Part 11
"You know I'll help you," Clark assured Chloe as they walked towards the pond. It had been five days since he and Chloe were reunited, five days since he woke up in this strange world that Chloe had become familiar with earlier than he had. However, uncharacteristically, it was Chloe who seemed to need him more. "You shouldn't let them treat you like crap, Chloe. The prince wouldn't have let them."
Even feeling as depressed as she did, Chloe managed to grin at Clark then. "What do you know about Legolas, Clark? You never met him."
"Hey do you know what a huge fan base the guy has in this place?" Clark exclaimed. "He's ten times as popular as Prince William!"
Chloe smiled and nodded. "He is rather famous, isn't he? He's earned it too. He's gorgeous, sexy and so brave."
"I hope you know you're gushing like the girls you hate."
Chloe shrugged. "You don't know the half of it."
"So why exactly is it that they hate you? Why does his dad hate you?"
Chloe's eyebrows arched at the blunt words. "The king doesn't hate me," she denied.
"Well he doesn't like you either," Clark reasoned.
Chloe recalled the look in the Elves' faces when she turned abruptly while walking, and she caught them glancing at her. She shivered, and Clark threw his arm around her shoulders. "I don't want to think about it, but it's really true. I met someone before in Rivendell, when Legolas took me there. She was an Elven princess, and she told me that Legolas' family, at least someone of his blood, will be my death. Creepy huh?" She tried a lopsided smile but failed.
Clark's forehead creased upon hearing those words. He set his jaw and tightened his arm around her shoulders. "They're gonna have to go through me first!" he pronounced.
"They're powerful, Clark. And this isn't our world."
"Well you've always said I was out of our world, right?" he said lightly. "Maybe here we're just at the same level."
"I don't know," she whispered. "But thanks for agreeing to take me to the pond."
Clark helped her up the smooth rock and moved to sit beside her. Chloe held up her hand to wave him off. "It's okay. I'll stay here. Go back."
"Are you crazy?" Clark asked. "Any animal can waltz up here and eat you."
"I'm inside Mirkwood, Clark. Nothing strays in here that Thranduil didn't first strain."
"And how did I get here then?"
He had a point. Still, Chloe could not really begin what she wanted to with him hanging around. "Clark, there are no wild animals here in Mirkwood. There aren't even those horrendous Orcs."
Clark did not want to leave, but he knew Chloe was stubborn. He had had years of experience in the obstinacy that was Chloe Sullivan. He would give her this. After all, she only had to say his name and he would be there in a split second. He only needed to train his superhearing in this direction.
Finally alone, Chloe shimmied forward on the stone until she was at the edge. She looked down intently at the still water and whispered, "Show him to me." She waited for a movement in the water, or for clouds from underneath to form into his beautiful image. There was no change. Chloe closed her eyes and repeated more firmly, "Show him to me." Again, she looked down and found nothing. "Legolas told me you would show me when I want. Show him to me," she urged the water.
Chloe's eyes drifted shut once more, and she repeated the words as if they were a litany. "Show him to me. Show me Legolas. Show me the Prince of Mirkwood."
Around her, there was no change, and she knew that the pool had failed her. She allowed no tears to fall even though inside she was heartbroken. Legolas should have fulfilled that promise. The pool should have fulfilled it for him. If a promise as simple as calling an image of him did not come about, then what of his promise to return.
"Show me the Prince of Mirkwood!" she demanded, even more loudly this time.
Frustrated, she did not allow her eyes to stray from the surface of the water. Perhaps, perhaps if she waited long enough, he would appear in all his glory, hale and safe and on his way back to her. She moved slowly until on the cold stone she on her stomach lay, still peering at the disappointing image.
"Chloe."
"Chloe."
"Chloe."
A hand on her back, and sudden warmth when she did not notice that it had gone cold. Chloe's eyes focused and she turned her head and saw Clark standing by the stone, looking at her with concern. A warm blanket now surrounded her. "Clark," she said, her voice surprisingly raspy. "I told you to go ahead and rest. I'll follow you at the dining hall."
"Chloe, I've had dinner. And I've slept."
She furrowed her brows. "That quickly?"
"You've been here for the better part of the night, Chlo. It's almost dawn." Clark motioned with his hand, and Chloe looked up at the dark sky. Slivers of silver and orange light peeked in the gray-blank heavens. She had been here for so long, and nothing. Chloe sighed heavily. "What were you doing anyway?"
Chloe shook her head. "Looking. Waiting."
"Did you find it?" he asked, as he helped her down. Chloe shivered and shook her head. He tucked the blanket more tightly around her and laid his arm around her shoulders. "That's okay," he assured her. "Maybe tomorrow night."
The two of them walked back to the forest kingdom. At the edge of the copse of trees that signaled the beginning of the Woodland Realm, Chloe looked up at Clark and said, "Thanks, Clark."
