*Disclaimer* If I owned anything, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction, would I? *sigh* If I owned LOTR, I REALLY wouldn't be writing fanfiction.
A/N: Thank you for all your positive reviews! And for that unnamed person who flamed me, thanks for that as well. But please leave a name in the future. Read on!
Chapter 6: Poisoned
Delaney was stunned. Using Rosellyn's preoccupation, she slid into control, but she couldn't shake the feeling of the water. She was no Elf, but even with her limited human senses could tell that something was not right in that water. And the way the arrowhead had acted around the water. What was that about? ~It means that someone's put black steel in the water, whether they meant to or not, and it's still there.~ Rosellyn was in a foul mood now that Delaney wouldn't let her gain control. Would she ever be used to this? She just wanted to experience being near Legolas, she wouldn't have made a fool out of herself, if that's what Rosellyn was worried about. When she heard Rose's voice inside her head for the first time, it was a surprise, and it was somewhat pleasant. If they could talk, maybe they could end the snipping. Or not. This was fun, too. They still hadn't said a word, but it was basically understood that they were going to Awaren. If anyone could deal with this, he could, or Linka could. Where were Tracie and Forest? They must have ended the chase by now, and they should be bumping into them. Maybe they couldn't find them and went home. Over that tainted water...the thought made her skin crawl, as it had when she touched the water. And Legolas was soaked in that water. That couldn't bode well for him. They rounded a corner and slapped right into Linka.
"Hello there, Rosellyn, it's good to see you out of bed. Legolas...why are you all wet?"
"That's what we came here for," she panted, and started to tell the story, Legolas throwing in details that she missed, even inconsequential ones. Linka's face grew more and more grave with every passing word. When the tale finally wound to a close, Linka put her arm around Legolas and started to lead him away.
"This is serious, and I'm glad you came straight to me. Legolas, you need to get clean. Rose, go back to your room for now, I'll send someone to you to see about getting a shirt that will fit over those bandages and get you cleaned up a mite yourself. Got that? Stay in your room, I'll come for you." With that, she and Legolas disappeared around a corner. Alone, dispirited, and harboring a growing sense of uncleanness, she walked slowly, head down, back to her room. As soon as she closed the door, she opened it for a friendly-looking Elf girl, maybe 1600 or so, with mystical blue eyes and bright blonde hair that fell as long as hers. As she set up camp at the vanity, she chattered constantly.
"Hello, I'm Narle, what's your name?" Before she had even opened her mouth, Narle answered her own question. "It's Rosellyn, isn't it? Linka told me about what you did, and I think that's just wonderfully brave of you. How many were there in that band again? Oh yes, a score and a half of them, and you showed them who's boss!"
"My friend Tracie took care of most of them-"
"Yes, but you were nearly killed, weren't you, and took some of them down even when you were about to faint..." She found it was better just to shut up, as Narle only seemed interested in the sound of her own voice. She didn't even stop talking when she was vigorously scrubbing the taint from her hand and feet with a potion that, as even someone as dim-witted as Narle knew, could be fatal if misused. The only thing that stopped her annoyance in its tracks was the shirt she brought up for her.
