm, relaxing bath and sit down in a big comfy armchair to read a book. She sang silently to herself, mourning the ailment that had befallen the beautiful elf maiden and hoping that she would last the night.
Legolas gently pushed the hair from Aliana's face and caressed her cheek lovingly. A smile crept across the she elf's face at the soothing touch of Legolas's hand. Tears slid, unchecked, down his face. By now, the sheet had a big stain on it where the salty tears fell.
All night Legolas watched her, growing more and more tired by the second. At last, his head drooped and rested on Aliana's chest. His eyes slowly closed and finally, the two were asleep, neither one knowing that their dreams were very much the same.
The early light of dawn entered the room and shed its light across the pair of elves. Two anxious onlookers stood in the center of the room, having just climbed up the ladder, smiling at them. Although saddened by the terrible news about Aliana, they were happy to know that, for once, Legolas and Aliana had no objections with being so close to each other.
Rina smiled and quietly ushered Ben towards the ladder. "We should go. Let them sleep a while longer before they realize what's happened and start yelling at us for letting them fall sleep together. I know at least Aliana won't be very happy with this."
But, seeing her shift comfortably in her sleep and put one arm around Legolas's neck, Ben objected. "I'm not so sure about that. She seems perfectly content to me."
In seconds, the two companions were gone, leaving the two elves to their silent slumber. Maleena came in a few minutes after and smiled. Though they refused to admit it, there was a love there. A love so strong that-if need be-would conquer all obstacles, no matter how impossible they may be, just so they could be together. She saw this the moment she looked at the pair of them, but her thoughts would soon become confused.
In the early afternoon, Rina and Ben came by again, to check on their friends. Maleena was busy with another elf that had just come in this morning and seemed to have a terrible cold. While tending to the poor man, she lost all realization of the world around her and accidentally dropped a vase that shattered with a loud crash on the floor. Legolas and Aliana both woke up with a start, glancing around sleepily.
When their gaze interlocked, Aliana opened her mouth in protest. It took her some time to regain her composure and proceed to yell at her friends-who she'd noticed standing by her side. "You let me do this?!"
Maleena looked about as if the world would come to an end. "Hush, me heri! You need your rest!"
"Do what?" Rina asked, with hidden amusement.
Aliana glared at her friend. "You know what! Let me..." She stopped, apparently trying to decidr how to phrase this. "Be like....THIS with...HIM!"
Rina looked at her with a slight air of disgust in her face. "Aliana! I'm surprised in you! Legolas has done nothing but care for you and this is how you repay him?!"
"You're not my mother, Rina! Stop acting like it!"
Rina rolled her eyes and stormed from the room, leaving Aliana to glare at Ben. "Well? Are you going to yell at me, too?!"
Ben looked hesitant at first, but soon sported a look much like Rina's. "If it wasn't for Legolas, you'd probably be dead! Can you not be even a little bit polite?! I know, for some reason, you don't seem to like him very much, and he often highly annoys you, but those are no grounds for you to be so cruel towards him, Aliana!"
Legolas, somewhat annoyed at being talked about like he wasn't there and at the way Aliana was acting, stood up and, turning on his heel, climbed back down the ladder in frustration and anger. Ben followed, not shortly after. Maleena shook her head and rushed over to Aliana. "Me heri, you really should get some rest. You need some strength if you're going to get through this."
"Why does it matter anymore?!" Aliana asked angrily, but quietly. "All my friends hate me now, so what's the point?!"
Maleena smiled pitifully. "I'm sure your friends do not hate you, me heri. They are just upset. If I may say something on the subject?"
Aliana nodded her head and Maleena continued. "Though you try to hide it, to eyes such as my own, it appears that you like this elf a lot. And I am not usually wrong about these things."
Aliana, far too weak to yell any longer, simply gave a short laugh and replied. "I'm sorry, Maleena, but you are quiet mistaken. I have no feelings for this elf whatsoever." Her last sentence was with much more hesitance than the first, but she said it nonetheless.
