Chapter Fifteen:
There is a point in people's life where they have to stop and evaluate the
events that had brought them to that point. For Kayla, that moment was upon
her. Standing just shy of the edge of the cliff, fear began its cold
journey into the deep places of her heart. She stood and listened to the
thundering in the valley below. She couldn't force her feet to take those
few steps forward, to the edge of the drop, to see the source of her fear.
She felt a warm hand on her elbow. She turned and looked in to those depthless blue eyes she had fallen so in love with. She needed to say something, needed to provide and outlet for her thoughts, but did not know how to tell him. "I'm scared." She felt his hand tighten its grip as she voiced her fears. "We aren't all going to make it." "Your fear gives you strength." Legolas' voice was strong and steady. "But to let your fear lead you actions would be to give your enemy the advantage."
Kayla turned to face him, and he saw, in her eyes, her struggle to keep her terror in check. He knew that there would be nothing that he could do to help her; she had to take this final journey on her own. All he could do was provide his strength and support, although a keen eye and well-placed arrow might not hurt. So he gathered her in his arms, and through his embrace he tried to convey all the love he could. She broke away, and gazed up in to his handsome face. He squeezed her hand, and together they made the final steps to look down in to the valley, to the Gates of Mordor.
Arriving at the bottom of the incline, thankfully unnoticed for the moment, Kayla finally realised what she was doing in Middle Earth. It was no accident that she was there; every moment in her life had lead her to this point. She looked around her, and though the surroundings were nothing what they were like in the dream she had so long ago in London, there was no mistaking that she was about to participate in the events she had dreamt. She was not scared, though. Kayla had always imagined that knowing how the final hour of her life would turn out would be the most horrifying knowledge she would ever receive, but knowing what she did, she felt no fear. Only a detached calmness, which was in stark contrast to the events about to take place.
But there was no more time for hiding. It time to step out and meet her destiny. Kayla turned to Legolas. He was scanning the environment around him apprehensively, looking for any movement that could signal the beginning of the last battle. She had to smile. This was exactly how she wanted to remember him. So powerful and dangerous, yet so intensely beautiful. He was, at heart, a warrior but at the same time he was so in harmony with all that surrounded him. She drank in the sight of him, wanting to remember him, and how he stood ready to face the biggest battle of his, and in fact everybody's, life. He stood tall, broad shoulders squared. He held his head high, and his golden hair hung straight, ruffling gently in the light breeze. His clear blue eyes took in his surroundings, and his Elven ears were pricked for the sound of battle.
Legolas drew his gaze from the battle and fixed it on Kayla. He realised she had been looking at him for some time, and his curiosity had gotten the better of him. She was standing proud and erect, a warrior woman. Strands of her dark hair blew across her face, but she made no move to brush them aside. Her gaze locked with his, and he stood there, content to look in to their depths, and read into her soul. They stood like that for what seemed like minutes, until Kayla broke the spell. She strode forward, closing the distance between them. She reached up and cupped his face in her hands, pulling him down in a kiss. She then kissed his forehead, and both cheeks. She spoke, and her voice did not waver with fear, and he was proud to love her for it.
"The time has come. There is no waiting for the rest of the Company to catch up. This battle shall end today, and evil shall not have its chance to rule the land, to that I swear." Kayla pulled him to her for one last kiss, then voiced the words that neither person had yet spoken. "Amin mela lle. I love you. And I swear to you that with my life I shall protect Middle Earth, and you. May Ilúvatar grant us strength for battle, I it is right that he should do so." With that, Kayla drew her sword and marched into the war.
She felt a warm hand on her elbow. She turned and looked in to those depthless blue eyes she had fallen so in love with. She needed to say something, needed to provide and outlet for her thoughts, but did not know how to tell him. "I'm scared." She felt his hand tighten its grip as she voiced her fears. "We aren't all going to make it." "Your fear gives you strength." Legolas' voice was strong and steady. "But to let your fear lead you actions would be to give your enemy the advantage."
Kayla turned to face him, and he saw, in her eyes, her struggle to keep her terror in check. He knew that there would be nothing that he could do to help her; she had to take this final journey on her own. All he could do was provide his strength and support, although a keen eye and well-placed arrow might not hurt. So he gathered her in his arms, and through his embrace he tried to convey all the love he could. She broke away, and gazed up in to his handsome face. He squeezed her hand, and together they made the final steps to look down in to the valley, to the Gates of Mordor.
Arriving at the bottom of the incline, thankfully unnoticed for the moment, Kayla finally realised what she was doing in Middle Earth. It was no accident that she was there; every moment in her life had lead her to this point. She looked around her, and though the surroundings were nothing what they were like in the dream she had so long ago in London, there was no mistaking that she was about to participate in the events she had dreamt. She was not scared, though. Kayla had always imagined that knowing how the final hour of her life would turn out would be the most horrifying knowledge she would ever receive, but knowing what she did, she felt no fear. Only a detached calmness, which was in stark contrast to the events about to take place.
But there was no more time for hiding. It time to step out and meet her destiny. Kayla turned to Legolas. He was scanning the environment around him apprehensively, looking for any movement that could signal the beginning of the last battle. She had to smile. This was exactly how she wanted to remember him. So powerful and dangerous, yet so intensely beautiful. He was, at heart, a warrior but at the same time he was so in harmony with all that surrounded him. She drank in the sight of him, wanting to remember him, and how he stood ready to face the biggest battle of his, and in fact everybody's, life. He stood tall, broad shoulders squared. He held his head high, and his golden hair hung straight, ruffling gently in the light breeze. His clear blue eyes took in his surroundings, and his Elven ears were pricked for the sound of battle.
Legolas drew his gaze from the battle and fixed it on Kayla. He realised she had been looking at him for some time, and his curiosity had gotten the better of him. She was standing proud and erect, a warrior woman. Strands of her dark hair blew across her face, but she made no move to brush them aside. Her gaze locked with his, and he stood there, content to look in to their depths, and read into her soul. They stood like that for what seemed like minutes, until Kayla broke the spell. She strode forward, closing the distance between them. She reached up and cupped his face in her hands, pulling him down in a kiss. She then kissed his forehead, and both cheeks. She spoke, and her voice did not waver with fear, and he was proud to love her for it.
"The time has come. There is no waiting for the rest of the Company to catch up. This battle shall end today, and evil shall not have its chance to rule the land, to that I swear." Kayla pulled him to her for one last kiss, then voiced the words that neither person had yet spoken. "Amin mela lle. I love you. And I swear to you that with my life I shall protect Middle Earth, and you. May Ilúvatar grant us strength for battle, I it is right that he should do so." With that, Kayla drew her sword and marched into the war.