*Disclaimer* I don't--heck with that...
A/N: Getting oh-so-close...tantalizingly close...but still not there yet. Ha ha. Get ready for some strange behavior from Legolas, and some frustration by Rose. Read on!
Chapter 32- Preparing for Battle
Two days after that exciting night, the news Rosellyn had been waiting for came to her via Legolas and Tracie.
"Everything is set, Rosellyn. We move out tomorrow night." Delaney was in charge at that moment, and she sat bolt upright in the desk chair, knocking it over in her haste.
"Tomorrow night? You're sure?" Legolas nodded, looking as serious as she had ever seen him look. And that was saying something.
"Positive. The army is ready, our friends are ready, the Valar knows I'm ready, are you ready?" This wasn't a question asked out of nicety; this was a true question. If she wasn't by now, she never would be. She hesitated.
Tomorrow night, the forest realm of Mirkwood might be won or lost.
Tomorrow night, hundreds of Elves might lose their lives.
Tomorrow night, she might lose the ones she loved.
Tomorrow night, she might live...or die...
She couldn't say which scared her more. Delaney was only a girl from Manhattan in an Elf's body. She had read books with fighting in them, but she had never fought in her life, until she joined with Rosellyn. Teenage girls had no business in warfare, but this had become her war, whether she liked it or no. She squared her shoulders.
"I'm ready. Bring it on." Legolas stood briskly.
"Good girl. I knew you would." There was a moment when the three of them stood there awkwardly. All knew that the other was thinking of the disasters that might befall them 24 hours hence. But finally, Legolas took the initiative. "Then...what else can I say? Rosellyn, I probably won't see you until then, so you know what you have to do to get ready. Good luck."
Then, in a move that surprised her, he threw his arms around her and buried his face in her hair, easy enough to do at his height. To her further shock, she felt a dampness in her hair the could only mean he was crying. Legolas Greenleaf was crying? Delaney didn't think a guy like Leoglas ever cried. This was the first time she'd seen him cry, after all, and even Rose said she couldn't recall him crying much. Or ever. She awkwardly patted him on the back several times, not knowing what else to do. He finally released her and gave Tracie the same treatment. Then, without another word, he ran from the room, sprinting like his mother was on his tail in a high fury.
"What," said Tracie, speaking slowly, "was that all about?" Delaney could only shrug helplessly. His strange behavior had unsettled her, but she couldn't help but remember how warm his arms were, and how...right...it felt when he held her. She could still feel a slight warmth where his arms had been, like burning brands pressed to her skin, as though he had passed his body heat onto her. It felt good. And it scared her.
That afternoon, the tension was beginning to take its toll on Rosellyn. Every hour seemed as though an eternity was going by. She flopped on Tracie's bed, tired of pacing.
"This is insane. The waiting is going to kill me." Tracie and Nellas, their roommate, looked at her.
"What do you mean?" asked Nellas sleepily, as though Rosellyn's voice had jerked her out of a deep sleep. But Nellas was always like that. Rose wondered if this girl was ever truly awake, or if the muddled quality to her voice was all for show. But Rosellyn went on to explain.
"I mean, when I fought the enemy scouts, I knew they were coming, and everything. But now...I have to wait to go to them, and I can't take it! I'll go mad." Tracie nodded sympathetically.
"I know, but it must be worse for you, seeing as, you know, you can't even go outside and you're stuck in this little box of a room." Rosellyn turned her head to her friend and rolled her eyes.
"Gee, Tracie, you always know just what to say to make me feel better," she snapped. When Tracie looked offended, Rose sighed.
"I'm sorry. That was rude. But if I don't get out of here soon, I'll scream. And then you can go and cover for the noise. Make whatever crazy excuse you like, the more bizarre the better. But I'll scream all the same." Tracie grinned, and Nellas merely looked confused.
"If you had any idea of the excuses we're making for you already, you wouldn't be near so quick to yell. But if you're absolutely desperate, these pillows muffle sound wonderfully."
Rosellyn had to admit, they most certainly did.
