A/N: Finally! Chapter 11! I'm really sorry for the long delay...from school work to org stuff and personal problems...yeah, I had o drop the story for a while. Anyway, here's Chapter 11! Review:)
TEACHING THE MALFOYS, A HARRY POTTER FIC (DRACO/GINNY). READ AND REVIEW THAT AS WELL! THANKS:)
Aielenamin
Chapter 11 - Redemption by Blood
"I shouldn't have put cowardice on your part to be above your being," she said bitingly, introducing her presence to the prince. If he gave notice of her presence, it wasn't noticeable, much to the anger of the elleth.
"A note? That's all the fearless warrior of Eryn Lagaslen could afford? I'm not even worth a personal apology from the great Prince Legolas? After what you've done to me, you can only spare a note! " she lashed out. "You would think that after battling orcs and the Dark Lord himself, he'd be above writing notes to apologize," she sneered, her eyes narrowing at him quiet state. She stood next to him and she knew he could feel the anger emanating from her being at his cowardice. A shiner was prominent on his left cheek, still swollen from the night's catastrophe.
Legolas turned to face her, a serious look on his face as his stormy blue eyes bored into her raging green ones and said, "Arienne, a note was my only alternative because I know that if I see you again, I won't be able to stop myself from kissing you."
Arienne stared at him with hard eyes; her fists clenching and unclenching at her sides. "You did more than just 'kiss' me, you assaulted and harassed me while you were fucking drunk," she raged, controlling the urge to connect her fist or knee to any part of his body. Legolas' jaw ticked, turning his head away from her gaze. "Still nothing to say, revered prince of Mirkwood?" she asked, trying not to spit at his face. This elf standing less than three meters from her was not the kind protector she once adored.
"What do you want me to say, Arienne?" he asked, glancing at her for a second before turning away once more. "A note would not placate you, I don't think my words would do any effect to ease what you are feeling. I was drunk-"
Legolas stopped speaking when he heard her mockingly clap her hands slowly at what he said, walking nearer to where he was.
"And that is your grand excuse. You were DRUNK," she sarcastically finished for him. "You're right. No note, no words will make me forgive you for not only did you nearly RAPE ME BUT YOU ALSO BETRAYED MY SISTER!" she screamed hysterically. Legolas flinched at the truth of what she was saying. He could walk away from this but he couldn't. He knew he deserved whatever barb-cloaked words she threw his way.
"It's taking so much out of me not to hit you but then again, I do not want anything of me to touch you," she said disgustedly. "So much for the high and mighty and kind prince of Mirkwood. People might as well call you a rapist," she spat.
Legolas winced at her words, the truth behind them slicing his soul. In truth, he would kill himself to relieve her from the abhorrent acts he did to her the night before. And she was right, he wasn't fit to be near anyone with the crime he committed.
"I looked up to you, did you know that?" she asked with a softer tone of voice laced with ice. "I told myself, my sister would be in the best hands, she will be happy because you chose her. Your subjects laud your actions because of your kindness and just decisions," she paused, crossing her arms across her chest, staring at an unknown object far ahead. "What will they say of you now?"
"That is for them to judge," he said.
"And you think that they will take it kindly that you lost your legendary cool by forcing yourself on me? You fiancée's sister? Or have you forgotten that fact when you shoved my back against that tree?" she asked venomously.
"I am not going to fight you Arienne," he mumbled tiredly.
Few deafening seconds passed before Arienne's eyes hardened as a vital question came to mind. "Why-why..." the elleth breathed out laboriously as she waited for an answer. She had gotten past the stage of crying last night, as Haldir brought her up to her room, ordering ten armed guards to guard the place. He had tried to calm her hysterical sobs, convincing her that none of it was her fault. As it turns out, the warden was good with convincing her, turning her confusion and trauma around and channeling her anger at the prince.
"Why?" Legolas repeated her question with a tinge of incredulity in his voice. He shook his head and for the first time, a humorless smile grazed his face. "You can answer that question yourself Arienne," he said.
"Being drunk isn't the answer I'm taking. I know better than that, it would be best if you don't underestimate me," she warned.
"Fool is the person who does that," he said mockingly. "Are you sure you do not know Lady Arienne?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.