Clark smiled down at her, concerned about Chloe's preoccupation. He had not met the prince that everyone talked about. He did not even understand anything said in this place. He could see the looks Chloe received though. No one glared at her friend who did not receive a glare back from Clark. Legolas' name was on the lips of most of the Elven maids. He did not need to know the language to read how they thought of him. From what he gathered from Chloe's words and actions though, the cold shoulder she was receiving centered on her involvement with the prince.
He wondered if he was jealous. He searched inside himself for a sign of hurt at what he suspected Chloe shared with Legolas. It was not difficult to guess. The look in Chloe's eyes when she spoke of the prince told him much.
Yes. He was hurt by this. He asked himself if he loved Chloe and again, yes. Did he envy Legolas? Was he jealous of the absentee because of the amount of love that shone in Chloe's eyes for him? Was he angered by Legolas' absence while Chloe was treated like a pariah in the prince's own kingdom, by his own family?
Yes on all counts.
Did he want her for herself? Would he end this by snatching her away and finding a path back to Smallville? Would he remove Chloe from this place now?
And no, no, no.
Was it called an epiphany when all becomes clear? He loved her unquestionably, irrevocably and undeniably. He realized all these now, and he knew he would not take her away. Neither would he suffer her hurting. She was as close to his heart as his sister had he had any. If he loved her in another way, he could be selfish and juvenile and steal her away. He was sure he could defend her. Yet he loved her more and he wanted her happy. If her heart had to bleed to stay close to where Legolas had left her, then he would have to bleed with her. And he would.
"I love you, Chlo," he whispered. Then he leaned down and pressed a kiss on her forehead.
Chloe read the emotion in his eyes. Slowly, her sadness turned to a subtle joy and she smiled. "I love you too."
When they looked up, it was to meet the cold gaze of Thranduil King of the Woodland Realm. "The doom of the realm, I see, lies within the hearts of men. This have I known before the Shadows spread. You shall not bring about the downfall of my prince," he said, looking directly at Chloe. Thranduil's long robes shimmered as he turned abruptly and walked away.
"Chlo," Clark prodded, "Chlo, what did he say? He looked pissed."
She took a deep breath, Arwen's prophecy hanging over her head. It was not Tolfer. She knew it was not Tolfer that Arwen talked about. Chloe swallowed the knot in her throat and told Clark, "He said I shouldn't have stayed away so late. I could have gotten hurt."
Clark's eyebrows rose. "That's new. Didn't realize he cared."
"I doubt Legolas did either," she said, looking at the point where the king vanished into.
"You know I'll help you," Clark assured Chloe as they walked towards the pond. It had been five days since he and Chloe were reunited, five days since he woke up in this strange world that Chloe had become familiar with earlier than he had. However, uncharacteristically, it was Chloe who seemed to need him more. "You shouldn't let them treat you like crap, Chloe. The prince wouldn't have let them."
Even feeling as depressed as she did, Chloe managed to grin at Clark then. "What do you know about Legolas, Clark? You never met him."
"Hey do you know what a huge fan base the guy has in this place?" Clark exclaimed. "He's ten times as popular as Prince William!"
Chloe smiled and nodded. "He is rather famous, isn't he? He's earned it too. He's gorgeous, sexy and so brave."
"I hope you know you're gushing like the girls you hate."
Chloe shrugged. "You don't know the half of it."
"So why exactly is it that they hate you? Why does his dad hate you?"
Chloe's eyebrows arched at the blunt words. "The king doesn't hate me," she denied.
"Well he doesn't like you either," Clark reasoned.
Chloe recalled the look in the Elves' faces when she turned abruptly while walking, and she caught them glancing at her. She shivered, and Clark threw his arm around her shoulders. "I don't want to think about it, but it's really true. I met someone before in Rivendell, when Legolas took me there. She was an Elven princess, and she told me that Legolas' family, at least someone of his blood, will be my death. Creepy huh?" She tried a lopsided smile but failed.
Clark's forehead creased upon hearing those words. He set his jaw and tightened his arm around her shoulders. "They're gonna have to go through me first!" he pronounced.
"They're powerful, Clark. And this isn't our world."
"Well you've always said I was out of our world, right?" he said lightly. "Maybe here we're just at the same level."
"I don't know," she whispered. "But thanks for agreeing to take me to the pond."
Clark helped her up the smooth rock and moved to sit beside her. Chloe held up her hand to wave him off. "It's okay. I'll stay here. Go back."
"Are you crazy?" Clark asked. "Any animal can waltz up here and eat you."
"I'm inside Mirkwood, Clark. Nothing strays in here that Thranduil didn't first strain."
"And how did I get here then?"
He had a point. Still, Chloe could not really begin what she wanted to with him hanging around. "Clark, there are no wild animals here in Mirkwood. There aren't even those horrendous Orcs."
Clark did not want to leave, but he knew Chloe was stubborn. He had had years of experience in the obstinacy that was Chloe Sullivan. He would give her this. After all, she only had to say his name and he would be there in a split second. He only needed to train his superhearing in this direction.
