1Suil (hello) everyone. One of my reviewers is really hooked on my story, and she says she looks like the living dead. So, to reward her loyalty, here is chapter 26.
The Sea
Tari mounted one of the steeds in Aragorn's stables with no bridle or saddle; relying on her elven touch to guide the horse. She spurred the horse out of the stable, just as Aragorn and Arwen reached it. Arwen called out her name, and not to go, but Tari heeded her not. She wanted to see the face of the elf that had left her to bear ten years of utter agony and grief. Tari would have faded within a year if it hadn't been for that cursed potion on the dart.
Now, with all speed, she had to race hard and far, if she ever wanted to see the one that she had pledged her heart to, again.
"You can't keep blaming yourself like this..." Gimli huffed as he stumped up the gangplank to the deck of the magnificent ship. Legolas stood, leaning against the balustrade of the grey ship, his eyes unfocused as he stared back across the wide stretch of velvety sea.
He turned a sorrowful face to his stunted friend, and forced a smile. "I can't. Not when I know that there must have been more I could've done to save her."
"But there wasn't." Gimli sighed, in the way of one giving up before an argument arose. "Try to think about something else." he offered, "Like what you'll do when you see your father again."
Legolas stiffened at the thought, remembering how enraged his father was about him calling off the wedding; which was the last time he saw him.
Gimli snorted, "Fine then, don't think about your father. Think about - oh forget it! You pointy-ears are impossible..." He stumped off down to the other end of the ship - undoubtedly about to go eat in the galley.
Legolas shook his head in amusement at the dwarf, before turning his attention to fixing loose rope that wasn't tied properly. Still, thoughts of his beloved flooded his mind. As of late, he had been having nightmares, and visions of her torture and suffering. Men, forcing themselves upon her, beating her into submission. It made his heart scream to witness such things; whether or not they were real.
He fixed the rope, and stared across the deck at the elves that were to journey with him to the Undying Lands. How he wished he could be as happy and as care-free as they were. Most talked about loves that had sailed before them, and how much they longed to see them again.
'Mine shall never return to me, unlike theirs...' Legolas thought grievously.
The whinny of a horse echoed on his ears. He busied himself with another loose knot, not caring who it was that was approaching. The few whisperings that had arisen suddenly stopped. The only sound you could hear was the gentle splash of the waves upon the hull of the ship. It wasn't until the entire deck was silent, that he finally looked up to see what had caused the elves to suddenly lose their voices.
It was as thought his heart had frozen in his chest, melted, and then burst into flame simultaneously. His mind was reeling. 'Was it her! Could it truly be! But I thought she was dead! Valar! Am I dreaming?'
She was standing at the end of the gangplank, staring up at him with silent tears sliding down her blood-stained face. Her eyes were dark, thought there was a hidden luster in them that only he could see. She looked just as she had in his dreams; and how he wished they weren't true. The gashes and cut upon her fair skin were not scabbed over, but bleeding freely. And the way that she stood suggested a broken ankle. But still, she hesitantly smiled, thinking; 'Why does he not come to me? Is it true then? That he has indeed forgotten me and learned to love another?' Frowning at her thoughts and him, she hesitantly took a step backward; toward the horse.
Her foolish questions were soon swept away as he ran down the plank and embraced her, kissing every inch of her; not caring that his lips fell upon dirt and blood. All he saw was his beloved in his arms. His love. His angel. His Tari.
She wept. Not with the pain, but with the relief of knowing that he still loved her. He cradled her head in his hands, ignoring the rumbling applause and cheers from the elves behind him. Some yelled, "The prince has found his love again!" "The daughter of Elrond is alive!" "The princess of Eryn Lasgalen is come!" "Praise Illuvatar!"
Tari looked up at him as he gently wiped away her numerous tears. "I thought you had abandoned me..." she whispered hoarsely.
Legolas pressed a finger to her lips. "Hush, love, don't speak. Do not strain yourself more than you already have." Without another word, he carefully, gently, and smoothly lifted her up into his strong arms. With what strength she could muster, she wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him for dear life. Never, did she feel so helpless. And yet, she felt so relieved. Like a great burden had finally been lifted from her shoulders. For ten years she had suffered the worst fate possible, and now she was back in his arms again.
