The sound of her breathing was like a gust of wind in the dead air of the
room. The only light that penetrated in came from two slits in the far wall
where a few bright sunbeams had sneaked past the edge of the thick drapes.
Arwen's eyes further adjusted to the gloom, and she recognized a comforting
shape set atop the medicine shelf.
The lantern was small, as was the flame Arwen's words coaxed forth, but the fire was a cheery companion and Arwen said a prayer of thanks in its honor.
Now, with the aid of the fire, she made a renewed effort to survey the area. It was outfitted as any healing room might be. A basin sat on a shelf which stood against the wall. Beside it were some soft brown cloths, some splashed with water, and all carelessly discarded in a rudimentary pile.
Set upon the other shelves were numerous miscellaneous bottles in varying stages of emptiness. All were corked, their labels to the front. They were arranged with the precision of an army.
Arwen almost smiled at the thought of her father carefully using and replacing each bottle, and her brother, tossing his used rag in the general direction from whence it had come.
There was a fireplace to the left of the shelf, put it was pristine, and unused. Beside it was a rack with some tool for tending a blaze and a rack upon which were stacked five logs, looking just as they must have the day they fell.
To the right of both of these was the window, but in the light of the fire, Arwen saw it was also a door, which no doubt led to a balcony. She was tempted to rip off the offending curtains, with the sun's bright rays so close at hand.
Suddenly a sound behind her caught her attention. She whirled about, forgetting completely about the curtains, and realized that the chest, which she had neglected to explore after the discovery of the lamp, was set against a slab of wood.
The wood was carved with a simple design of interweaving loops, and at the top was carved an ancient Elvish prayer for the wounded. She recognized the thing at once- it was a footboard. Soundlessly, Arwen took a step towards it.
The area encompassed by the lamp's light moved forward with her, and two posts burst forth from the top of the wood. Beyond this, an immaculate white cloth lay, and as the light moved further, she saw laying upon it a hand.
She stopped and studied it, lightly set palm down. The forefinger, which curved slightly, was calloused, as was the thumb. Like the sheet, it was pale and unadorned, save for a Mithril chain loosely encircling the lower wrist. There was a small leaf charm placed upon it.
Arwen continued to slowly move closer, and the arm appeared before her.
As the elbow came into the circle of light, Arwen's shins touched against the chest, and her powerful caution, now replaced with a burning desire to see him once more could not stop her. She swung around the post, and approached the bedside.
She could now see where the edge of the sheet met his collarbone, and where the sturdy arm met the shoulder. It was all just as pale as the hand had been, and reminded Arwen just how much the sheet resembled a shroud.
She shuddered, and horrible ideas, unbidden, filled her mind, then reaching out, gingerly touched the hand. Its warmth banished the evil thoughts, and renewed her strength.
She leaned over him with the lantern, and suddenly his face came into view. A breath caught in her throat, and all was silent.
He was indeed fair, his face set with the high, defined cheekbones which his ancestors always possessed in the history books. Though it was slightly pale, there was a tinge of pink across his cheeks, and even unto the pointed tips of his ears.
It was his eyes, a deep crystalline blue, which held her. She immediately remembered the first moment she had seen him, and how his eyes had caught her then too. They had held her ever since, standing out from the stormy gray so common to Rivendell.
Now, the orbs were clouded, no doubt by sleep, and for a moment, she watched him silently, suspended in a dream.
Suddenly, a hand grasped her wrist tightly, and Arwen gave a startled yelp. She tumbled to the floor and dropped the lantern, which extinguished itself as it hit the ground and rolled away.
Her arm still imprisoned in the hold, Arwen pulled back, but the grip was firm.
"Who are you, and why are you here?" came a whisper.
"Arwen." She replied, and the fingers immediately released her wrist.
"Arwen?" The whisper asked.
"Yes," she reassured, just as her searching fingers found the lamp. She lifted it again, and summoned another flame.