A/N: *sings* Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you're always a day awaaay... Maybe Della should sing that for Rose...or not. BATTLE IS NEARING!! *cue creepy music*
A/N: Getting oh-so-close...tantalizingly close...but still not there yet. Ha ha. Get ready for some strange behavior from Legolas, and some frustration by Rose. Read on!
Chapter 32- Preparing for Battle
Two days after that exciting night, the news Rosellyn had been waiting for came to her via Legolas and Tracie.
"Everything is set, Rosellyn. We move out tomorrow night." Delaney was in charge at that moment, and she sat bolt upright in the desk chair, knocking it over in her haste.
"Tomorrow night? You're sure?" Legolas nodded, looking as serious as she had ever seen him look. And that was saying something.
"Positive. The army is ready, our friends are ready, the Valar knows I'm ready, are you ready?" This wasn't a question asked out of nicety; this was a true question. If she wasn't by now, she never would be. She hesitated.
Tomorrow night, the forest realm of Mirkwood might be won or lost.
Tomorrow night, hundreds of Elves might lose their lives.
Tomorrow night, she might lose the ones she loved.
Tomorrow night, she might live...or die...
She couldn't say which scared her more. Delaney was only a girl from Manhattan in an Elf's body. She had read books with fighting in them, but she had never fought in her life, until she joined with Rosellyn. Teenage girls had no business in warfare, but this had become her war, whether she liked it or no. She squared her shoulders.
"I'm ready. Bring it on." Legolas stood briskly.
"Good girl. I knew you would." There was a moment when the three of them stood there awkwardly. All knew that the other was thinking of the disasters that might befall them 24 hours hence. But finally, Legolas took the initiative. "Then...what else can I say? Rosellyn, I probably won't see you until then, so you know what you have to do to get ready. Good luck."
Then, in a move that surprised her, he threw his arms around her and buried his face in her hair, easy enough to do at his height. To her further shock, she felt a dampness in her hair the could only mean he was crying. Legolas Greenleaf was crying? Delaney didn't think a guy like Leoglas ever cried. This was the first time she'd seen him cry, after all, and even Rose said she couldn't recall him crying much. Or ever. She awkwardly patted him on the back several times, not knowing what else to do. He finally released her and gave Tracie the same treatment. Then, without another word, he ran from the room, sprinting like his mother was on his tail in a high fury.
"What," said Tracie, speaking slowly, "was that all about?" Delaney could only shrug helplessly. His strange behavior had unsettled her, but she couldn't help but remember how warm his arms were, and how...right...it felt when he held her. She could still feel a slight warmth where his arms had been, like burning brands pressed to her skin, as though he had passed his body heat onto her. It felt good. And it scared her.
That afternoon, the tension was beginning to take its toll on Rosellyn. Every hour seemed as though an eternity was going by. She flopped on Tracie's bed, tired of pacing.
"This is insane. The waiting is going to kill me." Tracie and Nellas, their roommate, looked at her.
"What do you mean?" asked Nellas sleepily, as though Rosellyn's voice had jerked her out of a deep sleep. But Nellas was always like that. Rose wondered if this girl was ever truly awake, or if the muddled quality to her voice was all for show. But Rosellyn went on to explain.
"I mean, when I fought the enemy scouts, I knew they were coming, and everything. But now...I have to wait to go to them, and I can't take it! I'll go mad." Tracie nodded sympathetically.
"I know, but it must be worse for you, seeing as, you know, you can't even go outside and you're stuck in this little box of a room." Rosellyn turned her head to her friend and rolled her eyes.
"Gee, Tracie, you always know just what to say to make me feel better," she snapped. When Tracie looked offended, Rose sighed.
"I'm sorry. That was rude. But if I don't get out of here soon, I'll scream. And then you can go and cover for the noise. Make whatever crazy excuse you like, the more bizarre the better. But I'll scream all the same." Tracie grinned, and Nellas merely looked confused.
"If you had any idea of the excuses we're making for you already, you wouldn't be near so quick to yell. But if you're absolutely desperate, these pillows muffle sound wonderfully."
Rosellyn had to admit, they most certainly did.
A/N: *sings* Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you're always a day awaaay... Maybe Della should sing that for Rose...or not. BATTLE IS NEARING!! *cue creepy music*