Finally alone, Chloe shimmied forward on the stone until she was at the edge. She looked down intently at the still water and whispered, "Show him to me." She waited for a movement in the water, or for clouds from underneath to form into his beautiful image. There was no change. Chloe closed her eyes and repeated more firmly, "Show him to me." Again, she looked down and found nothing. "Legolas told me you would show me when I want. Show him to me," she urged the water.
Chloe's eyes drifted shut once more, and she repeated the words as if they were a litany. "Show him to me. Show me Legolas. Show me the Prince of Mirkwood."
Around her, there was no change, and she knew that the pool had failed her. She allowed no tears to fall even though inside she was heartbroken. Legolas should have fulfilled that promise. The pool should have fulfilled it for him. If a promise as simple as calling an image of him did not come about, then what of his promise to return.
"Show me the Prince of Mirkwood!" she demanded, even more loudly this time.
Frustrated, she did not allow her eyes to stray from the surface of the water. Perhaps, perhaps if she waited long enough, he would appear in all his glory, hale and safe and on his way back to her. She moved slowly until on the cold stone she on her stomach lay, still peering at the disappointing image.
"Chloe."
"Chloe."
"Chloe."
A hand on her back, and sudden warmth when she did not notice that it had gone cold. Chloe's eyes focused and she turned her head and saw Clark standing by the stone, looking at her with concern. A warm blanket now surrounded her. "Clark," she said, her voice surprisingly raspy. "I told you to go ahead and rest. I'll follow you at the dining hall."
"Chloe, I've had dinner. And I've slept."
She furrowed her brows. "That quickly?"
"You've been here for the better part of the night, Chlo. It's almost dawn." Clark motioned with his hand, and Chloe looked up at the dark sky. Slivers of silver and orange light peeked in the gray-blank heavens. She had been here for so long, and nothing. Chloe sighed heavily. "What were you doing anyway?"
Chloe shook her head. "Looking. Waiting."
"Did you find it?" he asked, as he helped her down. Chloe shivered and shook her head. He tucked the blanket more tightly around her and laid his arm around her shoulders. "That's okay," he assured her. "Maybe tomorrow night."
The two of them walked back to the forest kingdom. At the edge of the copse of trees that signaled the beginning of the Woodland Realm, Chloe looked up at Clark and said, "Thanks, Clark."
Clark smiled down at her, concerned about Chloe's preoccupation. He had not met the prince that everyone talked about. He did not even understand anything said in this place. He could see the looks Chloe received though. No one glared at her friend who did not receive a glare back from Clark. Legolas' name was on the lips of most of the Elven maids. He did not need to know the language to read how they thought of him. From what he gathered from Chloe's words and actions though, the cold shoulder she was receiving centered on her involvement with the prince.
He wondered if he was jealous. He searched inside himself for a sign of hurt at what he suspected Chloe shared with Legolas. It was not difficult to guess. The look in Chloe's eyes when she spoke of the prince told him much.
Yes. He was hurt by this. He asked himself if he loved Chloe and again, yes. Did he envy Legolas? Was he jealous of the absentee because of the amount of love that shone in Chloe's eyes for him? Was he angered by Legolas' absence while Chloe was treated like a pariah in the prince's own kingdom, by his own family?
Yes on all counts.
Did he want her for herself? Would he end this by snatching her away and finding a path back to Smallville? Would he remove Chloe from this place now?
And no, no, no.
Was it called an epiphany when all becomes clear? He loved her unquestionably, irrevocably and undeniably. He realized all these now, and he knew he would not take her away. Neither would he suffer her hurting. She was as close to his heart as his sister had he had any. If he loved her in another way, he could be selfish and juvenile and steal her away. He was sure he could defend her. Yet he loved her more and he wanted her happy. If her heart had to bleed to stay close to where Legolas had left her, then he would have to bleed with her. And he would.
"I love you, Chlo," he whispered. Then he leaned down and pressed a kiss on her forehead.
Chloe read the emotion in his eyes. Slowly, her sadness turned to a subtle joy and she smiled. "I love you too."
When they looked up, it was to meet the cold gaze of Thranduil King of the Woodland Realm. "The doom of the realm, I see, lies within the hearts of men. This have I known before the Shadows spread. You shall not bring about the downfall of my prince," he said, looking directly at Chloe. Thranduil's long robes shimmered as he turned abruptly and walked away.
"Chlo," Clark prodded, "Chlo, what did he say? He looked pissed."
She took a deep breath, Arwen's prophecy hanging over her head. It was not Tolfer. She knew it was not Tolfer that Arwen talked about. Chloe swallowed the knot in her throat and told Clark, "He said I shouldn't have stayed away so late. I could have gotten hurt."
Clark's eyebrows rose. "That's new. Didn't realize he cared."
"I doubt Legolas did either," she said, looking at the point where the king vanished into.