Disclaimer: The two interacting characters in this chapter are mine. Anything else is Tolkien's possession.
Author's note: So why is it that Rexia has left with the one, she is not very fond of? It's time to find out…
FaerlasPoor Edwen. If he were real he would have been lying dead by now. :o)) And I like him so much, even though he is not of a positive kind… It's probably my "author's derangement" acting…
x-jacqui-x I'm glad that you found a free minute for me. :o)) Thanks for not forgetting, it's pleasant.
Legos-r-Hot:I'm working at it. :o)) As for "Elvish". I've already noticed that, but I have scarcely any time to write and post new chapters now… What can I say about re-posting? Sorry. :o)
And hugs to Deana ;o), Inwe Tasartir, Escape5, Blackrosemystic (hope your computer is in good health), Nautica, Ara, Goddess of the broken and HyperSquishy.
May your April be merry and careless.
Chapter fifteen.
How it was.
"My greetings," rapped out a familiar voice, as Rexia unsuccessfully tried to move back, not thinking about the door behind her, "I think we have something to discuss."
"I don't know what I can discuss with you," said the girl suspiciously. How did they come here?
Except Edwen, who stood just opposite her, there were three more elves in the hall. Two of them were acquainted to her – she saw them the day, when she first met Legolas's uncle. Their faces were severe, but when she tried to meet glances with them, they lowered their eyes.
"I would ask you to come with us," Edwen offered her his hand. The elves moved closer, clustering round her… Rexia swallowed, attempting to refrain from trembling.
"And what if I say I'm not inclined to go anywhere?" she constrained herself to speak evenly and coolly.
"Then I'm afraid you'll go against your will."
Edwen raised his hand, and between his fingers she saw a small thorn, trickling with something red and foxy. She jerked when he reached out for her neck in a single snake-like movement, but it was too late. The moment the point of the thorn pierced her skin, everything became blurred and wobbly. In the desperate attempt to stay on her feet Rexia made an unseeing step forward and laid hold of the elf's shoulders – it felt like she had clutched at the rock. Her body broke – she was slowly sliding down his chest. The last thing she remembered was his hands, catching her up before she knocked against the floor. And all the lights darkled…
Rexia was slowly coming to her senses, eager to cry of dull pain, which was throbbing in her head. The left side of her neck was numb – she tried to rub it, but found out that it was hardly possible – her wrists were tied up behind her.
She was offhandedly rested against a cold stone wall. Three more solid walls beetled over her, crowned with a low ceiling. There were no windows; the floor was seemingly bare ground, well-rammed by numerous bodies…
"Welcome back!" drawled a mocking voice above her. The girl looked up, knowing beforehand whom she would see there.
A crystal lamp in his hands was spilling dim silvery light over the dungeon. His face, indistinct in the twilights, was haughty and exultant.
She attempted to brave an answer, but instead of it suffocated with coughing. Edwen's smile grew wider…
"Don't try in vain," advised he good-naturedly, "Unless you prefer speaking in whisper. I had to make sure that you won't be able to cry or sing."
She opened wide her eyes in complete astonishment. Sing? Under this circumstances? Was she making an impression of being insane?
Her surprise must have been so obvious, that the elf clenched his teeth suddenly crossly. No signs of mirth remained in him. He became icy and undoubtedly cruel.
She had never seen such elves before. He reminded of a storm cloud, blazing with spears of lightnings. He reminded of a whip, whistling in the air before falling down on the unsheltered skin.
"Don't pretend you didn't understand," hissed he, "It's unwise of you to play with me."
"What do you want from me?" croaked Rexia – each word caused unbearable pain in her throat, which seemed to be powdered with sand.
"This and that," he was calming down, "there are many things one may want from a Vala…"
If she thought she was surprised when he supposed that she would sing, she was sorely mistaken. Now she was simply stunned.
"A Vala?" whispered she, "Are you not in you right mind? I'm not a Vala!"
His laughter testified that she wasn't very persuasive.
"Now, now," uttered Edwen soothingly, "Don't you think it's no use pretending when you're exposed?"
"Exposed!" exclaimed the girl, which caused another fit of coughing.
