Chapter 12

~

Well, here we are. The end of the beginning. The place where it all starts to change.

Amon Hen.

Fuck.

So many things can happen here that I don't even know what to think. Boromir can die. Merry & Pippin can be taken by orcs. I can die.

I can die.

That's the one that's really getting to me, honestly.

Oooh, and just think of the damage the Evil Ones can do. Kidnap Legolas. Kidnap Aragorn. Kidnap both of them. Kill me. Kill Boromir. Kill me AND Boromir. Get killed by orcs.

I suppose the last one is too much to hope for, however.

~

We pull the boats onto shore. I watch Boromir for a moment, watch him draw in on himself, then seemingly shake it off, almost literally. I stop by his boat and reach out to touch his arm. He almost jumps out of his skin.

"Hey," I say softly, glancing at the shore. Legolas is watching us.

Boromir follows my eyes. "He's been watching you often. I think you have an admirer."

"Sh, don't say that so loud. Leilanni hates me enough as it is."

He shrugs that off. "The Elf wouldn't touch her with anything more than the tip of a blade. It's you who intrigues him."

I shrug, rolling my shoulders. Honestly, I have even bigger things to worry about than whether or not Legolas found me 'intriguing.' Hey, go figure. "It doesn't matter. I'm more worried about you."

Boromir smiles at me, patting the hand on his arm, back to being distracted. He stands and drapes an arm over my shoulders. "Do not worry for me, Kayli. All is well."

I shake my head. "If you say so. Now, I'm gonna go avoid the bitches. If you need me, sing 'Yellow Submarine.'"

He laughs at that, recognizing the words to one of the songs I sang in 'Lorien. I disappear into the trees.

~

Argh! Who knew this was such a big geological area. I hope to god I'm not lost.

Oh, no, there's the campsite.

Minus a Hobbit and a Gondorian. Oh, fuck.

I look around. Make that a Hobbit, a Gondorian, and a would-be King. Sheet.

Also short – two Mary-Sues.

Oh, just...crap. Crap, crap.

Legolas was suddenly at my side, touching my arm. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head, very quickly, back and forth. "Nothing. Everything. I don't know. Shit."

This earned me an irritated sigh. "Very enlightening. Thank you."

I shake my head again. "I really, really don't know. If I knew, I would tell you."

Legolas cocks his head to the side. "Would you truly?"

"Yes!" I cry, running a frustrated hand through my hair. "Yes, I would. Yes."

He suddenly lets go of my arm and turns towards the woods, his bow already in his hands. "Something approaches."

Oh, shit.

I ran.

~

I'm about halfway to the clearing where Boromir falls when I trip.

Or, really, when I'm TRIPPED.

Bitch. Bitch, bitch, bitch.

Leilanni smirks at me. "You should know better than to go against us, little fangirl." She raises her sword. "Now, you're gonna die."

I growl, actually growl, under my breath and roll out from underneath her blade. See, I TOLD Elladan she'd want me to see it coming. It would've made more sense to stab me in the back.

I kick my left foot out, connecting solidly with her knee cap. She drops her sword and cries out, both hands going to her damaged knee. I roll to my feet, ignoring her, and break into a run.

"I'll get you for this, Kayli! Just see if I don't! And then that Elf you're so fond of will be MINE!"

I wonder if he can hear her. Yeah, probably. God, I hope he thinks she's delusional. I really don't want him to think I'm a stalker.

I'm really not paying attention to where I'm going, and so I almost bowl over Aragorn. He catches me by the arm and hauls me up, and I turn.

Aw, shit.

"Holy Orcs, Batman," I mutter, ducking a black sword.

"You should not be here," Aragorn yells, chopping an orc in half.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I yell back, ducking another sword and elbowing the Uruk-hai in the gut. "I've heard it all before, beautiful."

I actually see him mouth the word 'beautiful' as he continues to hack apart orcs. Apparently, he doesn't think I'm as funny as his brothers do.

Suddenly, one of the orcs about to turn me into worm-food sprouts feathers from it's forehead. I am very, very grateful. Legolas grabs my arm and pulls me out of the way of another one. "Go!" He yells. "Do what you most."

I give him a short, grateful smile and start running again.

Then I hear it. A horn. Oh, fuck.

I start to pray as I run, for the first time since second grade and I decided I really didn't believe in god. I prayed to the gods of this world, gods I knew existed. 'Please, please, whoever's listening, let me NOT be too late. Please, please, let me save him.'

~

Hey, look, more orcs. Or Uruk-hai, I guess. And that would be the missing Gondorian, protecting two Hobbits. Yay!

Oooh, and LOOK! A big Uruk-hai with a BOW. One who is conveniently placed with his back to me, but is inconveniently preparing to take the first shot.

I run faster.

And then I take a flying leap directly onto his back, one arm going around his neck and my legs clamping to his sides as my other hand dips toward my boot. I pull out the dagger and slam it into the back of his neck just before his grabs my hair and throws me over his shoulder.