"If I could, I wouldn't be asking, now would I?" she said, glaring at him. She paused for a moment before continuing, "You would think that poor, helpless Arienne wouldn't have had confronted you here. In fact, I am surprising myself as well, come to think of it. Anger is fueling my confidence and believe me, I have more anger than Mount Mordor can hold in my body right now," she said, her glare hardening even more.
"Guilt is already eating me and if wish to add to that, it is welcome."
"I assure you, you have yet to know the extent of that guilt. If you think I'm going to retreat back into my shell because of what you did, you're wrong. Retreating once from what you did before was enough. Haldir has undoubtedly told my grandmother about this and mark my words Legolas, Most Revered Prince of Eryn Lagaslen, that you will regret that you ever got drunk last night. There are dozens of consequences you will have to face for this," she said, a contemptuous edge on her voice.
"And I will face them," he answered quietly.
Arienne's words proved to be true as Legolas heard a loud knocking on his door after lunch. He dared not show himself to anyone after last night. No doubt, word would have spread quickly around the kingdom and they would not take kindly to the fact that an elf from another realm, a prince or not, had dared hurt one of their own under the influence of liquor.
He had not slept nor eaten since last night's feast, and even then, the only thing that interested him was the liquor. His normally cerulean eyes were bloodshot, tinged by grayish tones, his skin unhealthy in color, as if his internal feelings were manifesting on his physical appearance. Never had he been that inebriated by liquor and yet, last night, too many conflicting emotions passed through his head that it seemed as if the fiery liquid was the only thing that would ease the confusion.
He did not expect her to walk like a lost lamb in the midst of the forest, looking so beautiful in her finery even with her face contorting with her own thoughts. It was easy to blame his actions on the liquor and yet, what had pushed him to drink liquor in the first place?
Guilt was eating him up not only for what he had done to the elleth whom he had sworn to protect from the time he had known her but also for the repercussions that this would mean to his betrothal to one of the kindest beings in the land, Arienne's sister. His father will not shield him for his actions, this was a burden he would need to take care of himself. The elleths' father will definitely not look kindly, who was he kidding? The man will take up his sword and hack him into pieces, not mattering if he was the King's son.
What he did to the elleth gnawed all over his skin. He wanted to blame her for coming back to Eryn Lagaslen looking so much different from the elleth he left. He wanted to blame her for growing up. He wanted to blame her for being Kethaera's sister. He wanted to blame every possible spirit that had conspired for him to be attracted to her and act like a damned fool whenever she was around him. He wanted to blame himself for losing control. He lost control whenever she was there, and last night was the climax of it all. Knowing from her that she was betrothed to Haldir.
And of course, there was the matter of the March Warden who finally laid his overly-large fist on his face, which he would not deny he deserved, and the Lady of the Woods. Kethaera reminded him time and time again before he left that the younger Lasfaelgen was the Lady's favored grandchild between the two of them. Her anger will definitely surpass Kethaera, Lord Lasfaelgen, Haldir and his father's anger towards him. His actions were not what people expected of a prince. He prided himself to be someone who was almost perfect, his flaws carefully hidden. But this time, his crime was to be seen by the entire kingdom. It was for them to pass judgment upon him.
Wearily, he walked to the door where the insistent knocking continued. Opening it, he saw the emotionless March Warden look at him with a very concealed look of loathing in his eyes. The warden was escorted by six other armed archers behind him. The small party composed of blue eyed, blond haired men, with their right palms on the hilt of their swords. Legolas inwardly thought that their presence was unnecessary, he would come willingly wherever the Warden would take him.
"The Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn ask for your presence in the throne room," Haldir said, barely concealing an angry note in his voice. Legolas would bet his own kingdom that if the March Warden wasn't under the orders of the Lord and Lady of the Woods, he would be a bloody lump of mess right then and there.
The prince nodded as the six other guards and Haldir parted their formation in the middle for the prince to walk in middle, as if he was a prisoner. Perhaps, I really am, Legolas thought, his eyes not bothering to look at his surroundings.
Reaching the antechamber of the throne room, Haldir entered first announcing the arrival of the prince. The Lady acknowledged it and asked for them to let him enter. Haldir dismissed the six guards and posted them at the entrance while he walked behind the prince.
In the room was Lady Galadriel, Lord Celeborn and Arienne, seated on ornately decorated thrones, all with unreadable expressions in their faces. Now he knew how it felt like for other people to stand in front of him and his father in Eryn Lagaslen. Feeling less like dirt on their shoes was the primary feeling.
