THE SPACE BETWEEN
Author's note: Yeah, I know, pathetic! It took what? Three bloody months to update? I know this is the worst! I am sorry! So much has occurred since we last parted. Exams, projects more exams and sadly we had a few more deaths in the family. I am beginning to think our family is cursed or something. We've had three deaths in the family and not one of them was elderly. I mean two small children (sadly yes, my little cousin died last week) and a suicide. I think we've had a rough couple of months.
But alas for that, now finally school's out and now I can devote so much more time to writing! Now if only I can get my muse to co-operate and we'll be just fine!
Amon Andúne, thank you so much for your review and your encouraging words! As you can guess, I'm just as bad at leaving reviews as I am for updating fics. I'm sorry! And I'm sorry also about your grandfather. Death is always devastating, it's sad that we as humans have to go through that, but sadly it is part of life. : (
On a lighter note, of course I would and could never kill Haldir! I think he's so cool that I like the actor that plays him, Craig Parker and I watch the show he is on, Mercy Peak. It's really cool! Well if you thought Willow's parents being there were strange, well… you'll see:( Thanks for reading and thanks for your reviews! At least yours are timely! Haha now it's my turn… when are you updating? I'm anxious for what's going to happen with Idril, now that everyone's favourite Mirkwood Prince has found her!
TreeHugger, thank you very much for your sympathy! I think I know what is the greater sorrow to the loss of a child: the loss of two children. I can't believe it! She lost both her little girl and little boy in less than three months! It was Sabrina's three-month anniversary yesterday. Sorry I think it's going to take a while to get over this. : (
On the lighter side of life, thanks! I'm glad you liked Éowyn, I don't know all that much about her, but I worked with what I knew. I like her actually, both in the books and in the film! Thank you for liking my orc although Willow's little reunion won't be sweet for long… And yes Sauron's rather unkind here. He's doing all he can to tear Willow apart so she'll have nothing else to do except join him. :( Thanks so much for your review! They make my day everytime!
Oh I should warn you, this chapter might be a tearjerker for some folks... Thanks and sorry yet again for the lack of quality in the chapter! Sorry!
Chapter Fifteen
Heartburn
"Reuel'!" screamed Alleun in sheer white terror as her husband with a look of bewildered shock like that of a man falling off a cliff, collapsed on the ground, the event still not fully registering in his mind.
"Ada!" Willow rushed to her father's side and knelt by him. As quickly as her trembling fingers would allow it, she tore off a piece of her gown and began to staunch the bleeding, a trick she learned from Haldir on her many treks following him around as a child during his watch.
"Ada, saes!" she begged, tears of joy cruelly replaced with tears of anguish. Alleun held Reuel's hand, trying her best to help.
Willow turned her sorrow stricken eyes to face a smirking Sauron. "How could you? Why did you do this? They have caused you no harm!" she shouted her voice raw with emotions. She would have used all her energy to scream at him but a large sob erupted in her throat.
"I do not need them any more," he said coldly, his smirk deepening. "Besides the purpose of this reunion was to cause you pain."
Willow shrieked in sheer horror. She restrained herself from cursing at the Dark Lord, knowing fully that she needed to concentrate all her attention on her father. Tearing off more clothing, she continued her attempts to stop the bleeding. The flow had slowed considerably but that was still not enough. His wound was mortal and so Reuel' would not survive. Perhaps if Galadriel or even Haldir were around they would know exactly how to save him. Willow cursed herself yet again for this was another skill she lacked.
"That is right, tithen tasar, you pathetic weakness caused his death. All the pain and anguish they lived through was brought upon by you. They have you to thank for this, and you alone."
Willow stilled instantly when she heard that cold voice in her head. "Why? Why do you say such things?" she asked in her mind as she was now bandaging the wound. The blood loss was considerable but at least it was stopped for now.
"Why? Because it is the truth, tithen tasar. Why else do you think they are hear, unless it was to save their precious daughter?"
Willow did not answer him. "Mother, please we must bring him were he may lay quietly."
Alleun nodded. "Not far from here, are our living quarters. He will be able to rest there."
Willow admired her mother for being as calm as she was. Of course she was frantic and terrified at seeing her husband wounded so, but she was no longer hysterical. "She is so brave. What she like this the day they were taken away?" she wondered.
"Even calmer, tithen tasar, they were among the bravest." A voice inside her head answered the one voice she loathed the most.
"I was not speaking to you! And do not call me tithen tasar, you need not further defile that name!" she snapped back angrily. She was answered by ironic snickering.