Oh, ow. Ow, ow. I hope my scalp's still attached.

Ack! Ack! Shit! Sword!

I roll out of the way of the plunging blade, coming up to my feet with my other knife in hand. He lets out a howl and dives toward me, sword swinging wildly. I sidestep easily, since an enraged orc is not the clearest thinker, and swipe out with the dagger, opening a long, bloody gash down his arm, then aim a swift kick at his ass. He stumbles and falls into the dirt, and I rush over, plant myself in the middle of his back, yank his head back by the hair, and cut his throat from ear to ear.

He throws me off. Fuck, don't these things ever just DIE?

But, yes, after I cut his throat, he just lays there in the dirt and bleeds. I hurry forward, pulling my other dagger out of the back of his neck, and rush to help Boromir, who's on the verge of being overwhelmed.

I get to an orc at the back and slip my dagger between his ribs. Yes, I realize I'm not being exactly honorable, but out-numbering your opponent about a thousand to nine really isn't honorable either, now is it?

Boromir spares me only a glance, then goes back to hacking apart an orc. Then he turns and gives me a longer look, long enough for a Uruk to nearly plant a sword in his side. I open up it's gut with one blade and it's throat with the other.

"Pay attention," I tell him, and I'm surprised by how cool and businesslike my voice is.

Huh. Learn something new everyday.

~

OK, I understand this is an army, but this is getting ridiculous. Neither one of us is seriously wounded, but I can't see Merry and Pippin anymore, so I think they've been carted off. And I don't see Legolas or Gimli or Aragorn. Hell, at this point I'd be happy for Bitchzilla or her evil twin, just goes to show how many orcs I've come face to snarl with in the last ten minutes.

Then I hear it. "ELENDIL!"

Aragorn. Fucking FINALLY.

All around us, orcs start sprouting feathers and axes. It's beautiful. Boromir and I exchange a grin, and then go back to hacking.

So, needless to say, I'm a bit surprised when I see him stagger out of the corner of my eye, an arrow in his side.

And I also don't think I need to say that it is most definitely NOT an orc arrow. They're getting sloppy. I am going to fucking kill them.

He keeps fighting, one hand pressed to his side, until all the orcs are dead, about ten minutes later.

Then he staggers, one hand around the arrow shaft. Legolas catches his arm, then frowns at the arrow. He helps my friend to sit on a log, then peers closer at the arrow. "This is no orc arrow," he murmurs, and we exchange a glance.

Gee, who ELSE around here has a bow, except for Legolas. Hmm, let me think.

Oh, yeah. Leilanni. Heh.

"She's dead," I mutter, surprised by the venom in my voice. I can feel the smile on my face, and it does not feel like an expression of pleasure. I start walking.

"Kayli," Boromir begins, but Legolas presses a hand to his arm.

"Nay, let her go," the Elf says, and the Dwarf grunts his agreement. By now, Aragorn is kneeling at Boromir's side, looking at the wound. "She can take care of herself. If she says Leilanni will die for this, then she will die for this."

"Good riddance," Gimli says, and I can't help but agree.

Oooh, but that bitch is going to PAY.

~

I don't find Leilanni, but I DO find Mitanna, pacing by a fallen statue. She spins around to face me, then bares her teeth at me. Guess I was supposed to die. Yeah, see if I care. I don't think she sees the daggers in my hands, covered in orc blood, even though they ARE fairly remarkable.

"Oh, that's attractive," I tell her sarcastically. "Like a bitch dog bearing it's teeth."

"You were supposed to DIE, you bitch," she hisses. Yes, hisses, like some kind of damn demented snake. "You and that fucking Steward, you were both supposed to DIE."

I smile at her, slowly, and give the knives in my hand a little twirl. She still doesn't see them. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, since both Boromir and I are alive and well." I pause, tilt my head, and start to circle her. She starts to turn as well, trying to keep me in sight. "I guess I don't know if I'd say WELL, since your little bitch put an arrow in his side."

Mitanna smirks. "Good for her," she says, tossing her hair. Is it just me, or is it growing back faster than it should? I should've shaved her fucking head.

I shake my head, not taking my eyes off of her. "Bad, for both of you, since it was one of her own arrows." I keep right on smiling. "They know, both of them. All of them. Legolas and Aragorn have figured it out, Bitchzilla. If you go near them now, they'll kill you."

She screams and charges, holding up her sword. I stand there, very still, and just keep on smiling. She brings her sword up high, too high, and skewers herself on my dagger. I can feel her blood, warm and wet, running over my hands.

Her sword slides from suddenly nerveless fingers, and she stares at me, eyes wide in disbelief. "It wasn't suppose to be this way," she says softly, her eyes filling with tears.

I shrug and pull out my dagger. I'm suddenly very, very tired. "That's too bad," I say softly. "Because it's still not your story."

She dies, her eyes full of tears.

I close my eyes, take a deep breath, then stagger over to the side, away from her body, and puke my guts up.

TBC...