Galadriel stood up, walked down a few steps towards him and stopped a couple of yards from him. Her ethereal glow seemed to emanate a negative energy from her body. "Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil Thandruillon, prince of Mirkwood, are you aware why you are here?" she asked with her musical voice, which had a dangerous iron edge in it.
Legolas nodded.
In a split second, the prince was on his knees as the March Warden kicked the back of his knees. caught unaware, a cry of swift pain traveled from his knees as it connected with the cold, marble floor. "You will show the Lady some respect by answering her questions with words," the Warden warned him.
Arienne's eyes widened at the brutality the Warden displayed at the thoroughly docile prince who muttered an audible 'yes'. The soft gasp she emitted was heard by her grandfather, who merely clasped her hand. The Lady looked down on the prince. "You have created a grave and unforgivable crime against high families in Lothlorien and Eryn Lagaslen through your actions last night at the ball. We had welcomed you as befitted a prince and the betrothed of my granddaughter, Kethaera, and you have taken advantage of this privilege. I do not dare say the words that describe your actions last night for it soils the dignity of this house."
"I take full responsibility of my actions, my lady," he answered softly, his head bowed down. Only the slight sound of his labored breath indicated the loss of his composure. Even as he was kneeling on the marbled floor as if he was a common prisoner, the rod straight posture of his back belied his position as a prince.
Arienne squeezed her grandfather's hand as they watched the two of them. He deserves this. He does not know the pain I carry. He will not see how he had almost broken me with what he did, Arienne thought, steeling her nerves.
Galadriel chose not to hear those words as she continued. "I sent word to your father right after I discovered the magnitude of your transgression to my family, as well as to the Lord Corellon, saying that I am asking for the right to hand down the fitting punishment for your actions,"
Legolas looked up a notch, his eyes hardening. They know. I wished to tell them myself... he thought angrily. They would immediately pass judgment on him. And they would probably be right to think of him as a bastard and yet, he did not want to break his father's heart that way.
"We have received word half an hour ago from your father, agreeing to my terms. Your father looks down at what you did and does not object to what I told him will be your penalty. He plans to hand down another one once you come home. He wishes for you to know that your actions will cause long-standing ties to be broken, including Lord Lasfaelgen's own, who has been informed of your transgressions to both his daughters," Galadriel said, a glacier could have been in her voice. She turned around and walked back to her throne, but did not sit down.
The doors to the throne room opened and a huge block of oak was carried by two soldiers. On the oak was a metal ring, on the metal ring was tied a coarse rope. They placed the oak block in the middle of the room, in front of where the prince was still kneeling. Another soldier came in, carrying a long, thin, black whip. On the last five inches of the whip were tiny spikes.
Legolas, upon seeing the whipping block, went still, his eyes carrying no traces of emotion. Haldir faced the prince and said in his authoritative voice, "Legolas Greenleaf, son of King Thranduil Thandruillon, prince of Eryn Lagaslen, you are here by sentenced to 100 lashes-" Arienne gasped at the number of the whip lashes, which was heard by the prince. Boldly, the prince looked into her eyes for the remaining words of the March Warden. "...for your crime of attempt on sexual harassment, physical harm and emotional trauma on the Lady Arienne Lasfaelgen, to be carried out by the March Warden of the Golden Woods as decreed by the Lady of the Woods on this day."
After finishing the decree, the two soldiers removed his tunic, leaving the prince clothe only with his tights and boots. They then tied his hands with the rope as he continued to kneel. He would not fight them, he knew that he deserved more than 100 lashes for what he did. That decree most definitely did not include the pain he caused Kethaera, who already probably knew of what he did to her sister.
Arienne watched as Haldir removed some of his weapons from his waist to be able to move freely. She knew that the animosity between the two elves was something Haldir did not take seriously but after last night's incident, it became personal. The prince dared to lay a hand on Arienne. The soldier handed the Warden the whip, which everyone knew was a lot deadlier if it was in the hands of their captain.
"Humbly asking the permission to proceed, my lord and ladies," Haldir said, facing the trio. He watched as the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn stood up. They were not going to watch the brutality imposed upon the prince, no matter how much the offense was against their family.
"Arienne?" The questioning eyes of the Lord Celeborn looked at Arienne's own puzzled ones. "Will you not come with us?"