Delaney wasn't exactly a style fanatic, but even she had to admit that this was a beautiful, if plain, piece of clothing. The cloth was softer than cotton, and a pretty shade of forest green, one that would blend in perfectly with the surrounding woods. It was longer than a normal shirt, reaching almost halfway down her thighs, but it wasn't baggy. On the contrary, it was tailored to cling to her figure, with a fitted bodice area, and the bottom ballooned out slightly, almost like a skirt. Narle took out a pair of scissors and trimmed away the excess bandages, so they wouldn't look so bulky underneath the shirt. When she put it on, it felt better than just bandages. Plus, it was spaghetti straps. Delaney's body didn't look good in spaghetti straps. Rosellyn's body did. All the while, Narle had barely stopped to breathe. When she was finally done, Narle left, gathering up her supplies and muttering non-stop under her breath. She wasn't sorry to see the back of her. When was Linka going to come? Would Tracie or Forest drop by? Where were those twins? Tracie never stayed in a pet about her age this long, no matter how much Forest taunted. She grinned. One of the older, more grumpier Elves, probably grabbed them by the ears and tossed them out to go home. She idled at the window and looked out at the beach, now devoid of playing children. Whatever people wanted to say about Awaren, he acted fast when he saw a threat to his population. She was on the wrong side of the lake to see, but she assumed that Legolas had been scrubbed and sent home. At least Legolas had a home. Rosellyn didn't have parents that she knew of. Her dad had walked off on her when she was infant, taking her two older siblings, a sister named Kellys and a brother named Ellywin. She had lived with her mother until she was 1,396. It was then that the Riders had fixed their eye on the forest. At first, they had done the stupidest thing possible, and mounted a major attack on the Elves deep in their own territory. Her mother had been in the defense, and died saving Awaren's son, Syndar. Her mother had been carried off the field, and died an hour later, her last remaining family member by her side. It was then that Rosellyn had inherited Diamondsong, owning two knives when most Elves her age only had one. Syndar had died of his wounds a few days later, despite her mother's efforts. Because of her mother's sacrifice, she was brought to Linka's attention, and was placed in what Delaney could only describe as Elven foster care, unusual as Elves rarely became orphans. She had known Tracie and Forest as long as she could remember, but only met Legolas through Forest in class 200 years or so ago. Delaney felt sorry for Rosellyn as she had never felt sorry for herself. At least she had her mother. ~I don't need your pity,~ spat Rosellyn. She silently took the hint and stopped that thread of thought. -I'm sorry.- ~Don't be. At least I can carry a knife worth spitting over.~ -Where I come from, we don't need to carry knives, or learn how to use them, unless you want to.- ~Sounds nice. People don't invade you?~ -They don't dare.- ~Hm. Maybe Men do know more than we give them credit for.~ -Thanks. Coming from an Elf, that means a lot. I can show you.- They had never spoken this long before. But when you're bored, even an Elf in your mind is better company than none. Rosellyn sounded like she desperately trying to cover up excitement with badly feigned boredom. ~How do you propose to do that?~ -I can write about it. About where I come from. It'll work, I know it will. Where do you keep your writing stuff?- With a few directions from Rosellyn, she located some strange kind of paper and quill pens of all things! Maybe pens should be introduced, and fast. Or not. Elves had a perfectly good lifestyle; it wasn't for her to mess it up. ~Then don't. Write it like it's not real. Like a real story.~ She nodded, even though she knew Rosellyn couldn't see. She sat down and started writing right away. At first she was at a loss, but with a few promptings from Rosellyn, she gradually formed a character basis and a mild plot line.
"Helen Smith lived in a place called Manhattan, on a planet called Earth..." By the time Linka finally came for her, she had written a good five pages and was halfway through a sixth. Rosellyn was eating this stuff up, fascinated. She hadn't realized Linka had entered the room until she spoke.
"I never knew you had such a talent for writing, Rosellyn. Such imagination and reality! I should like to read the finished product." Delaney had imagination, loads of it, but she could never have created a society as complex as her own. She smiled at the compliment anyway.
"Thank you. I just had an inspiration and had to write it down. Is Legolas going to be okay? Where are Tracie and Forest?"
"Legolas will be fine, just as you will be. Tracie and Forest were caught up by some of our more venerable members of society and convinced that they would be better contributions at home."
"Is the lake water really poisoned?"
"Poisoned is the wrong word, dear. If you drink it, you won't get sick. Tainted is a better word. Whether intentionally or purposely, the enemy has put black steel in the lake. Your arrowhead, coming from the enemy, attracts it as only black steel does. Awaren tried his own black dagger on the water, and it responded not a whit. I think the water is more dangerous to those who have handled black steel. This rules out most of our colony, as Legolas and Awaren are the only ones who possess any, to the good of my knowledge. But don't worry, he'll be fine as long as he washes with that solution. I gave him some of it, so he'll be safe. I sent him home as well."
"When's it my turn? When can I go back to Damita's place?" Linka's face grew inexplicably grave.
"Rose, it hurts me that I've yet to hear you call Damita's house your home. Or any place, for that matter. Is something wrong?"
"No...nothing's wrong..." Maybe Rosellyn should handle this. She receded, letting the presence that was her Elf friend slide up to prominence. Then she kept quiet and listened.
Rosellyn was silent for a few moments, savoring the feel of muscle control for a few moments before answering. "My dad's still out there, as far as I know, or if he's taken a human lover, then my brother and sister are out there. I just want to be with the rest of my family again, my real family. I love Damita, and I couldn't ask for a better place to live, but I want my family. Am I well enough to go back?"