He was sitting up now, gazing unflinchingly in the direction of the lamp, and her. She looked into his eyes, and was surprised to see the haziness still lying within them.
"Ada told me that you were injured." She continued. He said nothing, and continued to gaze through the flame. She gave him a quick once-over, but besides the unnatural paleness, she couldn't see any injuries. Instead he seemed to have just awoken from some deep slumber, still peeling back the last layers of sleep from his eyes.
"May I stay with you for a while?" her words stumbled out into the still air, but it was his silence that echoed throughout the room. She awkwardly stood still, determined to force him into action, and finally he pointed to the corner of the room where sat a simple wooden chair.
She lifted it over to the bedside and sat down beside him.
'If only there were a little light or noise here,' Arwen thought, but when Legolas reacted by blinking in surprise, she realized she had spoken aloud. To Arwen's surprise it was he that spoke first:
"Break the silence, if you dare. It is not my companion of choice, but for some time it has been my only companion." His voice was soft and choked, from ill use she hoped.
Arwen felt sympathy and guilt overwhelm her. He must have been so lonely, lying there in the dark. Obviously his family could not keep him company and he had no other friends in Rivendell that she knew of.
Only she knew him here, and only she cared that he was slipping into despair. She still did not understand that from which the despair stemmed. But Arwen was determined to be there for him now.
'I will know when I must.' she promised herself.
"Maybe then, I can replace this silence with a more cheery countenance. I will tell you a story, or sing you a song if you like." Arwen offered.
He nodded immediately, and she was encouraged by his enthusiasm. She began with the tale of how the Valar had taken physical form and come to Arda to combat the evil of Melkor.
It was a common story, and she was positive Legolas must have heard it a thousand times from his own people, yet he did not object. In fact, he listened silently and attentively, as one hearing a new and astonishing tale of things he barely dares to believe.
And so it was that for many short hours she spoke, and he listened. She appreciated his undivided attention, and he never once succumbed to the ever-present haze in his eyes.
She had heard these tales herself more than a few times, but the young do not recount to the old and she rarely told them herself.
Though she listened mostly, when she did speak, her voice was always harped upon. The Peredhil Lord was regarded across the land for his exquisite storytelling and his daughter spoke no less enchantingly. Once a traveler from Lorien had proclaimed that her voice seemed to sing, even when she simply spoke.
When she reached the tale of the coming of light to the land, she bounded up and crossed the room. His eyes remained trained on her previous spot until she called to him. She now stood at the drapes.
"Allow me to lift the curtain of night from this dark land." She requested.
He seemed to consider this for a moment before finally replying.
"You may open the blinds if you wish." He said slowly. "I requested they be shut because true darkness only makes mine less lonely."
She nodded but as she drew the drapes, Arwen wondered what he might have meant by that. He had turned away from her again and seemed unlikely to clarify.
In the next instant, light invaded the room, and the noonday sky painted itself on the newly denuded window. Arwen smiled in approval and turned to look over the room again. The light decorated the walls of the once crypt- like place, and made it almost cheery.
Legolas reached out his hands.
"I had forgotten the warm touch of the sun's hands." He commented, and she decided that that was a great improvement over his former, more cryptic remarks.
Greatly pleased with herself and smiling more openly now, Arwen sat down again. She left the lantern burning, because to kill it seemed a sin, and began to speak again.
The recently rediscovered light of day made her giddy and she spoke more joyfully now, and with even greater emotion. At numerous points, she jumped up and illustrated the words even as she spoke them.
He listened with determination and seemed to note all of her words, many as there were, and the vast tale of their history flew by on the wings of her breath. Then, just as she spoke of Gil-galad, the sound of a bell caught her ear.
"Oh! That will be the lunch bell. I'll have to hurry so that no one worries." She explained as she rose from the seat.
"I believe you are mistaken my lady. I believe that was the dinner bell you heard." Legolas cautiously explained. She widened her eyes and stood up.
