Disclaimer: how many times do I have to repeat my self? It's not mine.
Don't sue.
Chapter nine:
Captured
Legolas watched as Menla ran from him. Her words still rang in his head. Thank you...
What had she meant by it? There was nothing to thank him for. He had only caused her pain and threatened her existence. He thought of how hurt and confused she must be, and that's when he lost it. He knelt down on the ground and cried so hard he thought he would vomit his tears if he kept it up. He wanted to throw back his head and scream. Scream at the world for being so cold. Scream at his father for forcing him into this. Scream at the Lady for showing him those images and hardening his heart. Scream at Menla for not running fast enough. But he couldn't. His emotions were too extreme to hide inside him, but it would kill him if he let them all shine through. His heart was broken; there was nothing left. The only thing he could do was wait. He would have to go after her soon, and both he and Menla knew it. They knew that she would die when he came after her. He had to.
But not now. Now he was allowed to shed his feelings, slowly, one at a time. He would be empty when he finished, but he had to in order to keep his sanity when he would watch her die. If he still had emotions locked away inside him when he watched her bleed, they would flow unchecked and unchallenged, until they tore him apart inside.
When he was finally numb, he noticed that he wasn't the only presence in the clearing. His stomach dropped at the thought of Menla coming back when she should have been running. He looked up, and was relieved to find the Lady standing there, rather than Menla. "Legolas, you have been here for nearly three hours with nothing but your grief and rage. You have given Menla her chance, just as you said, and now you must hunt her down."
"She is not an animal," he said through clenched teeth. He hated that he still had emotions in him, but they were so great that they wouldn't leave him.
"She is your Gazelle now, Legolas. She is your prey, and you are hungry. Go."
He looked up at her, knowing she was right. He WAS hungry for her, even if it was in more than one sense. He had to go.
And he did. He got up and slung his bow and quiver over his shoulder, and his pack over his other. He picked up her trail almost immediately, and followed in hot pursuit. He noticed from her chosen path that she was going wherever her feet were caring her, and that she didn't know where she was going. Good, he thought, his instincts taking over in the thrill of the hunt, This will make things easy. He continued to follow her trail, moving at a much faster pace. It was obvious that she couldn't run very fast, and her endurance was quite low compared to his. It would take him no time at all to catch up. He had only traveled for about three hours, when night began to fall. Her trail was quite fresh now, and he would soon come upon her. He slowed his pace a little, moving as quietly as possible, wanting to catch her by surprise. She would be easier to capture if she didn't know he was coming.
He found her, her body finally giving in to the need of rest. He walked around her as she collapsed, and noticed that almost immediately her breathing slowed as she fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter nine:
Captured
Legolas watched as Menla ran from him. Her words still rang in his head. Thank you...
What had she meant by it? There was nothing to thank him for. He had only caused her pain and threatened her existence. He thought of how hurt and confused she must be, and that's when he lost it. He knelt down on the ground and cried so hard he thought he would vomit his tears if he kept it up. He wanted to throw back his head and scream. Scream at the world for being so cold. Scream at his father for forcing him into this. Scream at the Lady for showing him those images and hardening his heart. Scream at Menla for not running fast enough. But he couldn't. His emotions were too extreme to hide inside him, but it would kill him if he let them all shine through. His heart was broken; there was nothing left. The only thing he could do was wait. He would have to go after her soon, and both he and Menla knew it. They knew that she would die when he came after her. He had to.
But not now. Now he was allowed to shed his feelings, slowly, one at a time. He would be empty when he finished, but he had to in order to keep his sanity when he would watch her die. If he still had emotions locked away inside him when he watched her bleed, they would flow unchecked and unchallenged, until they tore him apart inside.
When he was finally numb, he noticed that he wasn't the only presence in the clearing. His stomach dropped at the thought of Menla coming back when she should have been running. He looked up, and was relieved to find the Lady standing there, rather than Menla. "Legolas, you have been here for nearly three hours with nothing but your grief and rage. You have given Menla her chance, just as you said, and now you must hunt her down."
"She is not an animal," he said through clenched teeth. He hated that he still had emotions in him, but they were so great that they wouldn't leave him.
"She is your Gazelle now, Legolas. She is your prey, and you are hungry. Go."
He looked up at her, knowing she was right. He WAS hungry for her, even if it was in more than one sense. He had to go.
And he did. He got up and slung his bow and quiver over his shoulder, and his pack over his other. He picked up her trail almost immediately, and followed in hot pursuit. He noticed from her chosen path that she was going wherever her feet were caring her, and that she didn't know where she was going. Good, he thought, his instincts taking over in the thrill of the hunt, This will make things easy. He continued to follow her trail, moving at a much faster pace. It was obvious that she couldn't run very fast, and her endurance was quite low compared to his. It would take him no time at all to catch up. He had only traveled for about three hours, when night began to fall. Her trail was quite fresh now, and he would soon come upon her. He slowed his pace a little, moving as quietly as possible, wanting to catch her by surprise. She would be easier to capture if she didn't know he was coming.
He found her, her body finally giving in to the need of rest. He walked around her as she collapsed, and noticed that almost immediately her breathing slowed as she fell into a deep sleep.