Yay, another chapter! And I'm FINALLY going to watch Hidalgo tonight! And I'm 15 on Tuesday!!!!!! This week is soooooooo cool. Plus I babysat last night and got £20! Now that's quite good when all I did was watch X-Factor and music channels on Satellite!
So yeh, I'm in a VERY good mood!
Thanks for all me reviews, and now I'll get on with posting this chapter.
Faerlain
Crecy – Thanks, I needed that! I don't think anyone else actually DID slap me! Properly. I got soft ones! That's kinda a good thing though; else I'd have a rather stinging cheek now! If that makes sense……
I don't get the C2 Community thingy. Looks too confusing for me! Thanks anyway, and thanks for reviewing.
Manwathiel – I aim to please! Cliffies rule! When its you that's writing them that is. Romance is great! Too much can get a tad boring at times, but everyone needs a bit of love! Hope I updated quickly enough for you 'Lil Miss Bouncy, and thanks for reviewing!
ilihyceniwast – A hunk of junk? You been watching Grease or something? At least I've written something. And as for insecure and misinformed…whatever. I only removed the reviews that insulted me personally. I don't really like being called a bitch, thanks very much.
DaydreamingTurtle – Calcium Kid RULES!!!!!! Man Orli is so F.I.T!!!! Leggy has been at your school? Right, I think I had better have a word with my Elf.
LEGOLAS!!!!!!
Leggy: Ah crap…
Me: Get here NOW!
Oh, and er…thanks for reviewing DT.
Tiara Shin – Lovey-dovey is lovely! Thanks for the gentle slap. You ARE happy with Haldir, right? We could swap! Only for a little while though. I love my Leggy too much to give him up forever! MWAH!!!!
Leggy: Urgh, Emma!!!!! Wipes cheek.
Me: Teehee!
Yeah, so, anyway, where was I?
I'll put Thêlithil as much as I want, trust me! You should know me by now dear! Dutch? Sounds hard. 2 weeks of school now. Sigh. BUT I'M 15 ON TUESDAY!!! WOO!!!!!! GCSE's are state qualifications to help you get jobs and stuff when you're older. Put it this way, I've got 2 years of coursework ahead of me, then the final exams. With mocks and stuff all in between. Great! Note sarcasm…
Right, more kisses I think! LEGOLAS! In your own words, laters! Scoots.
krillball6 – Romantic is good, yes? Yay! Me love good reviews! You got MSN? We can talk! Gimme your addy in a review, and I'll add you. Woo, that'll be fun! Thanks for you happy happy review
PopcornandGreenery – And it's the reviewer with the super cool name! LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll just sweep up the exploded bits of you then shall I? Oops! There are suckers for fluff all round , trust me! Thanks for reviewing.
Rayame325- Oooooh, I seeeee! Lol, I get it now! I'm a bit slow you see! Thanks for reviewing, and enjoy this chapter.
ShadowStar21- Snickers too. I love that word! Snickers! Reminds of giggling while eating the choccy bar! Thanks for reviewing.
dracademented – I like making people show up unexpectedly. I'll see what I can conjure up out of my story bag! It's a well cool bag! Silver and green, colours of Mirkwood, lol! Leggy kisses all round I say! MWAH! Thanks for reviewing.
Chapter 8: Nethwen.
"Noro lim Antval, noro lim!"
We galloped for days over grass and rock, hillock and stream. We were heading for The White City, Minas Tirith. I had to get there; I just had to.
On and on we travelled; only stopping for very brief periods for water and for Antval to rest. We even continued through the night. I had a sword strapped to my side, and also a bow and quiver that I had borrowed from the people of Edoras. Well, I say borrowed. No one had actually given it to me. I was going to give it back though, when I saw them again!
No one had seen me leave. I had just…snuck out one night. I had been there for what seemed like years. Then…I don't know what it was, but I felt…something, inside of me. And I knew that the Ring had been destroyed. Like, a veil of darkness had been lifted from my face. I had been in great pain for a few days, then, as soon as I had felt better, I had left for the City.
Drastic, I know, but I had to see if Legolas was all right.
Talking of Legolas…
I don't think it's going to work. Now I look at things, it just isn't right. He's a Prince, and I'm…well, what am I? Orc or Elf? Most people are saying I am pure Elf now, but I do not know. It's all so confusing.
