*Disclaimer* I own nothing. It's so sad...
A/N: Okay, so let's recap: Benvenue kissed Rosellyn, which Legolas accidentally walked in on, and is now inexplicably angry. In the middle of all the yelling and whatnot, Tracie bursts in and relays the news that Eleria and Meira have been kidnapped by the Riders. What does this mean for Legolas and Rosellyn's relationship? And how did the Riders get their hands on Eleria and Meira to begin with? Read on!
Chapter 25-A New Plan
The next few days were a misery for Rosellyn. The Riders were displaying their prizes for all to see, and demanded a cease-fire. Meira and Ellie were staked out in front of the camp, bound hand and foot. One of the Elves got so angry at the cease-fire demand that he shot the herald clean through the throat before anyone could stop him. In reply, one of the officers drew his knife and shoved it against Meira's throat, forcing her head back. Awaren had remonstrated the Elf and given in to the cease-fire. Meira remained stoic throughout, never once crying, though Ellie often did. Damita was inconsolable. She only picked at her food, refused to see her adopted daughter, and locked herself in her rooms, crying constantly. Linka's attempts at consolation fell flat.
Rosellyn could never remember feeling so helpless. If she could have her way, she'd swim out and rescue her little sisters. But she could hardly challenge the entire, continually growing camp to single combat. Things seemed to just be growing steadily worse and worse. She avoided Benvenue, and made sure he knew that she was, Fia seemed to grow more snobby by the second, Pellameliel was Pellameliel. Plus, the walls seemed to be closing in. This place, which always seemed so large to her, was insufferably small now. She had been everywhere, she couldn't go on the mainland...
On the plus side, now that it seemed she had abandoned Benvenue, Legolas was talking to her again. In fact, he seemed to be the only person that would talk to her. Tracie and Forest would just mumble something under their breath and walk on quickly. Everyone else just averted their eyes and jumped when she addressed them. Linka and Awaren would always glide by when she said hello, and if questioned about it, they would give a false smile and an 'Oh, I'm sorry, dearest, I didn't see you there.' It seemed that they wouldn't see her even if she jumped out in front of them and started shouting.
This was going to drive her absolutely insane.
One day, while talking to Legolas, something popped out of her mouth that she never intended:
"Legolas, if we could escape from here once, do you think we could do it again?" He sat up where he had been lying on the platform and looked at her sharply.
"What do you mean?" She flicked water on his nose, but her heart wasn't in the teasing. She was being serious.
"You know exactly what I mean. Do you think we could get off again?" Legolas looked at her and slowly shook his head.
"Rose, I know you want to help Ellie and Meira, but--I'm sorry--Rose, you can't do everything, help everyone. You just...can't." She shook her head violently, in denial, angry hot tears forming in her eyes.
"Legolas, you don't know what it's like," she said, "You don't know what it's like to be helpless and tied down while people threaten you!" He clasped her shoulder.
"Rose, I was there, no one was going to hurt you." But she ducked away from his comforting hand.
"Did that stop me from being terrified out of my wits? You're a good fighter, but you were outnumbered, and you said yourself: you can't do everything. We're immortal, but we're not invincible. You could have been killed, I could have been killed! Ellie and Meira don't even have the small comfort of having Legolas Greenleaf at their back; they're young, alone, and scared that any day now, someone's going to murder them in their sleep! And if you think that I'm going to just sit back and let this happen, you're damn well mistaken!" He stayed silent for several minutes.
"I'm an only child. I don't know what it would be like to have siblings in this kind of danger. But I know I would try to do something to free them, too."
"Then you'll help me. We need to--" He shook his head.
"I didn't say that, Rose. I would try to do something, but...Rosellyn, Rosellyn, just think for a moment! There's an entire army out there, with more Men coming in by the hour. This isn't like the smaller little camps; if someone sneezed, we'd have more than 2,000 soldiers down on us. You saw them, Rose; they might not be the brightest stars in the sky, but they can use their weapons and their numbers to overcome us."
"Would the older people listen to you, Legolas? How many agree with what Awaren is doing?" Legolas sighed and shook his head.
"Rose, are you listening to me at all?"
"How many?" He took a deep breath.
"Slim to none. Most think we should have struck them in the beginning."
"Will they listen to someone as young as you?"
"Rose..." She pressed on, as though she didn't hear his denial.
"Will they? Or are they more like to listen to someone older?" He looked doubtful.
"Probably someone older, I should think. But..." he hesitated, wondering if he should go on. "Forest, Tracie, the 'reserve squad'...they'll listen. They'll follow me. They don't like what Awaren is doing any more than you or I." Rose completely blocked Delaney out; this was something she had to do on her own.
"The older fighters might listen to a group of you, if you're saying what they want to hear. But I don't know if they'll go against a direct order or not...it's a chance we'll have to take, I guess." Legolas looked out at the army, but she could tell he wasn't really seeing the Men, but rather seeing through them.