She looked back from the hardened face of Haldir, to the resigned ones of the prince to her grandfather's inquisitive ones and shook her head determinedly. "I intend to stay, if that is alright with you," she said, clearly wishing to see what would happen. Unbeknownst yet to the lady, a part of her wished to stay so that the Warden will not inflict more pain than necessary to the prince.
"If you wish, my dear. But you must be warned, this display is brutal," he said softly to his granddaughter.
"I am warned," she nodded. She watched as her grandparents walked out of the room, barely glancing at the kneeling prince. He had finally lost their favor. No saving of Middle Earth could mire the memory of what he had done to Arienne for them.
Haldir then turned to Arienne for her permission where she merely nodded.
"No, please! Legolas!" she screamed, muffled by his lips covering her mouth. His grip tightened more at her struggle as she pushed him away from her. "No...no, Eru! Please, stop! This is wrong.." Arienne gasped as she felt her back connect to something hard and rough. She needed to get away from him, she must get away from him! Tears raced down from her eyes at her helplessness. Why wouldn't he stop?
Even with her shoulders squared and her heart emanating an icy chill throughout her body, the first cracking sound of the thick, punishing leather connecting to his skin made Arienne flinch. The prince did not dare look at her as he tightened the muscles at his back, bunching together as the tiny spikes grazed his smooth skin, leaving tiny scratches of open flesh. Blood slowly trickled down his back.
But before the thought was even finished, another heavy-handed blow connected to his skin. His fists clenched the ropes that bound them as three successive blows left opened, bleeding lines; thin lines of blood streamed down his back. The tiny spikes on the whip proved to be more deadly than they appeared to be, the small, innocent spikes drew blood in small amounts yet the gashes hooked the spikes and opened his skin more. With the pain finally embedding itself on the prince on the seventh blow, he tightly shut his eyes, clenched his jaw and gripped the rope he was holding.
You deserve more than this Legolas, he thought repeatedly as the image of a terrified Arienne flashed in his mind over and over again along with her pleas for his to stop. You did not stop, you did not stop yourself, he thought torturously, his breathing becoming more labored with each heavy lash delivered to his back.
The March Warden employed an expressionless look on his face as he continued to lash the prince, as much as five successive blows without expelling a breath. Arienne on the other hand, sat still in half-shock as she watched the brutality that her grandfather had warned her about. She could see the controlled pain he was in, the side image of his bloodied back made her shake, her eyes wide, seemingly unnoticed by the Warden.
"Let it be known to everyone in this room that I have only delivered twenty-five lashes," Haldir's deep voice breaking into her shock. He was watching her, waiting for her to acknowledge what he said. She looked at the still pained and contorted expression on the prince's features then back to the Warden. Before she could say anything else, Legolas' mouth quickly lowered to the elleth's surprised ones. His lips didn't make room for her to adjust to the bruising kiss as he delved into her mouth assultingly; thrusting and withdrawing without the shocked elleth's permission.
Arienne's eyes hardened once more at the memory, feeling dirtier than ever, before nodding at the warden. Before she could breathe another breath, a sound crisper and swifter than the last ones was delivered in a lightning quick speed on the back of Legolas. An intake of breath due to the pain escaped his lips as Arienne watched for the first time, blood splattered on the floor, specks on dark red blood sullied the marble floor.
It was followed by heavier lashes, opening more skin, his long, fine hair soaking blood at the ends turning them vermillion in color. His tights not anymore the recognizable dark green that it was. And yet, Haldir had not yet placed his heaviest blow until the fortieth blow. Tiny sounds escaped the prince lips as his back slumped onto the oak block, his breath labored as more blows came to punish his back.
Arienne watched as the blows became varied, with only the scraping of the small spikes being constant. The prince's back finally arched in pain, accompanied by a strangled cry from his lips. He did not have the strength to hold his posture, his body clinging on the block as the Warden mercilessly lashed at his back. His chest heaved heavily as he tried to breath, laboriously taking its toll. Suddenly, the whipping stopped.
"Let it be known to everyone in this room that I have delivered fifty lashes," the Warden said once more. He faced Arienne's already horrified look, waiting for her signal. Their eyes met, the warden seemingly reminded her of her ordeal of the night before when he carried her shaking like a leaf, her cries piercing at his very soul. And suddenly, she felt the hollow and chilly feeling inside, the rough bark of the tree connecting with her back as Legolas shoved her. Arienne finally nodded; Legolas opened his eyes feebly to see her feebly nod.