"Such hatred, such anger, little one! I have yet much work to do with you! You must learn to submit yourself to me."
"Never!" Willow did not realize she had spoken aloud. Alleun nearly dropped Reuel' upon hearing her daughter's angry scream. She could see Willow's gaze staring hard at the Dark Lord who returned the glare but with a touch of sarcasm and satisfaction. She tugged on her daughter's sleeve.
"Come, Laiella, we must get him to safety."
Willow broke her glare with Sauron and helped her mother carry Reuel' to their chambers. They laid him down as best they could on the hard rock bed, if it could be called a bed at all. Willow removed her cloak to drape it around her father. Satisfied with her work, she stood up and took a closer look at the wounded Elf. It did not look as though the outcome would be positive. His face was stark white, his lips were nearly blue and Willow could see behind Reuel's closed eyelids the struggle for survival.
Coming forward once more, she placed her hand on his forehead and notice with growing alarm how cold and clammy it felt. He was fading. Something suddenly occurred which completely surprised the she-elf. As she brought her hand away from her father, a hand came up and swiftly caught the feminine slender hand.
Startled, Willow looked down at Reuel'. Her eyes watered as she saw the sadness in his eyes. "Daro! There is nothing left to do nin mell. It is over," he whispered coarsely as pulled her close to him. "Many times did I ask the Valar to grant me one request, that was to be able to see you at least once before I die. I begged the Valar to let me die knowing that all was not done in vain and that I would witness the beginning of the destruction of Sauron's reign. I believe that time is now come. I may die in peace, knowing that you are here and that there will be changes made for a better world."
Willow's brimming eyes overflowed upon hearing his words. "No, Ada, please! I am certain there is something we can do! Do not give in Ada, please!"
Reuel' shook his head. "No, nin mell, there is nothing, it is over," he smiled ruefully, "I have always wanted to hear that. I always wanted to be called, Ada," he whispered softly, the very act of speaking was a tremendously strenuous task for him.
Alleun came over to her husband and kneeled by the bedside. She held his other hand, letting her pain and grief flow freely down her face. "Nin meleth," she began but the look in Reuel's eyes stopped her.
"No, meleth, we both knew it would come to this, there is no hope for us," he squeezed her hand firmly, "I shall be waiting for you in Mandos' Hall. Im meleth le an nin ind a faer (with all my heart and soul),both of you." His hands went limp, only Willow's and Alleun's hands kept them from falling. He exhaled one last time before his eyes clouded over and he was gone. Both mother and daughter held one another, sharing their grief and cried until dawn came, but it never came in this cursed land.
The quest was over, Sauron was defeated and Aragorn had just been crowned King of the reunified lands of Arnor and Gondor. It was a joyous time in Minas Tirith. However, Legolas wandered alone in the streets with a heavy heart. True all was well now, but the price paid for this freedom was a heavy one. His beloved Willow had passed in the Dark Tower under the cruel hand of the Dark Lord. Suddenly Pippin ran over to the Elf urgently.
"Legolas! Legolas! They are some Elves from your home here! I think you should come quickly!" the little hobbit spoke quickly, not taking a moment to breathe between his words.
Instantly Legolas ran to greet the Elves, fear and worry plastered on his face. Lord Celeborn met him and behind him, Legolas saw his father, lying on a makeshift stretcher. The King had been mortally wounded.
Thranduil's last words to his son were bitter angry words that were permanently burnt into the Prince's heart. He would never forget them.
Legolas felt a shiver run up his spine as he listened to Lord Elrond's voice as he announced the death of the King of Mirkwood to his people and all that were gathered in Minas Tirith. Many Wood-elves were present as well as the members of the Fellowship and a host of Lórien and Imladris elves.
"...And I present to you now, the new King of Mirkwood. King Legolas Thranduilion of Mirkwood!"
Legolas barely registered the sound of his name being called when he was roughly shoved out onto the balcony before the entire crowd of Elves, men and Fellowship members. His eyes were brimming as he took in the many sneers from his kin. He swore he could hear many Wood-elves snickering and laughing at him. He did not see the sad faces that mirrored his own. Tears of fear, shame and sorrow streamed down his face as the laughter grew louder and louder and louder...
Legolas suddenly shot up from his bedroll with a gasp. He was momentarily distraught and confused not knowing who he was and where he was. His breathing came in startled gasps as he looked around himself. It was night, there was a small fire blazing and he felt more than saw a pair of eyes on him.