Edwen waved his hand - one of the elves, who were silently standing by his sides, handed him a small flask. The dapple-eyed knelt down near Rexia and brought the neck of it to her lips.
"Go out," dropped he to the guards, "Milady and I need to have a private talk."
The elves quietly obeyed.
"Now," said Edwen, sitting down on the floor and smiling, "We'll make a deal. You can help me, and I can help you. So let's be friends."
"Do you always tie up your friends and throw them into a stone sack?" inquired she sarcastically.
"Just small precautions," chucked he, "I'll untie you the moment we get on with each other."
She began to suspect something. It was beyond belief, but… He didn't think that she was the object of their search, did he?
"You're mistaken, do you know that?" asked she impassively, "Wasn't it you who told me that to be a healer doesn't mean to be a Vala? And what has become of your assurance that your aim is a man?"
"Even Valar can be wrong," responded Edwen, his wide sable brows curved in scorn, "But you had been extremely good in disguising yourself. If not for your healing that simpleton, my nephew, nobody would ever suspect you."
"I see nothing special in it," said Rexia calmly.
She was tired of all that nonsense. She grew almost indifferent to everything. It was as if she was reading a strange story with no beginning, a story so intricate, that it annoyed her. To close the book shut – that's what she wanted.
"Very well," the elf conceded to her protest with eases, "Then what about the orcs? Do you really believe that they came after Legolas? Won't you tell me what had you been doing before they appeared?"
"Talking to Legolas."
"And?" his voice rose a little, a shade of invitation tingeing the common enquiry.
And? She considered for a moment, and the right answer dawned upon her in all its bareness and irrefutability.
"Singing…," she breathed out, "I was singing."
"You had three arrows in your quiver," chanted Edwen in a hushed tone, "Rather an aggressive song, don't you think so? They heard your aggression. They perceived your anger. They craved for it. And they came after you."
"It's not true," but her objection was not as confident as it had been before.
Edwen smiled slightly and touched her damp forehead, removing glued locks from her skin.
"It is, milady. And since for now I'm the only one who knows, I have an offer for you. I will tell no one, you can rely on me. But you… You will help me to get rid of King Thranduil."
"What?" muttered Rexia, thinking that she misheard something.
"You will make everything to kill him. You're able to, and you don't even have to see him in person. After that we'll find somebody to substitute you."
"What do you mean "to substitute"?" frowned Rexia.
The elf leaned closer, so that his lips were barely a breath away from her ear.
"I shall call this person the Vala, whom we are looking for. I shall proclaim him to be evil. We shall kill him and go back to Valinor. And you will be free as a bird. I'm not interested in your further life."
"And what is your profit?" she wondered at her own tranquility. Her head was spinning – she wanted to lie down, fall asleep and never wake up.
"Thranduil will be dead. I will be the king of elves, for our poor blind Legolas cannot be counted on. As far as I can see you are not going back to him, are you? Though if you desire I can leave him here. Consider it a sign of my thankfulness."
Undue merriment bubbled up inside her and she burst out laughing, unable to stop, though she was trying hard to keep herself in hand. Edwen uncomprehendingly glared at her.
"Oh, Eru… Poor Legolas!" she blurted out through the hysterical tears, rolling down her cheeks, "May you know, "The king of elves", that poor Legolas got sighted three days ago! You are too late… What a pity…"
The elf sprang to his feet, his fair features distorted with ire.
"You've trapped yourself," he spat out, "If you refuse, I shall kill you and no one will doubt me. For your reputation as a healer may be good, but your reputation as a person is much worse…"
A dagger gleamed in his hand – Rexia looked into his flaring eyes, realizing that her tune had been played up to the end. She wasn't afraid. She was exhausted…
A sudden burst of sound shook the dungeon. It came from the outside, making the walls and the ground tremble. A voice, deep and loud, cutting through the air, thundering, deafening… A voice, singing a song of deliverance, and justice, and forgiveness.
The door swing open and let inside bright beams of sun together with a tall, proudly-looking elf in rich regal clothes. She immediately recognized his haughty bearing, though it was only once she saw him. King Thranduil…
And behind the king towered a black silhouette of the one, who was singing. The silhouette, which looked so familiar…
Another stream of sounds covered her with a warm blanket, and she plunged into the blissful shadows of a swoon again.