This, sob, is my last (wailing noise) chapter…
Legolas: (helpful tone) It is really more of a short epilogue.
Elladan: (smiling) Yah, we here, the cast of Answering to the Threat are really heartbroken.
Myliné: Shuddup all of you. We are sincerely sad that you are done, along with your reviewers.
I am sorry that it took so much longer than I expected, a serious of inhibiting events, then total writers blockade.
Estel: (snickering) She dropped a forty-pound curling rock on her hand.
Elrohir: Now she knows how we feel when she abuses us.
You are all just fictional characters, hot, but fictional, that belong to who owns them, not me...
Estel: (cutting in) I'm not hot, just ruggedly handsome.
But they have to be up on E-bay somewhere…
Answering to the Threat
Epilogue: Camaraderie, Valor's blessing
Sunlight beat down on the backs of the five riders trotting through the dank forest near Mirkwood. The warm sun did not lift the souls of them, it was not a visit meant for pleasure, the mood was somber and the few attempts at lighthearted jokes were not heard, nor wanted. The men had made a promise to her, the woman to help her console and bury her dead village. The light wind tousled their hair and blew it back into their face.
Legolas sat stiffly on his horse, black circles under his eyes, the nights held no rest for him. Every time he entered the world of dreams to set his mind adrift, it went back to that night, watching Andorn die, watching the man die from blood loss. They both mentioned a figure that others could not see laced with arrows at the moment of their death. From that night on, Legolas could not turn off the presence of the person that haunted him. Though Legolas had noticed, but had said nothing, it seemed to hover near Myliné with the same intensity. Luckily, its presence did not drain her as it did him.
Legolas watched Myliné somberly ride Roch through the trees; they had decided quietly that morning to bury her Aeren first, by the river. The trees passed quickly and quietly. No thoughts or emotions reached out to him, of their independent will. Fearing the disconcerting quiet he decided to ask if they were heading the right way, they were. His mood was somber and he contemplated the dealings that had happened in Rivendell after the main assault force was crushed by the prepared elves.
That morning, none of the warriors had wished to remain in the area, after piling the bodies of the orcs they could find they burned them in the clearing that housed most of the battle. Legolas and Elrohir had gone back to the orc camp reclusively and brought the covered body of the elven scout back on a litter. No one spoke to the Mirkwood lord, they all saw the guilt in his eyes for what had happened, and chose to let him be. Myliné had stopped him that noon and taken him out of the others' range of hearing and spoke consolingly, close to the same words he had spoken to her that night in the woods, to even the immortal elf, those many nights ago. He smiled for her, and led her back to her horse. Legolas remembered noticing her wince as she pushed herself into the saddle.
Asking her about her wound resulted in her asking about his balance. Legolas turned and glared at Elladan who shrugged his shoulders and brandished a medical kit inquiringly. The wood elf turned and ordered the Rivendell troops to ride back to Imladris. Elrohir led the front of the column, Myliné had moved up there with him, munching on pastries.
They had journey that day back to Rivendell, and that night was filled with meetings on how to finish answering to the threat. All representatives that had forewarned the nations of Middle Earth, that would heed them, had returned to Mirkwood and were sent to Rivendell. They arrived that night eager to discuss the events they witnessed. The representatives from Rohan were curious and sent out troops to their settlements. Several witnessed an increase of wargs going through the Fangorn Forest. None went to investigate. Gondor was unmoved by the statement, the king planned to increase border control to combat this 'issue'. The meeting raged on into the evening. Legolas remembered walking out tiredly having Estel leaning across him on his shoulder, and half carrying Myliné with the other arm.
Two weeks passed with no report or hint of attack or existence of the allegiance. Myliné's wound healed. Legolas spent even more time perfecting his horse archery on moving targets to relax. The twins had an all out war with pranks that spurred from an incident involving their friends before the battle. Aragorn artfully mediated between the two brothers and united with the twins to pick on their esteemed father.
The band of five set out from Rivendell to fulfill a promise made to the only female member of the party, to inter her lover's body to the ground. Legolas blinked into the real word, thinking deeply was the only rest he could receive. The presence only grew stronger as they rode closer to the riverside where Myliné was left alone in the woods.
"Mellon nin, you look like the dead." Elladan rounded back to stare at his friend's tired and groggy façade. Legolas sighed and moved back to rub his neck, he was slowly getting used to the constant throb that accompanied the ghost.
"No, I would say he looks like what the dead think is depressing." Estel sat crooked in the saddle facing his friend and brother.