Maleena nodded, though she did not fully believe her, she was not so sure that what she said was a lie. The way she acted towards this elf showed complete hatred, yet she couldn't see why the Prince would bring her all the way here in an attempt to save her life if he did not love her. And it rarely happened that two people were placed on this earth, one hating the other more than death itself, the other loving them with a passion unimaginable.
Placing this thought to the back of her mind, Maleena checked over Aliana's wound. It did not appear to have healed at all. There was no blood, but as Maleena had told Legolas, that was because there wasn't much blood left to bleed. Aliana glanced up at Maleena, looking fearful. "Um...am...am...am I going to be...alright?"
The elf in question thought for a moment before answering her. "I am not sure, me heri. But if you stay rested and refrain from yelling as much, there's a good chance you will be fine."
Maleena smiled-much as she had many times that day and went over to the elf with a cold. She mixed a potion from some strange looking ingredients from the cabinet and helped the elf sit up to drink it. "This should help ease the pain."
When they had reached the bottom, the three companions stood in silence for a while, neither of them wishing to speak about the previous conversation up in the flet. Ben kicked at the ground with his boot and watched the dust rise. Rina absentmindedly ran her hand along her bowstring, making a very unmusical sound as she plucked at it. Legolas stood perfectly still, thinking to himself, trying to hide his emotions that were written all over his face and not succeeding very well.
Finally having enough of the awkward silence, Rina lifted her head to look at Legolas. "I don't know why she's acting like this! I'll never understand her! And now, I just don't care anymore!" She strode off at a quick pace towards an empty flet that Galadriel had allowed her to stay in.
Ben looked sadly at Legolas. "I don't think she hates you that much..." He walked off after Rina and to a flet just beside hers. Legolas sighed and went off in search of a quiet place where he wouldn't be bothered.
He found a small orchid of apple trees and sat down at the base of one. It was near the edge of the city and he knew not many people came out this far in the winter with the trees dead and the apples not in season. He needed to get the thoughts in his head together.
Why did he love this girl when all she did was yell at him? No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't gain her trust or her affection. She was just so stubborn and distant. He didn't know how Rina and Aliana had ever become such good friends. They seemed to have nothing in common and Rina enjoyed arguing with Aliana whenever the chance came along.
He had to forget about her! No matter how hard it was, he must throw away his love for her. If she didn't love him, then why should he waste his time bothering her? He would go with her until she was safe in Isengard and then he would leave her. He would walk out of her life forever, hoping to never see her again.
Legolas sat in the peaceful silence and the cool evening air for close to an hour. He had no sense of the cold except perhaps the bitter chill wind, but even that did not bother him very much. The crisp air felt so refreshing after his long journey that he wished he could stay there forever.
His thoughts strayed back to days of his childhood when he had been so eager to grow older and venture out into the world. He longed so much to return to those days when he did not have the responsibility and worries he carried now. He willed to be young again, to run through the forest along with Ivellios and scare the young girls who were gossiping in the forest. Oh how he would have loved to be back in the palace, laughing as Layanna tried to draw a bath for him and he pushed her into the tub.
Then he began to think of his journey to Rivendell and all that had happened afterwards. His journey through Moria, then to Lothlorien. The death of Boromir, the capture of Merry and Pippin. Their encounter with the Riders of Rohan and their shock when they saw Gandalf alive. The battle at Helm's Deep, the Lady Eyown.
Thinking of her led his thoughts to his friend Aragorn. It must have been hard for him then. He loved Arwen, but then Eyown came along. She was more like him than the Evenstar. She was brave, daring, and learned in the skill of fighting. She wasn't the princess Aragorn had seen in Arwen, she was a warrior.
Legolas wondered how his friend ever dealt with all his emotions. There was only one Aliana and he still didn't know what to do. He had never felt like this towards anyone before and now it showed up in his life quicker than the arrow that struck Aliana's chest.
Legolas was so lost in his thoughts that he did not notice a tall, swift figure slip past him. The figure looked at him from behind a bush and when he was sure Legolas had not noticed his presence, quickly made his way towards the center of the town where Aliana was.