A few kisses, that's all we've had. Nothing major. And he saved my life, but that doesn't mean I have to love him. Does it? Or is he my knight in shining armour, my Prince Charming to overcome all evil to rescue me, the poor damsel in distress?
Ha, in my dreams.
Perhaps I was just dreaming it all. Perhaps none of it happened at all. He saved me, but we did not love each other. That part was just all in my head.
As we crest over a hilltop, I see Minas Tirith laid out before me in all its glory. Well, kind of. Still smoking in places, boulders, and bits of the wall left here and there. I can see machines that the enemy used against us still on the Pelennor Field. Charred and broken. Some huge, grey things as well, with what look like baskets on their backs.
As I get nearer, I see that they are Mûmakil from the South. And the baskets are war towers. So Sauron had the Haradrim help him as well. Yet we still defeated him.
I urge Antval into the fastest gallop she can manage, and charge towards the City. As we draw closer, I can see some soldiers walking along what's left of the defensive walls. Will they even let me in?
I reach them main path and go along it. I reach where the gates used to be before…something, destroyed them, and stop. There are some guards there, and they're giving me funny looks. I sigh, and lower my hood.
"What business do you have in the White City, Elf?" one asks.
"Elf maiden if you don't mind," I can't help replying curtly. I am female, aren't I…?
I see his disapproving look, and feel rather smug inside.
"Well?" he asks again. "What is your business in Minas Tirith, my Lady?"
I ignore the sarcastic tone, and instead answer. "I am a messenger from Rohan Sir. My name is Thêlithil. Prince Legolas knows me, as does Lord Aragorn, Lord Gimli, Gandalf…" I'm counting them off on my fingers.
"Ok, ok," he says, and they part to let me through. I smile at them, and then follow the guard who will lead me up to the seventh circle, or wherever the others are.
We don't talk much. I ask him a few questions about what happened, and he gives me a few mumbled answers. So I give up in the end. It's obviously painful to relive that battle. I'll ask Legolas later.
Finally we reach the sixth circle where I am to stable Antval, and guess who's there. No, not Legolas, but Gimli. He sees me, grins, and hurries over to help me down. "Well, well, well, this is a surprise Lady Thêlithil. What brings you to Minas Tirith? Or what's left of it," he adds in an undertone.
I laugh. "Guess Gimli."
He laughs too, and leads me up to the seventh circle. "Legolas refused to shut up about you," he told me. "Always worrying about you, wondering how you were, hoping you were still in Edoras as he requested…"
"He needs to relax a bit," I reply, looking around me with interest. It's nice up here. "I am perfectly capable of looking after myself. He just doesn't understand that."
Gimli shrugged. "He cares is all lassie. He cares a great deal about you."
"And I care about him, but…"
I trail off as we reach the palace. It's rather quiet, and my voice sounds rather loud. The guards open the doors for us, and we walk in, straight into the throne room.
Aragorn's sat on his throne, but he doesn't look too happy about it. Surrounding him are Éomer, Faramir, Gandalf, and Legolas. They all turn when the doors open, and a couple of jaws hit the floor. I smile sheepishly, and walk up to them with Gimli.
"Look who I found in the stables," he announces. He turns to me and winks. "Lady Thêlithil."
I bow my head respectfully to Aragorn, and he just grins. "Welcome to the White City Lady Thêlithil," he says graciously.
"Thank you my Lord," I reply, smiling a little more. I glance over at Legolas, but his expression is unreadable. I think that's a bad sign…
"You have obviously journeyed a long way," Aragorn continues, oblivious to my discomfort of Legolas' neutral mask. "I shall see to it that rooms are made ready for you."
"I know of a free guest room," Legolas said softly. "I shall show Lady Thêlithil to it, if you can spare me for a few minutes."
Aragorn nodded. "Certainly Legolas."
He inclined his head to follow him, and so I did, out of the throne room and down a long corridor. He doesn't say a word, just keeps walking. Now I'm getting worried.
"Legolas?" I call softly.
He looks over his shoulder at me. "Yes?"
"What is wrong?"He just raises an eyebrow and turns back round. We reach a door, and he opens it for me. "Here you go my Lady. Rest now. Food will be brought to you shortly." He goes to leave, but I grab his arm.
"Legolas, echedi nin veren. As man?" (Legolas, please. What is it?)
"Nothing," he replies.
"I will not take that for an answer!" I can feel my anger building up inside me.
"The others are waiting my return…"
"They can wait!" I take a few deep breaths and lower my voice. "You are puzzling me Legolas. Tell me, what is it that I have done to offend you so?"