It was a dream that is all. It was nothing more than a dream. He was not in Minas Tirith, in fact he never was. His father was alive and well to the last of his knowledge and why would Celeborn be doing with Thranduil anyway? Legolas breathed in a sigh of relief and stared back at the curious eyes watching him.
"You were dreaming," the elven guard stated.
"Yes," replied the Prince, "yes, thank the Valar I was."
"You are troubled, are you not?" Haldir asked, yet already knowing the answer, the same fears were eating away his own heart as well.
Legolas nodded and sat next to him. "I have many fears that are plaguing me. I speak plainly to you, since you know so much already. There is no point in hiding."
"I appreciate your forwardness, I have the same fears as you. It will all be well do not worry, mellon nin."
"I hope so. I really do."
Haldir smiled comfortingly and pressed an encouraging hand on the younger Elf's shoulder. "So do I. Get some rest, there is much ahead of us in the morrow."
The Prince nodded once more, an amused smile on the corner of his lips.
"You know, when I first met your Adar, I hated him more than anything," said Alleun as she took a cup of tea.
Willow smirked inwardly, strangely reminded of another love story with the same beginning. She raised her brow suspiciously when her mother handed her a cup of tea.
"Do not worry, it has not been tainted with evil. It is one of the few pleasures Reuel' and I had. One the rare occasions we would leave the borders of Mordor we would gather as many herbs as we could," she smiled sadly, the pain in her heart still fresh.
In the two days since the passing of Reuel', she and Willow had barely said a word. Willow offered Alleun to stay in the room Sauron had provided her with, at least the haunting memory of Reuel' did not lurk around to torment the two mourning she-elves. Willow took the cup and brought it to her lips. She looked up in surprise.
"It is surprisingly good."
"Indeed," smiled Alleun. "It did take quite some time before I would even look at Reuel', but eventually I did," she laughed as if she was reliving those memories as she told them.
"How long did it take, for you and Ada?"
"Nearly a century, yes, it took nearly a whole century before I would look at him. Stubborn, I know. I do believe at that time, Eldaran was a new-born."
"Eldaran, the former Crown Prince of Mirkwood?" asked Willow.
Alleun stared at her suspiciously. "Former, Crown Prince? What has happened then?"
Willow gulped. "You did not know? Prince Eldaran was killed during an Orc raid."
The older she-elf closed her eyes in sorrow. "This is ill news indeed. Oh no! Thranduil must have been devastated! How can this be so?"
"Eldaran died nearly, eighteen hundred years ago, I believe. So that is what Legolas told me."
"Oh poor Thranduil! First Queen Annfviel Nolwien, then Eldaran. Legolas and Minolas must have taken this with great difficulty. They were once such a lovely family," mused Alleun. "They were the heart and soul of Mirkwood, with Queen Annfviel's kind heart and Legolas and Minolas with their bright smiles and silly games. Oh this brings me great sorrow!"
"Yes, I know Legolas had much difficulty accepting the death of his brother. He always spoke so highly of him."
"Oh, so you know the little Prince Legolas well then?" asked Alleun, a small smile on the corner of her lips.
A blush crept up and coloured Willow's cheeks. "Yes, I do."
Alleun laughed. "Well I can tell you much about Legolas as a child! Of all of Thranduil's children he was the one that required the most love and affection from his parents. It was almost like he feared not being loved; he constantly needed that physical connection with his parents. How many times could the King be seen wandering the palace with his tithen Laeglass asleep in his arms. That is the image I shall always keep of Thranduil, the loving father who spent as much time as his dutiful life would permit him, the image of a powerful King caring for his sweet children.
"I do not wish to remember the King after the death of the Queen, he was never the same after Annfviel died, a great part of him died that day along with her. The whole of Mirkwood cooled and Thranduil grew cold and distant. Mirkwood was struck hard, but not as much as the Royal family. I remember Legolas, how lost he was without his mother and his father who had changed so much. Thranduil did not love them less, he adores his children, and he only did not openly show his love for them anymore. And I think Legolas had a great deal of difficulty adapting to his father's new attitude.
"Fortunately Thranduil had Eldaran, I do not believe the King would have regained his wit if it wasn't for his eldest. Despite his own grief, Prince Eldaran helped his father keep Mirkwood together. He did so much good, he was very loved by his people, and now he is gone. How much this must have obliterated all the strength that Thranduil had regained. And poor, tithen Laeglass! He looked up to his brother and thought so highly of him. He adored Eldaran."
Willow nodded in agreement. "Yes, he did. Legolas still misses Eldaran, terribly so. At times, when he slept, I could hear him speaking of his brother in his dreams."