"I notice you said 'we'. You've dragged me into something else. But this is different. This is a life-or-death struggle. Don't tell me what your heart is thinking, Rosellyn, take awhile to think about it and tell me what your brain is thinking. To the extent of your knowledge of battles, skirmishes, and strategy: Can we pull this off?" Rose frowned and bit her lip slightly, thinking.
There were almost 2,000 Men in those camps. They had maybe a hundred more Elves than that here. Elves were good archers, pretty good with knives and swords, a match for this army. But the Warlord was smart, and he had captives. Ellie and Meira. And they were at a disadvantage, being in the center of attention here, but...with a good deal of luck and bravery...
She finally consulted Della. -Do you have any brothers or sisters?- Della seemed glad to be heard. ~No. I just live with my mom. My dad left. I think we could do this, Rose. With you, me, and Legolas putting our heads together, these Riders don't stand an icicle's chance in summer.~ Della had imagination, but not enough to delude herself. She could trust her friend's judgement. But still and all, 2,000 Men seemed like a lot...
"Yes," she said finally, "I think we could pull it off." She had never seen him look so grim before, ever.
"I was afraid you'd say that." He closed his eyes. "I'll talk to Forest and the rest tonight." She didn't smile; she couldn't summon up the proper mind-set to smile. But she threw her arms around him.
"I knew you'd help me. I can always count on you." He patted her back comfortingly, and before she knew what was happening, tears she had kept inside all this time flooded out. "Legolas, I'm scared, a million times more scared than when those Riders were making fun of me. Ellie and Meira, they're not even 1,000 yet, and look at them, captive like that. We could make a plan but...but Elves will die, maybe even the Elves we love. I could die, or you, or Tracie, or Forest...a soldier's not supposed to fear death, but what if I died, and Ellie and Meira never got free, or the Warlord never got taken? It would be all for nothing...Elves are immortal, I'm faced with eternity, but if it all got taken away..." He hugged her tightly.
"Don't say that," he said roughly, "just don't. You won't die, and I won't die. We'll make the plan the best one ever, you'll see. You won't die, and Ellie and Meira will be rescued, and the Warlord will be brought to heel. Mirkwood will be free again. It'll all work out, Rose. I swear it will."
A/N: Glad they're back on speaking terms, no? And we still don't know how Meira and Eleria were taken...(Well, you don't; I do. But when will I tell you? That's for you to find out!)
A/N: Okay, so let's recap: Benvenue kissed Rosellyn, which Legolas accidentally walked in on, and is now inexplicably angry. In the middle of all the yelling and whatnot, Tracie bursts in and relays the news that Eleria and Meira have been kidnapped by the Riders. What does this mean for Legolas and Rosellyn's relationship? And how did the Riders get their hands on Eleria and Meira to begin with? Read on!
Chapter 25-A New Plan
The next few days were a misery for Rosellyn. The Riders were displaying their prizes for all to see, and demanded a cease-fire. Meira and Ellie were staked out in front of the camp, bound hand and foot. One of the Elves got so angry at the cease-fire demand that he shot the herald clean through the throat before anyone could stop him. In reply, one of the officers drew his knife and shoved it against Meira's throat, forcing her head back. Awaren had remonstrated the Elf and given in to the cease-fire. Meira remained stoic throughout, never once crying, though Ellie often did. Damita was inconsolable. She only picked at her food, refused to see her adopted daughter, and locked herself in her rooms, crying constantly. Linka's attempts at consolation fell flat.
Rosellyn could never remember feeling so helpless. If she could have her way, she'd swim out and rescue her little sisters. But she could hardly challenge the entire, continually growing camp to single combat. Things seemed to just be growing steadily worse and worse. She avoided Benvenue, and made sure he knew that she was, Fia seemed to grow more snobby by the second, Pellameliel was Pellameliel. Plus, the walls seemed to be closing in. This place, which always seemed so large to her, was insufferably small now. She had been everywhere, she couldn't go on the mainland...
On the plus side, now that it seemed she had abandoned Benvenue, Legolas was talking to her again. In fact, he seemed to be the only person that would talk to her. Tracie and Forest would just mumble something under their breath and walk on quickly. Everyone else just averted their eyes and jumped when she addressed them. Linka and Awaren would always glide by when she said hello, and if questioned about it, they would give a false smile and an 'Oh, I'm sorry, dearest, I didn't see you there.' It seemed that they wouldn't see her even if she jumped out in front of them and started shouting.
This was going to drive her absolutely insane.
One day, while talking to Legolas, something popped out of her mouth that she never intended:
"Legolas, if we could escape from here once, do you think we could do it again?" He sat up where he had been lying on the platform and looked at her sharply.
"What do you mean?" She flicked water on his nose, but her heart wasn't in the teasing. She was being serious.