"I'm sorry to hear that, Rosellyn. No, Awaren and I want to at least try and keep you here until your arm heals. Though the way you're going, you may get out of here as quickly as you can find a way. So what plans have you been contemplating? Getting your friends to arrange a boat in the middle of the night? No? You know they'd do it. They're completely devoted to you, as you are to them. So, what are your plans?" She smiled mysteriously.
"Well, if I told you, you'd stop me, wouldn't you?" Linka smiled back.
"Here's the deal: you get out of here without getting caught, you can stay. If we catch you, you get a day added on to your sentence. Every time you get caught, mind. Deal?" Linka solemnly extended her hand. Just as solemn, Delaney shook it.
"Deal." With the times she snuck out of home, this should be a snap. Not that she snuck out to go anywhere; she didn't have anywhere to go. She just did it to see if she could, and every time she did it, she took a different route, and never got caught. -This is where you come in, Rosellyn.- ~Rose, please.~ -One good turn deserves another. Call me Della. You going to help?- ~Oh, yeah. We're in this together, you know.~ -Hard to miss.- She smiled. Linka had left. This added a bit of intrigue. -How long should we stay?- ~Oh, at least half a week or so. This is a healing process, after all.~ -You know best.- ~Of course I do. Keep writing.~ -Gotcha.- She started back on the writing process. Unlike some of her other projects, she never lost interest in it. Maybe because it was real. It was all real. It wasn't writing, it was documentation. Rose was perpetually awestruck, and Delaney was all too willing to supply mental images when Rose's imagination couldn't conceive the picture. Such items were cars, apartment buildings, any high rise prospects, airplanes, space shuttles, and cats. Apparently, the Elves didn't keep pets. By the time she finally admitted to being tired, it was dark, the sky a rich midnight blue, spattered with stars and the pinnacle of the night, a perfect sliver of a golden moon suspended in the heavens. -Wow. We've got nothing like the sky you have.- She stopped for a moment. -Well, not where I live, at least. But some places are still this pretty. I wonder how long it's going to last.- ~I was reading your book, and I envied your world so. But if you have to give up the natural beauty of everything, what's the point? Do these cat things contribute to that?~ -No. Cats are officially innocent.- ~Good. They're cute.~ Delaney grinned. Some things never change.
A/N: Sorry this was a bit late; really fell behind. I'll try to be better in the future!
A/N: Thank you for all your positive reviews! And for that unnamed person who flamed me, thanks for that as well. But please leave a name in the future. Read on!
Chapter 6: Poisoned
Delaney was stunned. Using Rosellyn's preoccupation, she slid into control, but she couldn't shake the feeling of the water. She was no Elf, but even with her limited human senses could tell that something was not right in that water. And the way the arrowhead had acted around the water. What was that about? ~It means that someone's put black steel in the water, whether they meant to or not, and it's still there.~ Rosellyn was in a foul mood now that Delaney wouldn't let her gain control. Would she ever be used to this? She just wanted to experience being near Legolas, she wouldn't have made a fool out of herself, if that's what Rosellyn was worried about. When she heard Rose's voice inside her head for the first time, it was a surprise, and it was somewhat pleasant. If they could talk, maybe they could end the snipping. Or not. This was fun, too. They still hadn't said a word, but it was basically understood that they were going to Awaren. If anyone could deal with this, he could, or Linka could. Where were Tracie and Forest? They must have ended the chase by now, and they should be bumping into them. Maybe they couldn't find them and went home. Over that tainted water...the thought made her skin crawl, as it had when she touched the water. And Legolas was soaked in that water. That couldn't bode well for him. They rounded a corner and slapped right into Linka.
"Hello there, Rosellyn, it's good to see you out of bed. Legolas...why are you all wet?"
"That's what we came here for," she panted, and started to tell the story, Legolas throwing in details that she missed, even inconsequential ones. Linka's face grew more and more grave with every passing word. When the tale finally wound to a close, Linka put her arm around Legolas and started to lead him away.
"This is serious, and I'm glad you came straight to me. Legolas, you need to get clean. Rose, go back to your room for now, I'll send someone to you to see about getting a shirt that will fit over those bandages and get you cleaned up a mite yourself. Got that? Stay in your room, I'll come for you." With that, she and Legolas disappeared around a corner. Alone, dispirited, and harboring a growing sense of uncleanness, she walked slowly, head down, back to her room. As soon as she closed the door, she opened it for a friendly-looking Elf girl, maybe 1600 or so, with mystical blue eyes and bright blonde hair that fell as long as hers. As she set up camp at the vanity, she chattered constantly.