"Ai, now I'll have to think of just when I've been all these hours." She softly said.
"You have my faith lady. After all, your stories have enchanted me." He said casually, and she blushed crimson in reply.
"Maybe tomorrow if you feel well enough you could step out onto the balcony." She suggested, but he shook his head.
"Do not misread me lady. I do not mean to say that the idea offends. Unfortunately, I have no appropriate clothes. Indeed, I have no clothes to speak of at all. You see the floor seems to have swallowed my original set and I have been brought nothing else." They both blushed at this and she smiled secretly.
"An unintended oversight, I assure you." She told him.
"Though not altogether surprising. Maybe if I left my bed at some point someone would notice my nakedness." he mused.
"But therein lies the problem; someone will notice your nakedness!" she cried, and he smiled softly.
This positive reaction made Arwen also smile, but then she remembered her pervious haste and immediately turned towards the door.
"You will make me late Legolas!" she cried as she grabbed the handle.
"You will come tomorrow? And bring me clothes?" he asked with a quickness that she loved.
"Perhaps." She replied slyly, opening the door and walking out of the room.
"If you do not I will seek you out." Legolas called to her, and she gave a laugh before starting to pull the door shut. At the click of the latch she was gone, and to Legolas, it seemed the room fell into darkness once more.
Thar she blows! The next chapter done! Sorry it took so long, but I've been so busy! Was it worth waiting for? I hope so. Anyway, hopefully I'll have more free time soon.
Klic: Hehe, um, well, about that. It really all depends on how you define rapidly (: Anyway, my apologies go out to you. I'll keep trying my best!
Pishymishy: I always enjoy reading your comments and I'm sorry about all those cliffhangers. This one ends a little more...summarily. Hope you're still interested!
Karone Evertree: Sorry, but what happened to Legolas will be revealed at a later point. I think it I told you guys now, I'd ruin the surprise. Please bear with me, I'll do my best to crank out the chapters so that we can reach that point with all swiftness! Also, thanks so much for your review!
Farflung: I appreciate the comment a lot. Also, thanks for understanding. You guy's kindness really makes me want to try harder.
The lantern was small, as was the flame Arwen's words coaxed forth, but the fire was a cheery companion and Arwen said a prayer of thanks in its honor.
Now, with the aid of the fire, she made a renewed effort to survey the area. It was outfitted as any healing room might be. A basin sat on a shelf which stood against the wall. Beside it were some soft brown cloths, some splashed with water, and all carelessly discarded in a rudimentary pile.
Set upon the other shelves were numerous miscellaneous bottles in varying stages of emptiness. All were corked, their labels to the front. They were arranged with the precision of an army.
Arwen almost smiled at the thought of her father carefully using and replacing each bottle, and her brother, tossing his used rag in the general direction from whence it had come.
There was a fireplace to the left of the shelf, put it was pristine, and unused. Beside it was a rack with some tool for tending a blaze and a rack upon which were stacked five logs, looking just as they must have the day they fell.
To the right of both of these was the window, but in the light of the fire, Arwen saw it was also a door, which no doubt led to a balcony. She was tempted to rip off the offending curtains, with the sun's bright rays so close at hand.
Suddenly a sound behind her caught her attention. She whirled about, forgetting completely about the curtains, and realized that the chest, which she had neglected to explore after the discovery of the lamp, was set against a slab of wood.
The wood was carved with a simple design of interweaving loops, and at the top was carved an ancient Elvish prayer for the wounded. She recognized the thing at once- it was a footboard. Soundlessly, Arwen took a step towards it.
The area encompassed by the lamp's light moved forward with her, and two posts burst forth from the top of the wood. Beyond this, an immaculate white cloth lay, and as the light moved further, she saw laying upon it a hand.
She stopped and studied it, lightly set palm down. The forefinger, which curved slightly, was calloused, as was the thumb. Like the sheet, it was pale and unadorned, save for a Mithril chain loosely encircling the lower wrist. There was a small leaf charm placed upon it.