"Poor tithen Laeglass! He always wore his heart on his sleeve. Like his mother he was always so sweet and caring, yet he was strong like Eldaran and giving like his Adar. Oh yes despite the King's faults, he always gave so much of himself to his people, too much at times," said Alleun sadly.
There was a long pause; Alleun took a sip of tea, before turning to her daughter once more. "Nin mell Laiella," she smiled weakly, taking her daughters' hands in her own. "I am tired, tired of this life. Two millennia have Reuel' and I slaved here in the Dark Land. It is time for this to end."
Willow pulled her hands away and stared wide-eyed at her mother. She felt a sudden pain welling up in her chest. "What do you mean?" she asked innocently.
"Laiella, we have served our purpose, our task here is over there is nothing left for us to accomplish. Look at me Laiella," she cupped her daughter's chin and drew it to face her, Willow refused to look her in the eye. "We are not Elves anymore our fëa is dead."
Willow then looked up in her mother's eyes and for the first time she could truly see all the weariness and pain those haunted eyes held.
"There is nothing left here for us, nin iell. It is too late for us, we died that day in the woods, and all we can do now is await our entrance in the Halls of Mandos. I shall join Reuel' who awaits me there. That is our only hope now, we knew so many years ago that our sacrifice would still allow us entrance in the Halls of Mandos, but that is all, nin mell, even Valinor is closed off to us. We can no longer be with our kin. We have no kin; we are not Elves, nor men, not even Orcs. There is no other hope, there is nothing to be done, we have nothing and we are nothing."
Willow looked away, tears glistening in her eyes. "Baw, saes! Do not leave! Saes do not leave! Do not say you have nothing! You have me! I am here, am I so dark and fell that I am nothing to you!"
Alleun embraced the younger Elf. "Nay, you are not dark, fell or nothing. You are everything, you are the key to end these dark days. But I know it is difficult for you to understand," she pulled away and tenderly ran her black nailed fingers through her daughter's hair. "You are still so young. You still view this world with your innocent child-like eyes. Besides, my daughter, you still have much to accomplish, your tasks are only beginning, ours have ended."
"Saes do not die! Finally I find you after all this time and now you choose to leave!" Tears rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed in her mother's arms.
"Iston, Iston. I am sorry nin iell. (I know, I know. I am sorry my daughter.) I wish it could be different, I wish it would not have turned out this way," soothed Alleun, despite her own tears, constantly stroking Willow's hair. She kissed the top of her head and wiped her tears away. "It is what I must do."
Somewhere in the Dark Tower in the Dark Land, a Dark Lord sat on his Dark thrown with his advisors.
"Things go as planned then, my Lord?" asked one of them, an Elf, betrayer of his people.
The Dark Lord chucked. "Yes indeed Makowyl. Perfectly, in time, nin Aryon shall be bound to darkness, and shall fulfil her true nature at my side as my second."
Makowyl, the Dark Elf, matched his Lord's evil smile.
"My Lord, there is a disturbance near Cirith Ungol," said another one of the advisors, the Mouth of Sauron.
"See to it then, send some of those witless Orcs attend to it," replied Sauron with a wave of his hand. "It matters not what happens to them, just as long as this disturbance is taken care of."
The Mouth of Sauron bowed low before the Dark One. "Yes, my Lord." He exited the throne room swiftly, his black robes swirling behind him as the doors closed on his tail.
Sauron turned to Makowyl once more. "I could not ask for better, I feel the Ring, it is getting close, very close, I can almost smell it."
"Indeed my Lord. That is excellent."
Sauron stared at Makowyl with his black eyes and laughed. "When we shall rule all of Middle Earth, we shall plunder Valinor and then the Halls of Mandos, if the task if realisable. Remind me to properly thank Reuel' and Alleun for dying. Their sacrifice proved more useful than any other attempt to bind Laiella to darkness."
"Laiella will have no other choice but to join you. I believe that time is now come," agreed Makowyl.
"Yes Makowyl, that time is now come. Soon we shall possess everything we need. The Ring, the Heir and there will be nothing that can stop us."
I know that was evil, doing that to Reuel' and Alleun, but what else was I do to? Really, that's the way it had to be. :(
Oh and a note on the song quote… Very lovely sad song, really, rather vivid lyrics. It was written in 1996 and it's actually about Aids. But that's Moist, they write a lot about current issues and problems and stuff, they don't believe in seeing life through rose coloured glasses, they write about what they see.
Well thank you all for reading and drop me a line! I'd love to hear from you! Until next time! Let us hope that is does not take 3 months this time ;)!