"Hello, I'm Narle, what's your name?" Before she had even opened her mouth, Narle answered her own question. "It's Rosellyn, isn't it? Linka told me about what you did, and I think that's just wonderfully brave of you. How many were there in that band again? Oh yes, a score and a half of them, and you showed them who's boss!"
"My friend Tracie took care of most of them-"
"Yes, but you were nearly killed, weren't you, and took some of them down even when you were about to faint..." She found it was better just to shut up, as Narle only seemed interested in the sound of her own voice. She didn't even stop talking when she was vigorously scrubbing the taint from her hand and feet with a potion that, as even someone as dim-witted as Narle knew, could be fatal if misused. The only thing that stopped her annoyance in its tracks was the shirt she brought up for her.
Delaney wasn't exactly a style fanatic, but even she had to admit that this was a beautiful, if plain, piece of clothing. The cloth was softer than cotton, and a pretty shade of forest green, one that would blend in perfectly with the surrounding woods. It was longer than a normal shirt, reaching almost halfway down her thighs, but it wasn't baggy. On the contrary, it was tailored to cling to her figure, with a fitted bodice area, and the bottom ballooned out slightly, almost like a skirt. Narle took out a pair of scissors and trimmed away the excess bandages, so they wouldn't look so bulky underneath the shirt. When she put it on, it felt better than just bandages. Plus, it was spaghetti straps. Delaney's body didn't look good in spaghetti straps. Rosellyn's body did. All the while, Narle had barely stopped to breathe. When she was finally done, Narle left, gathering up her supplies and muttering non-stop under her breath. She wasn't sorry to see the back of her. When was Linka going to come? Would Tracie or Forest drop by? Where were those twins? Tracie never stayed in a pet about her age this long, no matter how much Forest taunted. She grinned. One of the older, more grumpier Elves, probably grabbed them by the ears and tossed them out to go home. She idled at the window and looked out at the beach, now devoid of playing children. Whatever people wanted to say about Awaren, he acted fast when he saw a threat to his population. She was on the wrong side of the lake to see, but she assumed that Legolas had been scrubbed and sent home. At least Legolas had a home. Rosellyn didn't have parents that she knew of. Her dad had walked off on her when she was infant, taking her two older siblings, a sister named Kellys and a brother named Ellywin. She had lived with her mother until she was 1,396. It was then that the Riders had fixed their eye on the forest. At first, they had done the stupidest thing possible, and mounted a major attack on the Elves deep in their own territory. Her mother had been in the defense, and died saving Awaren's son, Syndar. Her mother had been carried off the field, and died an hour later, her last remaining family member by her side. It was then that Rosellyn had inherited Diamondsong, owning two knives when most Elves her age only had one. Syndar had died of his wounds a few days later, despite her mother's efforts. Because of her mother's sacrifice, she was brought to Linka's attention, and was placed in what Delaney could only describe as Elven foster care, unusual as Elves rarely became orphans. She had known Tracie and Forest as long as she could remember, but only met Legolas through Forest in class 200 years or so ago. Delaney felt sorry for Rosellyn as she had never felt sorry for herself. At least she had her mother. ~I don't need your pity,~ spat Rosellyn. She silently took the hint and stopped that thread of thought. -I'm sorry.- ~Don't be. At least I can carry a knife worth spitting over.~ -Where I come from, we don't need to carry knives, or learn how to use them, unless you want to.- ~Sounds nice. People don't invade you?~ -They don't dare.- ~Hm. Maybe Men do know more than we give them credit for.~ -Thanks. Coming from an Elf, that means a lot. I can show you.- They had never spoken this long before. But when you're bored, even an Elf in your mind is better company than none. Rosellyn sounded like she desperately trying to cover up excitement with badly feigned boredom. ~How do you propose to do that?~ -I can write about it. About where I come from. It'll work, I know it will. Where do you keep your writing stuff?- With a few directions from Rosellyn, she located some strange kind of paper and quill pens of all things! Maybe pens should be introduced, and fast. Or not. Elves had a perfectly good lifestyle; it wasn't for her to mess it up. ~Then don't. Write it like it's not real. Like a real story.~ She nodded, even though she knew Rosellyn couldn't see. She sat down and started writing right away. At first she was at a loss, but with a few promptings from Rosellyn, she gradually formed a character basis and a mild plot line.