She felt herself being carried down beneath the ship, and heard a door open. Next thing she knew, she was lying on a bed in a small yet quaint cabin, while Legolas expertly examined every inch of her; skillfully cleaning and wrapping her wounds. All the while he whispered curses to Sircin and the men and orcs who had done this to her. And also, praising Elbereth and Illuvatar for bringing her back to him. Tari was very pale; her body had lost copious amounts of blood during her journey. Legolas feared for her.
"Love, look into my eyes..." he commanded softly, tilting her chin toward him. Her eyes wandered, but she forced a smile.
"I'll be alright, meleth nin." (My love) she reassured him, pressing a pale, and now calloused hand, against his warm cheek.
Gimli stumbled into the room, shaking, and out of breath. He had clearly run here. The dwarf stared at Legolas, then with a shocked expression at Tari, and then back to Legolas. His breathing rasped, and he gasped out, "I fear 'tis a ghost I see before me..."
Tari laughed lightly, but immediately stopped as she felt a sharp pain in one of her broken ribs. "Nay, gentle Gimli. Though of course, your surprise is understandable. I for one, did not believe I would get here before you left." she turned her gaze to Legolas. He grasped her hand, and placed a loving kiss upon her forehead.
Gimli gave her a small hug, as to not hurt her any further. Adding that once her ribs were healed, he'd break them again for worrying him to death for her. He gave her hand one last kiss before going out of the room, to "give the love-birds some privacy". Tari promptly threw a pillow at him, causing him to growl in rage, knowing that he couldn't hurt her in return.
Once the door had closed, Legolas turned his gaze back to Tari, guilt and grief etched into his face. "I'm so sorry, Tari..." he whispered, sitting down beside her, and taking her smaller form into his arms.
Tari laid a hand on one of his arms that encircled her, saying, "It wasn't your fault... Sircin is dead now - and I have you again."
Legolas shook his head. "I cannot fathom what you must have gone through, my love... But my nightmares - they have shown me... And how I wish that I could take all this pain from you," he said, tracing on long scar that followed the vulnerable line of her throat. Testament from the time that one of the drunken men that had beat her had slashed at her for not submitting herself and trying to run. But that was just one of the many, many times she had been forced upon. And she had many more scars from similar encounters.
Tari laid her head against Legolas, beginning to tear again as the memories flooded her mind. "H-he said that you wouldn't want some 'dark lord's whore', even if he did let me go... And I believed him..."
Legolas held her closer to him, whispering soft soothing elvish words into her ear. "It's alright now, penneth, no more tears... Not now that we are together again..." (Little one) There was a sudden small lurch as the ship cast off from the port. Legolas smiled. "We're going home, my love... We shall soon see our families again."
He got out from under her, laying her softly on the pillows of his own large bed, and pulling the blankets up about her. "Rest now, my beloved. Sleep in peace, knowing that you shall never again worry or fear..."
Tari laughed quietly. "How optimistic you are, little prince."
The word 'prince' reminded him of the word princess... And also, something he had been planning on doing for a long time. A very long time...
"What is it?" Tari asked, noting his suddenly over-bright eyes. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, ignoring another sharp stab of agony spiking up her ribs.
Legolas said nothing, but went over to the bureau that stood in the corner. He opened on of the drawers, that had only one thing occupying it; a small, white, box. Legolas turned around, box in hand, and knelt before Tari, next to the bed. Tari saw the box, and her heart raced...
"Tari..." Legolas said gently, holding her hands in his. "For so long I had waited for you to return when you disappeared from Lorien, and when you did, it was only to be seperated again by yet another war. And then forced apart by evil beings who sought to end our love. Yet through it all, I loved you and no other. You are the love of my life, and nothing and no one can change my heart. So now I ask you, not as a prince, but as a lover... Will you grant me the honor, of being my wife?" He opened the box, revealing a silver engagement band with a single bright white diamond.
Tari had the answer to that question the moment she saw the box. No words could explain the joy that burst through the dam in her heart as she flung her arms around Legolas, who caught her before they both tumbled to the ground. "Yes!" she cried, "With all my heart and more!"
He caught her lips with his in such a deep, passionate, longing, loving, enduring, promising kiss, that it beseeched all others into dust in a single moment. How long they stood there, holding each other and taking in the presence of one-another, no one knew. But Legolas was the first to come to his senses, chivying her weak form back into the bed, before forcing her to drink an herbal tea that sent her spiraling into a deep sleep, filled with no dreams, but an innocent peace...
This isn't the end... yet. Oh, by the way, I finally found a picture that looks like Tari! Go here:
http/