"Ranger, duck." Legolas allowed himself a small smile, Elrohir a choked snicker, Myliné and Elladan full heartened laugh as Aragorn was laid flat across the back of his saddle by thick bunches of willows. Maneuvering his horse out of the close brush backwards, the ranger looked around at the range of amusement on their faces and sighed.
Sitting straightened and in a forwards position, the Edain spoke to them, "If you think that this will be told to anyone, I have material to coerce all of you…"
Myliné saluted, "You do not have anything on me, but because of all the nice things you will do for me, not a word shall escape my lips of this incident."
Elladan gazed fondly at her after calming down, "I like her. She reminds me of a young son of Elrond."
Elrohir looked at brother appraisingly, "Yes she is charming, witty, and well mannered just as I was at that age," winking at his brother whose head was shaking disparagingly, "Now I have the deep masculinity and handsome looks in addition."
Legolas snorted, 'How glad that I am that I can leave my brothers to go home when I wish to hear and end of bickering.'
Myliné looked over to Legolas, and whispered, "We should have never let all three of them come."
"They get cranky if one of the twins goes, and the other gets left behind alone. It's sad." Estel laughed.
Legolas started to massage his temple; there was enough noise to carry orcs to their presence for miles away. At least Myliné looked less miserable; she half smiled at the comments concerning her. Legolas was glad as well, for that and different reasons, the presence moved out ahead, far ahead and seemed to be waiting at the riverside, half a day ahead. Immediately Legolas' eyes glazed over for the first time successfully in two weeks, and his head dropped to his chest.
The elf barely heard what was spoken softly, "He finally passed out, good."
Aragorn noticed at noon that Legolas didn't even snap himself out of the trance to eat. The thing that hindered his elven companion, for some reason, chose now to retreat. The ranger looked around warily. Aragorn could remember the elf having migranes, and insomnia ever since Legolas came to meet Myliné. Most of the headaches causes were pinned on the frequent injuries that were attached to bringing down an enemy operation and traveling through the untamed Middle Earth
Myliné looked over to the ranger and gestured up to the elf, still seated on his horse, breathing evenly. "Legolas is really out of it, I wonder why he is so tired."
Elladan walked over to the women and Dunèdain and shrugged, "We must have been that boring. Listen I think that we are twenty minutes from where we believe you came from at the river. I was wondering what you wanted to, uh, where you wished to inter him." His face was solemn and his lively eyes compassionate.
Her eyes teared up, and she bit her lip. "May I go alone there first? I want to see him alone, to talk to him." She looked at them pleadingly, "I should be safe, see I took Elladan down by myself before, so I can handle myself for the few moments before you four coming dashing to the clearing to rescue me."
"You may," Elrohir called returning from scouting around, "I did not go to the riverside itself, though there is no sign of any shadow spawn lurking about. And I am sure that if sleepy beauty was awake and aware, he would agree with me." Aragorn threw the water skin at his brother. Elrohir yelped as it clipped his head. "What was that for? I haven't insulted you yet today!"
"Legolas needs someone to stand up for him while he rests. No one else helps him." Estel laughed and stood pulling Myliné up off the autumn ground.
The woman took off her leather thong with the blue riverstone and handed it to Estel. "Here, I was given it by a man who I helped, and loved me. I give to you who helped me, and loves me like a sister." She blushed. "I will take Roch down to the river with me."
She mounted the animal and slowly walked it out of the clearing. The horse nickered. Aragorn nodded and turned to the two elves. "Should I follow her?" He half mused aloud.
Elrohir threw an arm around his shoulders, "We grieve for her, but it would be best to leave her a few minutes alone with the man that kept her alive to meet us. Aeren left her enough life, so she could warn us about the orcs, otherwise they would have taken us by surprise and killed us instead of taking captives. Your homeland's boarders' would have been swamped with orcs, and you my friend were out that far alone. The dwarfs, though you claim sheer malice towards them, would have stumbled upon the camps and the King under the Mountain would have been slaughtered on your soil causing war to what you have been you already grieving nation. Rivendell's border patrol would not be enough for the entire force that we have seen, and many elven lives would have been lost. Lothlorien's floors would be stained with orken blood. I shuddered to think of Rohan villages that would be easy prey for the orcs and wargs had they gotten that far unchecked."
Legolas had awakened during the monologue of Elrohir's correct version of event that would have passed. "All because one man wanted to save his woman's life knowing his own would be forfeit." A confused expression captured the elf's face. "It is gone, completely. I can't." Legolas blue glanced around unfocused searching for an elusive prey.
