AUTHOR'S NOTE: *dodges various rotten fruits being thrown in her direction*
I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I KNOW its been forever since I've updated, but they
will come more frequently now, I promise! I want to give a big thanks to
Name1 before I even start; I'll explain more at the end. Please R&R!
Blood Bond:
I took long, determined strides down the short hallway to my brother's room, taking several deep breaths to steel myself. I knocked quickly on his door, then, keeping to my norm, entered without waiting for an answer. He was standing by the bed, shirtless, and spoke as he whirled around to the door.
"Wait just a moment! Who – oh," he said when he realized it was only me. I forced a small laugh.
"Do not worry, brother, it is me, not some overzealous elleth breaking in on you unawares." He smiled grimly.
"I intend to ask Firine's father for his blessing soon, so I can ask her for her hand. Then I doubt I will have to worry about that as much." I smiled again, a bit less strained this time. While he was not a prince, he was usually treated as such, and when it came to overeager elleths dogging his every step, his good looks did not exactly help matters. I tossed him a shirt that was lying on his bed, then noticed the small bag that was lying beside it.
"I see you have heard already," I said softly. "News travels fast."
"Not news," he corrected. "Rumors. Perhaps you could help me straighten them out. Here is what I have heard so far: Thranduil is sending Legolas to Rivendell, and he is taking some other, as of yet unknown, elves with him. I started packing in case I am one of those, which I assume I am by the look on your face." I immediately dropped what I thought was a reasonably good façade of composure and sank down onto his bed.
"That transparent, am I?" I sighed as he sat beside me. "Yes, all that you have heard is true, and yes, you are going with him. Legolas is telling all the other elves who are going; I told him I would tell you." Aldeon nodded silently and pulled me to him, rubbing my arms comfortingly.
"You worry too much, little sister; we will return before you even realize that we are gone," he said lightly. I managed a look of disbelief through my tears.
"I worry if one of you are missing from a meal. You would be gone for over a month if all you did was ride straight to Rivendell and back. That's not counting what time the council will take," I pointed out. Aldeon simply nodded again.
"When are we leaving?" he asked.
"Tomorrow morning." I picked up the bag he had been packing and frowned as I inspected its contents. "Legolas will likely have you attend the council with him, and all you have packed are traveling clothes. You need to pack something. . ." I stood to rummage through his wardrobe, emerging with a green tunic and brown pants. "Something like this."
"I suppose-" Aldeon was interrupted by a knock at the door. He quickly strode across the room to open it. "Yes?" he said to the manservant waiting there.
"Prince Legolas wishes to speak with Lady Maranwe," the elf said with a slight bow. "When you are done here, that is." I nodded my understanding before he left.
"I wonder what that is about," I mused out loud. "I spoke to him only minutes ago." I took note of Aldeon's dark look. "What?" He shook himself.
"Nothing. I suppose you should go to him." He paused. "Could you relay a message from me to him, though? Tell him I said that I think he should wait for the opportune moment – one not shadowed by doubt and danger." My brow immediately wrinkled in confusion. "He will understand," he assured me. "But tell him before he tells you why he needs to speak with you."
~*~*~*~*~*~
I had just relayed Aldeon's message to Legolas and watched his eyes darken with anger before he quickly disguised it.
"What does it mean?" I demanded. Legolas waved his hand dismissively.
"Nothing important." I started to protest, but he spoke again before I could. "I have to ask you something that I have been thinking about for some time," he said. I looked up at him, surprised at the immense seriousness of his tone. He did not continue.
"Yes?" I prompted, peering up into his face. He exhaled slowly, staring back at me for a moment, before speaking again.
"Perhaps we should sit down," he said. He looked so serious I complied without pressing for answers. Once we were seated across from each other, he spoke. "There is an old custom, one that has not been put into practice in years. I am not sure if you have heard of it. . . blood- bonding." He waited a moment to gauge my reaction, which must have been blank because I had not heard of it. "Two elves would exchange blood, and it would forever link the two. They could communicate without speaking, even across great distances. They would always know what the other was feeling. . . I have even heard that they could read each others' minds." He took a deep breath and looked away, off over my shoulder. "I have a bad feeling about this trip to Rivendell. I do not wish to worry you, but I have a feeling it will be dangerous. . . and possibly longer than expected." He looked back into my eyes, reached for my hands. "Ever since we were children, I have felt closer to you than anybody, and now with these dreams, I know I will worry about you while I am gone.
"What I am trying to say," he said after another pause, "is that while a blood bond is a serious step, I believe that. . . well, it would be. . ." he trailed off, his eyes seeming to plead me for help.
"You want me to blood-bind with you," I said slowly. Legolas nodded uneasily.