Arwen continued to slowly move closer, and the arm appeared before her.
As the elbow came into the circle of light, Arwen's shins touched against the chest, and her powerful caution, now replaced with a burning desire to see him once more could not stop her. She swung around the post, and approached the bedside.
She could now see where the edge of the sheet met his collarbone, and where the sturdy arm met the shoulder. It was all just as pale as the hand had been, and reminded Arwen just how much the sheet resembled a shroud.
She shuddered, and horrible ideas, unbidden, filled her mind, then reaching out, gingerly touched the hand. Its warmth banished the evil thoughts, and renewed her strength.
She leaned over him with the lantern, and suddenly his face came into view. A breath caught in her throat, and all was silent.
He was indeed fair, his face set with the high, defined cheekbones which his ancestors always possessed in the history books. Though it was slightly pale, there was a tinge of pink across his cheeks, and even unto the pointed tips of his ears.
It was his eyes, a deep crystalline blue, which held her. She immediately remembered the first moment she had seen him, and how his eyes had caught her then too. They had held her ever since, standing out from the stormy gray so common to Rivendell.
Now, the orbs were clouded, no doubt by sleep, and for a moment, she watched him silently, suspended in a dream.
Suddenly, a hand grasped her wrist tightly, and Arwen gave a startled yelp. She tumbled to the floor and dropped the lantern, which extinguished itself as it hit the ground and rolled away.
Her arm still imprisoned in the hold, Arwen pulled back, but the grip was firm.
"Who are you, and why are you here?" came a whisper.
"Arwen." She replied, and the fingers immediately released her wrist.
"Arwen?" The whisper asked.
"Yes," she reassured, just as her searching fingers found the lamp. She lifted it again, and summoned another flame.
He was sitting up now, gazing unflinchingly in the direction of the lamp, and her. She looked into his eyes, and was surprised to see the haziness still lying within them.
"Ada told me that you were injured." She continued. He said nothing, and continued to gaze through the flame. She gave him a quick once-over, but besides the unnatural paleness, she couldn't see any injuries. Instead he seemed to have just awoken from some deep slumber, still peeling back the last layers of sleep from his eyes.
"May I stay with you for a while?" her words stumbled out into the still air, but it was his silence that echoed throughout the room. She awkwardly stood still, determined to force him into action, and finally he pointed to the corner of the room where sat a simple wooden chair.
She lifted it over to the bedside and sat down beside him.
'If only there were a little light or noise here,' Arwen thought, but when Legolas reacted by blinking in surprise, she realized she had spoken aloud. To Arwen's surprise it was he that spoke first:
"Break the silence, if you dare. It is not my companion of choice, but for some time it has been my only companion." His voice was soft and choked, from ill use she hoped.
Arwen felt sympathy and guilt overwhelm her. He must have been so lonely, lying there in the dark. Obviously his family could not keep him company and he had no other friends in Rivendell that she knew of.
Only she knew him here, and only she cared that he was slipping into despair. She still did not understand that from which the despair stemmed. But Arwen was determined to be there for him now.
'I will know when I must.' she promised herself.
"Maybe then, I can replace this silence with a more cheery countenance. I will tell you a story, or sing you a song if you like." Arwen offered.
He nodded immediately, and she was encouraged by his enthusiasm. She began with the tale of how the Valar had taken physical form and come to Arda to combat the evil of Melkor.
It was a common story, and she was positive Legolas must have heard it a thousand times from his own people, yet he did not object. In fact, he listened silently and attentively, as one hearing a new and astonishing tale of things he barely dares to believe.
And so it was that for many short hours she spoke, and he listened. She appreciated his undivided attention, and he never once succumbed to the ever-present haze in his eyes.
She had heard these tales herself more than a few times, but the young do not recount to the old and she rarely told them herself.