He comes in and shuts the door, leaning on it heavily. "You were supposed to stay in Edoras…"
"I could not stay there any longer! The people were there were very friendly, very kind, but…the atmosphere was stifling. I needed to get out; I needed…" I raised my hand to his cheek. "I needed to see you," I finished softly. "Aren't you happy to see me?"
"Of course I am," he answers, placing his hand over mine. "But you must understand. There is a lot of business to take care of now. Aragorn needs my help."
"I do understand that. But please, I can see it in your eyes. I have clearly done something else."
"No, its not you," he assures me, lowering my hand back down to my side. "It's me."
"What? I don't understand…"
"There is someone else Thêlithil."
Ow, that hurt.
It hurt a lot.
"Som…someone else?" I stutter, taking a step back.
He nods, his eyes looking at the floor. "Back in Mirkwood. I tried to tell you before, but…"
"But nothing!" I slap him as hard as I can, his head snapping to the right. "You got all angry because others hurt me. But that is nothing compared to what you have done! You…you…bastard!"
"Please Thêlithil, hear me out…"
"I don't want to hear your petty excuses Legolas. You used me."
"Never!" He took a step towards me, so I went back another one. "I never used you Thêlithil. I…I didn't think it meant anything, not to you. I thought…I didn't know if you truly loved me, or…"
"Legolas, I do not go around kissing random Princes just because I feel like it! Of course it meant something, to me even if not to you."
"I do not love her! Nethwen…she is a dear friend now. I…the War has changed me, you have changed me."
I just scoff. "Well, we'll wait and see what she says when we see her, yes? No doubt she is coming to see her brave warrior Prince. Until then, stay out of my face!" I turn and walk over to the window.
The door doesn't open. I can't hear him moving either. Then suddenly, he is beside me. How the hell does he do that? He leans against the window frame and looks at me. "Thêlithil, chen melin."
"Ha, I've heard that one before."
Esgalvîr…
"No, I mean it." He takes my hands and turns me round to face him. I look at the floor. He tilts my chin up so I have no choice but to look at him. "I really mean it. Chen melin." He brushes a hair out of my face. I can feel my anger waning. "Ech bain Thêlithil. Goheno nin." (You are beautiful Thêlithil. Forgive me)
"I don't know if I can," I whisper, and now the tears decide to make their appearance. "I…how can I? You never told me Legolas. This hurts, a lot. Sharper than any whip, deeper than any sword, hotter than any branding iron…I thought I had finally found someone who really cared for me, loved me. But I was just being stupid. I mean, whoever heard of an Orc being in love!" I twist out of his grasp and sit down on the side of the bed, head in my hands.
"You are not an Orc," he told me sternly, kneeling down in front of me and peeling my hands away. "You never were."
"Legolas…"
"I mean in here." He placed his hand over my heart, and found it beating wildly. "You were always an Elf, deep inside. Maybe on the outside, your appearance had changed with your surroundings, but inside…nothing can change your heart, not that dramatically. You are as pure an Elf as I am. I promise you that." He leant forward and brushed his lips over mine. "Echedi nin veren geheno nin melethen. Chen melin." (Please forgive me my love. I love you)
"Iston," I replied. (I doubt it)
"Don't believe me then," he says, standing up and letting my hands fall back to my lap. "But I love you. Nethwen doesn't matter to me anymore."
"Just because you're a Prince, doesn't mean you can have any girl you like," I say sharply, looking up at him. And I don't believe what I see.
There are tears in his eyes. Legolas, the great Prince of Mirkwood, fearsome Elven warrior from the War of the Ring, is crying, because of me.
Oh dear…
"You really think I do that?" he asks, one lone tear sliding down his face. "You honestly believe that I use people that way? If you do, you obviously don't know what love truly is, what it's about. Perhaps I should just forget you. There's no point loving someone who a) doesn't love me in return, and b) has no faith in me." He turns and storms out, the door slamming behind him.
I curse very loudly then, and fall back on my bed, crying and crying. Why do I always manage to mess up anything good that happens? I'm clearly just not meant to love anyone.
I'll leave tomorrow.
Um, yeah, she's er…going.
DON'T KILL ME!
Yet…
Btw, if anyone wants to chat on MSN, gimme your addy in a review and Ill add you. It won't show my addy on here, stupid editor thingy......
Until next time my faithful readers......
Faerlain