"It is not something to be taken lightly," he said quickly. "Any emotions; pain, despair, depression, also good ones, though, are shared. Thoughts, too. While I would never purposely invade your mind if you did not wish me to-"
"Legolas," I interrupted. "I realize how big of a step it is. But I have never felt the need to hide anything from you, and it will ease my mind, as well, to know that you are safe." He stared at me disbelievingly.
"You mean you would do it?" he asked.
"Will do it," I corrected.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I winced a bit as I drew the small dagger across my palm. "Careful!" Legolas exclaimed. "No need to hurt yourself that badly." I shrugged as I handed his dagger back. He did the same to his palm and hesitated before he lifted it. "Are you sure?" he asked again. In answer to his question, I lifted my hand to meet his, shaking his hand with a firm grip that I regretted as a searing pain shot through the palm that I had cut. My arm instinctively jerked back.
Legolas immediately frowned and reached for my hand. "You cut yourself to deep," he said, wiping away the dripping blood with his tunic.
'You're ruining your tunic,' I thought without voicing it.
"It's an old one anyway," Legolas said. My eyes snapped up to his face.
"You heard that?" He looked up to my face from where he had been focusing on my hand.
'Yes,' I heard, though he did not speak. I paled.
'It worked. It really worked!' By now Legolas had found something to wrap my hand in, but I pulled it away abruptly as I flung my arms around him. "Do not worry so," I said, after I realized the worry I was feeling was actually his. "Everything will turn out alright. I know I'm always the one taking comfort form you but. . . somehow doing this has made everything seem better." Legolas pulled back and looked into my eyes again before smiling and hugging me tightly.
At this moment there was a cursory knock before Legolas's door opened. Legolas, who was turned so that he could see the door over my head, immediately stiffened and I felt a stab of apprehension; once again I recognized the emotion as his. The experience of feeling his emotions made me feel. . . responsible, somehow, for comforting him. I turned to see Aldeon standing in the door. He had his fists clenched by his sides as he glared – angrily, I realized with surprise – at Legolas.
"Aldeon?" I said softly. He blinked once and shifted his gaze to me.
"Did I interrupt something?"
A/N: Yes, it was a short chappie, but oh well. As for what I said earlier about Name1, the 'blood bonding' idea is actually her idea originally and she graciously allowed me to use it; I highly recommend her fic, A Girl Named Jack. It is absolutely wonderful! You can find the link under my favorite stories in my profile. Another update will follow soon, I promise! *Hugs* to my wonderful beta! Please review!
Blood Bond:
I took long, determined strides down the short hallway to my brother's room, taking several deep breaths to steel myself. I knocked quickly on his door, then, keeping to my norm, entered without waiting for an answer. He was standing by the bed, shirtless, and spoke as he whirled around to the door.
"Wait just a moment! Who – oh," he said when he realized it was only me. I forced a small laugh.
"Do not worry, brother, it is me, not some overzealous elleth breaking in on you unawares." He smiled grimly.
"I intend to ask Firine's father for his blessing soon, so I can ask her for her hand. Then I doubt I will have to worry about that as much." I smiled again, a bit less strained this time. While he was not a prince, he was usually treated as such, and when it came to overeager elleths dogging his every step, his good looks did not exactly help matters. I tossed him a shirt that was lying on his bed, then noticed the small bag that was lying beside it.
"I see you have heard already," I said softly. "News travels fast."
"Not news," he corrected. "Rumors. Perhaps you could help me straighten them out. Here is what I have heard so far: Thranduil is sending Legolas to Rivendell, and he is taking some other, as of yet unknown, elves with him. I started packing in case I am one of those, which I assume I am by the look on your face." I immediately dropped what I thought was a reasonably good façade of composure and sank down onto his bed.
"That transparent, am I?" I sighed as he sat beside me. "Yes, all that you have heard is true, and yes, you are going with him. Legolas is telling all the other elves who are going; I told him I would tell you." Aldeon nodded silently and pulled me to him, rubbing my arms comfortingly.
"You worry too much, little sister; we will return before you even realize that we are gone," he said lightly. I managed a look of disbelief through my tears.
"I worry if one of you are missing from a meal. You would be gone for over a month if all you did was ride straight to Rivendell and back. That's not counting what time the council will take," I pointed out. Aldeon simply nodded again.
"When are we leaving?" he asked.
"Tomorrow morning." I picked up the bag he had been packing and frowned as I inspected its contents. "Legolas will likely have you attend the council with him, and all you have packed are traveling clothes. You need to pack something. . ." I stood to rummage through his wardrobe, emerging with a green tunic and brown pants. "Something like this."
"I suppose-" Aldeon was interrupted by a knock at the door. He quickly strode across the room to open it. "Yes?" he said to the manservant waiting there.