Her head spinned at the knowledge that there had only been only fifty lashes delivered. It seemed like ten times more than that already. Legolas' body twisted to try and dodge the punishing whip that never missed the target as his body finally sprawled out on the floor, all dignity and fight leaving his body at that moment.
Arienne half-stood from her seat at the shock of seeing the unmoving body of the prince. It was only then she realized the full extent of the brutality of the whip. Arienne flinched when her arm met a spatter of the prince's blood. She stared at the blood stops with wide and horrified eyes. With the warden occupied, Legolas slowly lifted his face, his hair matted with blood, his face smeared with his own warm blood, and looked straight at her.
"I am sorry, Aielen, I am sorry," he whispered hoarsely before clenching his eyes once more.
It was as if a punch had landed at her own heart, the seizing feeling took hold of her and stood up. "Stop!"
Haldir was on the verge on landing the seventy-fifth blow when he heard the alarmed cry of Arienne. "You can stop now," she said shakily to the Warden, striding down to where the bloodied prince was sprawled. Hazy memories seemed to flood her mind all at the same time, all with one goal: to remind her that there was more to the prince than just the drunk one that she encountered the night before.
He gathered the tiny elf into his arms and rocked her gently, letting her cry in his arms. His heart constricted as he felt her shake with fright and her continued sobs. "Shhhhh, it's alright aielenamin. It's going to be alright, you're safe now," he whispered, trying to calm his racing heart. He could not shake off the terror he felt when he saw the horse nearly miss her head. He continued to say soothing words to the child who was slowly calming down, alternating his apologies with the assurances. "I'm sorry, so sorry tellelah. It's going to be fine now."
To the time he had taught her to ride a horse and fire her bow for the first time. To the times he played with her and read her stories. She looked down at him and sank down to her knees next to the prince, unmindful that her dress was soaking up his blood. This elf, bloodied and unmoving was almost her kin. What have I done? she thought, feeling sick as she drank in the image of her protector of old.
"Get him a healer Haldir," she pleaded to the puzzled elf standing. "Please get him a healer, please," she cried.
"Do not listen to her," a hoarse voice croaked suddenly. Legolas laboriously turned his head to the still shell-shocked lady and tried to feebly smile. The gory image of the beautiful prince's face marred by the blood streaming all over it was more than she could bear. For the thousands of times he had smiled down at her as a child, this was more than she could take. "March Warden, you are ordered to deliver one hundred lashes, you have yet to finish," he said as clearly as he could. "Leave now Arienne, if you cannot bear to see this," he added to the mute lady.
Haldir nodded to the two soldiers to take the lady away from the room but she sat unmoving. "Dare to take me away Haldir and you will regret it," she said angrily at him. "You are to stop whatever was ordered for you to do!" she screamed. "Get the prince a damned healer!"
"Take her away Haldir!" Legolas bellowed as well, expelling another breath after the energy wasted by shouting.
"Are you insane! You're going to die if this continues!" she shouted at him, tears finally streaming down her face as she fully realized what was being done to him.
"For what I did to you and your sister, especially you, I deserve no less," he said painfully.
Before she could even protest, the two guards ushered the bloodied and shocked elleth out of the chamber, her eyes still fastened at the brutalized back of the prince.
Galadriel was walking in her garden with the Lord Celeborn trailing next to her when she abruptly stopped. "Is it over?" Lord Celeborn asked his wife, a troubled look on his wise features.
The lady nodded tiredly, "I did not think it would take this long for Arienne to realize that the punishment was too harsh."
"How much did the prince endure?"
The lady paused for a moment, pain flashing on her face before saying, "All one hundred lashes, twenty-five of which our granddaughter tried to stop the March Warden from delivering."
Celeborn frowned at what he heard. "Why didn't Haldir stop when Arienne asked him to?"
It was then a serene yet sad smile appeared on the lady's face, "Because the prince did not want the warden to stop. To prove to her than he was remorseful for what he did."
"It must have almost killed him," Celeborn said, alarmed.
"The prince does not feel pain, only love," Galadriel said enigmatically, squeezing her husband's hand.
So that was chapter 11! -shudder- at least i had gotten over that brutal chapter...smooth sailing after that...or not. :P so yeah, same drill, review:) :) :) you guys are insane! 35 reviews for chapter 10! cool:) and yeah, read and review my HP fic as well, Teaching the Malfoys. Thanks:)
Paula