Though she listened mostly, when she did speak, her voice was always harped upon. The Peredhil Lord was regarded across the land for his exquisite storytelling and his daughter spoke no less enchantingly. Once a traveler from Lorien had proclaimed that her voice seemed to sing, even when she simply spoke.
When she reached the tale of the coming of light to the land, she bounded up and crossed the room. His eyes remained trained on her previous spot until she called to him. She now stood at the drapes.
"Allow me to lift the curtain of night from this dark land." She requested.
He seemed to consider this for a moment before finally replying.
"You may open the blinds if you wish." He said slowly. "I requested they be shut because true darkness only makes mine less lonely."
She nodded but as she drew the drapes, Arwen wondered what he might have meant by that. He had turned away from her again and seemed unlikely to clarify.
In the next instant, light invaded the room, and the noonday sky painted itself on the newly denuded window. Arwen smiled in approval and turned to look over the room again. The light decorated the walls of the once crypt- like place, and made it almost cheery.
Legolas reached out his hands.
"I had forgotten the warm touch of the sun's hands." He commented, and she decided that that was a great improvement over his former, more cryptic remarks.
Greatly pleased with herself and smiling more openly now, Arwen sat down again. She left the lantern burning, because to kill it seemed a sin, and began to speak again.
The recently rediscovered light of day made her giddy and she spoke more joyfully now, and with even greater emotion. At numerous points, she jumped up and illustrated the words even as she spoke them.
He listened with determination and seemed to note all of her words, many as there were, and the vast tale of their history flew by on the wings of her breath. Then, just as she spoke of Gil-galad, the sound of a bell caught her ear.
"Oh! That will be the lunch bell. I'll have to hurry so that no one worries." She explained as she rose from the seat.
"I believe you are mistaken my lady. I believe that was the dinner bell you heard." Legolas cautiously explained. She widened her eyes and stood up.
"Ai, now I'll have to think of just when I've been all these hours." She softly said.
"You have my faith lady. After all, your stories have enchanted me." He said casually, and she blushed crimson in reply.
"Maybe tomorrow if you feel well enough you could step out onto the balcony." She suggested, but he shook his head.
"Do not misread me lady. I do not mean to say that the idea offends. Unfortunately, I have no appropriate clothes. Indeed, I have no clothes to speak of at all. You see the floor seems to have swallowed my original set and I have been brought nothing else." They both blushed at this and she smiled secretly.
"An unintended oversight, I assure you." She told him.
"Though not altogether surprising. Maybe if I left my bed at some point someone would notice my nakedness." he mused.
"But therein lies the problem; someone will notice your nakedness!" she cried, and he smiled softly.
This positive reaction made Arwen also smile, but then she remembered her pervious haste and immediately turned towards the door.
"You will make me late Legolas!" she cried as she grabbed the handle.
"You will come tomorrow? And bring me clothes?" he asked with a quickness that she loved.
"Perhaps." She replied slyly, opening the door and walking out of the room.
"If you do not I will seek you out." Legolas called to her, and she gave a laugh before starting to pull the door shut. At the click of the latch she was gone, and to Legolas, it seemed the room fell into darkness once more.
Thar she blows! The next chapter done! Sorry it took so long, but I've been so busy! Was it worth waiting for? I hope so. Anyway, hopefully I'll have more free time soon.
Klic: Hehe, um, well, about that. It really all depends on how you define rapidly (: Anyway, my apologies go out to you. I'll keep trying my best!
Pishymishy: I always enjoy reading your comments and I'm sorry about all those cliffhangers. This one ends a little more...summarily. Hope you're still interested!
Karone Evertree: Sorry, but what happened to Legolas will be revealed at a later point. I think it I told you guys now, I'd ruin the surprise. Please bear with me, I'll do my best to crank out the chapters so that we can reach that point with all swiftness! Also, thanks so much for your review!
Farflung: I appreciate the comment a lot. Also, thanks for understanding. You guy's kindness really makes me want to try harder.