"Prince Legolas wishes to speak with Lady Maranwe," the elf said with a slight bow. "When you are done here, that is." I nodded my understanding before he left.
"I wonder what that is about," I mused out loud. "I spoke to him only minutes ago." I took note of Aldeon's dark look. "What?" He shook himself.
"Nothing. I suppose you should go to him." He paused. "Could you relay a message from me to him, though? Tell him I said that I think he should wait for the opportune moment – one not shadowed by doubt and danger." My brow immediately wrinkled in confusion. "He will understand," he assured me. "But tell him before he tells you why he needs to speak with you."
~*~*~*~*~*~
I had just relayed Aldeon's message to Legolas and watched his eyes darken with anger before he quickly disguised it.
"What does it mean?" I demanded. Legolas waved his hand dismissively.
"Nothing important." I started to protest, but he spoke again before I could. "I have to ask you something that I have been thinking about for some time," he said. I looked up at him, surprised at the immense seriousness of his tone. He did not continue.
"Yes?" I prompted, peering up into his face. He exhaled slowly, staring back at me for a moment, before speaking again.
"Perhaps we should sit down," he said. He looked so serious I complied without pressing for answers. Once we were seated across from each other, he spoke. "There is an old custom, one that has not been put into practice in years. I am not sure if you have heard of it. . . blood- bonding." He waited a moment to gauge my reaction, which must have been blank because I had not heard of it. "Two elves would exchange blood, and it would forever link the two. They could communicate without speaking, even across great distances. They would always know what the other was feeling. . . I have even heard that they could read each others' minds." He took a deep breath and looked away, off over my shoulder. "I have a bad feeling about this trip to Rivendell. I do not wish to worry you, but I have a feeling it will be dangerous. . . and possibly longer than expected." He looked back into my eyes, reached for my hands. "Ever since we were children, I have felt closer to you than anybody, and now with these dreams, I know I will worry about you while I am gone.
"What I am trying to say," he said after another pause, "is that while a blood bond is a serious step, I believe that. . . well, it would be. . ." he trailed off, his eyes seeming to plead me for help.
"You want me to blood-bind with you," I said slowly. Legolas nodded uneasily.
"It is not something to be taken lightly," he said quickly. "Any emotions; pain, despair, depression, also good ones, though, are shared. Thoughts, too. While I would never purposely invade your mind if you did not wish me to-"
"Legolas," I interrupted. "I realize how big of a step it is. But I have never felt the need to hide anything from you, and it will ease my mind, as well, to know that you are safe." He stared at me disbelievingly.
"You mean you would do it?" he asked.
"Will do it," I corrected.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I winced a bit as I drew the small dagger across my palm. "Careful!" Legolas exclaimed. "No need to hurt yourself that badly." I shrugged as I handed his dagger back. He did the same to his palm and hesitated before he lifted it. "Are you sure?" he asked again. In answer to his question, I lifted my hand to meet his, shaking his hand with a firm grip that I regretted as a searing pain shot through the palm that I had cut. My arm instinctively jerked back.
Legolas immediately frowned and reached for my hand. "You cut yourself to deep," he said, wiping away the dripping blood with his tunic.
'You're ruining your tunic,' I thought without voicing it.
"It's an old one anyway," Legolas said. My eyes snapped up to his face.
"You heard that?" He looked up to my face from where he had been focusing on my hand.
'Yes,' I heard, though he did not speak. I paled.
'It worked. It really worked!' By now Legolas had found something to wrap my hand in, but I pulled it away abruptly as I flung my arms around him. "Do not worry so," I said, after I realized the worry I was feeling was actually his. "Everything will turn out alright. I know I'm always the one taking comfort form you but. . . somehow doing this has made everything seem better." Legolas pulled back and looked into my eyes again before smiling and hugging me tightly.
At this moment there was a cursory knock before Legolas's door opened. Legolas, who was turned so that he could see the door over my head, immediately stiffened and I felt a stab of apprehension; once again I recognized the emotion as his. The experience of feeling his emotions made me feel. . . responsible, somehow, for comforting him. I turned to see Aldeon standing in the door. He had his fists clenched by his sides as he glared – angrily, I realized with surprise – at Legolas.
"Aldeon?" I said softly. He blinked once and shifted his gaze to me.
"Did I interrupt something?"
A/N: Yes, it was a short chappie, but oh well. As for what I said earlier about Name1, the 'blood bonding' idea is actually her idea originally and she graciously allowed me to use it; I highly recommend her fic, A Girl Named Jack. It is absolutely wonderful! You can find the link under my favorite stories in my profile. Another update will follow soon, I promise! *Hugs* to my wonderful beta! Please review!