"Helen Smith lived in a place called Manhattan, on a planet called Earth..." By the time Linka finally came for her, she had written a good five pages and was halfway through a sixth. Rosellyn was eating this stuff up, fascinated. She hadn't realized Linka had entered the room until she spoke.
"I never knew you had such a talent for writing, Rosellyn. Such imagination and reality! I should like to read the finished product." Delaney had imagination, loads of it, but she could never have created a society as complex as her own. She smiled at the compliment anyway.
"Thank you. I just had an inspiration and had to write it down. Is Legolas going to be okay? Where are Tracie and Forest?"
"Legolas will be fine, just as you will be. Tracie and Forest were caught up by some of our more venerable members of society and convinced that they would be better contributions at home."
"Is the lake water really poisoned?"
"Poisoned is the wrong word, dear. If you drink it, you won't get sick. Tainted is a better word. Whether intentionally or purposely, the enemy has put black steel in the lake. Your arrowhead, coming from the enemy, attracts it as only black steel does. Awaren tried his own black dagger on the water, and it responded not a whit. I think the water is more dangerous to those who have handled black steel. This rules out most of our colony, as Legolas and Awaren are the only ones who possess any, to the good of my knowledge. But don't worry, he'll be fine as long as he washes with that solution. I gave him some of it, so he'll be safe. I sent him home as well."
"When's it my turn? When can I go back to Damita's place?" Linka's face grew inexplicably grave.
"Rose, it hurts me that I've yet to hear you call Damita's house your home. Or any place, for that matter. Is something wrong?"
"No...nothing's wrong..." Maybe Rosellyn should handle this. She receded, letting the presence that was her Elf friend slide up to prominence. Then she kept quiet and listened.
Rosellyn was silent for a few moments, savoring the feel of muscle control for a few moments before answering. "My dad's still out there, as far as I know, or if he's taken a human lover, then my brother and sister are out there. I just want to be with the rest of my family again, my real family. I love Damita, and I couldn't ask for a better place to live, but I want my family. Am I well enough to go back?"
"I'm sorry to hear that, Rosellyn. No, Awaren and I want to at least try and keep you here until your arm heals. Though the way you're going, you may get out of here as quickly as you can find a way. So what plans have you been contemplating? Getting your friends to arrange a boat in the middle of the night? No? You know they'd do it. They're completely devoted to you, as you are to them. So, what are your plans?" She smiled mysteriously.
"Well, if I told you, you'd stop me, wouldn't you?" Linka smiled back.
"Here's the deal: you get out of here without getting caught, you can stay. If we catch you, you get a day added on to your sentence. Every time you get caught, mind. Deal?" Linka solemnly extended her hand. Just as solemn, Delaney shook it.
"Deal." With the times she snuck out of home, this should be a snap. Not that she snuck out to go anywhere; she didn't have anywhere to go. She just did it to see if she could, and every time she did it, she took a different route, and never got caught. -This is where you come in, Rosellyn.- ~Rose, please.~ -One good turn deserves another. Call me Della. You going to help?- ~Oh, yeah. We're in this together, you know.~ -Hard to miss.- She smiled. Linka had left. This added a bit of intrigue. -How long should we stay?- ~Oh, at least half a week or so. This is a healing process, after all.~ -You know best.- ~Of course I do. Keep writing.~ -Gotcha.- She started back on the writing process. Unlike some of her other projects, she never lost interest in it. Maybe because it was real. It was all real. It wasn't writing, it was documentation. Rose was perpetually awestruck, and Delaney was all too willing to supply mental images when Rose's imagination couldn't conceive the picture. Such items were cars, apartment buildings, any high rise prospects, airplanes, space shuttles, and cats. Apparently, the Elves didn't keep pets. By the time she finally admitted to being tired, it was dark, the sky a rich midnight blue, spattered with stars and the pinnacle of the night, a perfect sliver of a golden moon suspended in the heavens. -Wow. We've got nothing like the sky you have.- She stopped for a moment. -Well, not where I live, at least. But some places are still this pretty. I wonder how long it's going to last.- ~I was reading your book, and I envied your world so. But if you have to give up the natural beauty of everything, what's the point? Do these cat things contribute to that?~ -No. Cats are officially innocent.- ~Good. They're cute.~ Delaney grinned. Some things never change.
A/N: Sorry this was a bit late; really fell behind. I'll try to be better in the future!