Concern nettled the ranger and he reached out an arm to steady the swaying elf. "What's gone, Legolas!"
A grim victorious smile covered the elf's mouth as he regained balance. "It has never left like this. I could always tell that it had temporarily retreated. The presence is gone. I cannot feel it on Arda."
He walked around, his frown returned, turning to his friends as if to answer the question, of 'What now' that hung in their eyes. "Where's Myliné?" Rubbing a temple, he answered it himself, "She's out by the river. I can fell her there. She is full of despair. Something else is out there with her. Elladan and Elrohir stay here to guard the camp. Estel with me."
Legolas nocked and arrow and took off running through the trees. Estel looked up and started to run off through the forest floor. Estel watched the elf run through the trees as easily if running through a cobbled street.
"What is with her?" Estel yelled up through the trees uncaring about taking it by surprise.
Legolas seemed to have a similar indifference, "I don't know ranger. Be on your guard." To himself, Estel heard to the elf mutter bewildered, "It can't be…"
Estel drew his sword as they got to the riverside as Legolas dropped from the trees, a fletch fitted to his cheek. They both stopped dead.
"There presence is gone…" Legolas looked to the two figures lying in the grass by the river. Myliné looking younger held a man's body riddled with arrows. They both appeared newly dead; a single black arrow came out of her shoulder.
Both look away sheer confusion written on their faces. A voice spoke to them. It was hers. "The Valor granted me a gift. To postpone my knowledge of my death, so that the world would not come to utter chaos before there was time to answer to the threat. Aeren stayed, in spirit only, with me until I returned." The voice died out and the two men were left seeing two bodies, months decayed, but the one thing they recognized was a blue riverstone pendant around her neck.
"Aragorn, to think that the Valor blessed us the entire time…" Legolas glanced at his friend. "It was more than just saving the world that her presence brought. I would still be alone, believing that you humans were as the dwarves. I would not have the chance to make history with a fool like you." The elf laughed. "My headache's gone."
Aragorn took a long look at his mellon's face before responding. "What makes you think we have destinies written with greatness?"
"They, the Valor, would not give us such great friends if they didn't intend to us to help each other to important lives. Also, why would they save a pair of fools like us?" The elf sobered and looked to Myliné and Aeren. "To think that Elladan and Elrohir will never her hear voice empowered with the grace of the Valor."
Legolas and Aragorn turned back to go to their camp. It was Aragorn who spoke, "You know Myliné handed me her necklace before she left." Legolas raised a feathery eyebrow so the ranger continued his voice choked. "It's still there, in pocket, identical to the one around her neck."
"We should go and talk to the twins about her. I think that they would like to Myliné's entire story." Legolas sighed.
"They will not believe us, but they will understand. It is what we are made of, the power camaraderie." Aragorn glanced upwards, seeing the stone reflected her face in mind's eye.
I was crying when I finished writing that, thinking, why, why am I so…
Legolas: (looking alarmed) Uh good thing she left her script right here for the note, for she just ran off to hide in the bathroom.
Estel: I guess it is our duty to say this for her, we are only stuck here until after the Reviewer Responses. And if we twist a few words-
Elrohir: Gimme that- (rips not away)- Uh it says here that she hopes that you all enjoyed her creation, she put a lot of time and effort into crafting this for you. She apologizes for her earlier typos and grammar fluctuations. And she thanks Mornflower, wait Mornflower who's that, oh her beta, for faithfully helping her edit her work and becoming a trusty friend. And it says something about going to read her work for great angst and storyline. Hey, we are being abused all over creation.
Elladan: Continuing on for my fuming brother, she would lastly like to thanks all her reviewers for inspiration and their applause of her work. And then she goes on to be girly, for once, on how they make her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. (gagging)
Legolas: Hey, she's laughing in there, she just tricked us into typing out her ending Author's Note for her. HEY!
All cast running after her…
Reviewer Response:
Mornflower: I am done this for now, if you ever need a beta for anything… We are going keep rambling onto each other like this over email, right! Thanks for your much needed help. Hannon le, mellon nin.
Searo: Your review was one of those that made me feel, to quote above, 'warm and fuzzy.' Good luck with your story.
Horsiegurl: Nice name, I know I wasn't that quick to update, but I am hoping everyone enjoyed the end. Thanks for you support.
CAST: Hey, we are free, but we still like reviews...