"You know exactly what I mean. Do you think we could get off again?" Legolas looked at her and slowly shook his head.
"Rose, I know you want to help Ellie and Meira, but--I'm sorry--Rose, you can't do everything, help everyone. You just...can't." She shook her head violently, in denial, angry hot tears forming in her eyes.
"Legolas, you don't know what it's like," she said, "You don't know what it's like to be helpless and tied down while people threaten you!" He clasped her shoulder.
"Rose, I was there, no one was going to hurt you." But she ducked away from his comforting hand.
"Did that stop me from being terrified out of my wits? You're a good fighter, but you were outnumbered, and you said yourself: you can't do everything. We're immortal, but we're not invincible. You could have been killed, I could have been killed! Ellie and Meira don't even have the small comfort of having Legolas Greenleaf at their back; they're young, alone, and scared that any day now, someone's going to murder them in their sleep! And if you think that I'm going to just sit back and let this happen, you're damn well mistaken!" He stayed silent for several minutes.
"I'm an only child. I don't know what it would be like to have siblings in this kind of danger. But I know I would try to do something to free them, too."
"Then you'll help me. We need to--" He shook his head.
"I didn't say that, Rose. I would try to do something, but...Rosellyn, Rosellyn, just think for a moment! There's an entire army out there, with more Men coming in by the hour. This isn't like the smaller little camps; if someone sneezed, we'd have more than 2,000 soldiers down on us. You saw them, Rose; they might not be the brightest stars in the sky, but they can use their weapons and their numbers to overcome us."
"Would the older people listen to you, Legolas? How many agree with what Awaren is doing?" Legolas sighed and shook his head.
"Rose, are you listening to me at all?"
"How many?" He took a deep breath.
"Slim to none. Most think we should have struck them in the beginning."
"Will they listen to someone as young as you?"
"Rose..." She pressed on, as though she didn't hear his denial.
"Will they? Or are they more like to listen to someone older?" He looked doubtful.
"Probably someone older, I should think. But..." he hesitated, wondering if he should go on. "Forest, Tracie, the 'reserve squad'...they'll listen. They'll follow me. They don't like what Awaren is doing any more than you or I." Rose completely blocked Delaney out; this was something she had to do on her own.
"The older fighters might listen to a group of you, if you're saying what they want to hear. But I don't know if they'll go against a direct order or not...it's a chance we'll have to take, I guess." Legolas looked out at the army, but she could tell he wasn't really seeing the Men, but rather seeing through them.
"I notice you said 'we'. You've dragged me into something else. But this is different. This is a life-or-death struggle. Don't tell me what your heart is thinking, Rosellyn, take awhile to think about it and tell me what your brain is thinking. To the extent of your knowledge of battles, skirmishes, and strategy: Can we pull this off?" Rose frowned and bit her lip slightly, thinking.
There were almost 2,000 Men in those camps. They had maybe a hundred more Elves than that here. Elves were good archers, pretty good with knives and swords, a match for this army. But the Warlord was smart, and he had captives. Ellie and Meira. And they were at a disadvantage, being in the center of attention here, but...with a good deal of luck and bravery...
She finally consulted Della. -Do you have any brothers or sisters?- Della seemed glad to be heard. ~No. I just live with my mom. My dad left. I think we could do this, Rose. With you, me, and Legolas putting our heads together, these Riders don't stand an icicle's chance in summer.~ Della had imagination, but not enough to delude herself. She could trust her friend's judgement. But still and all, 2,000 Men seemed like a lot...
"Yes," she said finally, "I think we could pull it off." She had never seen him look so grim before, ever.
"I was afraid you'd say that." He closed his eyes. "I'll talk to Forest and the rest tonight." She didn't smile; she couldn't summon up the proper mind-set to smile. But she threw her arms around him.
"I knew you'd help me. I can always count on you." He patted her back comfortingly, and before she knew what was happening, tears she had kept inside all this time flooded out. "Legolas, I'm scared, a million times more scared than when those Riders were making fun of me. Ellie and Meira, they're not even 1,000 yet, and look at them, captive like that. We could make a plan but...but Elves will die, maybe even the Elves we love. I could die, or you, or Tracie, or Forest...a soldier's not supposed to fear death, but what if I died, and Ellie and Meira never got free, or the Warlord never got taken? It would be all for nothing...Elves are immortal, I'm faced with eternity, but if it all got taken away..." He hugged her tightly.
"Don't say that," he said roughly, "just don't. You won't die, and I won't die. We'll make the plan the best one ever, you'll see. You won't die, and Ellie and Meira will be rescued, and the Warlord will be brought to heel. Mirkwood will be free again. It'll all work out, Rose. I swear it will."
A/N: Glad they're back on speaking terms, no? And we still don't know how Meira and Eleria were taken...(Well, you don't; I do. But when will I tell you? That's for you to find out!)