Between the Lines
By penpunk
Disclaimer: Tolkien's stuff doesn't belong to me…duh
Chapter 12: Flee
Kat stood up quickly from the table but was shoved back into her seat by Luinuial.
"Where do you think you're going?" hissed Luinuial out of the corner of her mouth. "You are staying until the end of this dinner."
"I need to leave," said Kat, throwing aside all effort to be Elenril. This had gone too far. Not only was she in another time, and another body, but she was engaged to the foulest creature in Middle-Earth. She had to get out of there.
"No you don't, Elenril," said the Queen. "Do not embarrass me."
Luinuial kept a grip on Kat's arm and kept her from rising.
"I don't know what your problem is," continued Luinuial. "You've been with Dalkir longer than anyone before. You want to marry him."
"No, I don't," said Kat. "You should have let me in on this decision."
"It was not your decision to make," Luinuial lowered her voice to a whisper. "You are going to be queen of Naerel. Queen, Elenril. More power than you have now. The kind of power you've always wanted. Not only do you marry your beloved Avari prince, but Aelin-Brethil gets the protection we've been longing for."
"Protection from what? Silvans? No one wants Aelin-Brethil. It's ugly and dead."
Luinuial's grip tightened hard on Kat's arm.
"How dare you," said Luinuial dangerously. By now, every eye was turned to Kat and the Queen, though none were stupid enough to be open about it. Luinuial stood up quickly and pulled Kat out of the room with her.
"It's that Silvan, isn't it?"
"For the last time," said Kat, trying to keep Legolas out of this issue, "it isn't. He has nothing to do with anything."
"You're lying," said Luinuial. "I know it. He has everything to do with this. Ever since you came home, he was been your only concern. You've put his well being in front of your kingdom. Whatever is going on between you two ends now. He's going back into the dungeons and will be dealt with quickly."
Kat ripped her arm from Luinuial's grip. Without a word, she turned and began to walk upstairs.
"How dare you turn your back on me," yelled Luinuial. "How dare you embarrass me like this."
"You're embarrassing yourself," said Kat without turning back. "I'll be in my room."
Kat ran up the rest of the stairs and down the corridor, back to Elenril's room. She was leaving. There was no way she would let herself be married to Dalkir. She was leaving, even if she had no place to go.
She needed to find Legolas. She couldn't leave him in this hell hole. Finding her room, Kat gathered her things quickly in a bag. She grabbed some food off the tray from the morning and stuffed it along with some spare items she thought she might need. She threw the bag over her shoulder and grabbed the bow she got in Mirkwood.
Kat reached for the door and opened it. She looked down the corridor and saw her mother and Dalkir walking towards her room. She quickly closed the door and locked it.
Now what was she going to do? Her only way out was through that door. She panicked and looked around the room. Her only option was the window. She ran over and got to the window as she could hear her mother knocking on the door.
"Elenril!" her mother's voice was muffled by the thick wood. "Elenril, open the door."
Kat opened the window and looked down. It was a three story drop if she was going to climb out. The only way down was to shimmy across the face of the wall, using the rough stone bricks as foot and hand holds and getting herself over to a tree that was off to her left. She could shimmy to the side and jump for one of the branches that was jutting out towards the castle. The wall was uneven and possibly enough for Kat to hold onto as she would make her way to the tree. Unfortunately, she had never rock climbed before. Even if she had, this was going to be quite the feat if she pulled it off. The only problem was that she would be leaving without Legolas.
"Elenril! Someone break down this door."
Kat would worry about Legolas once she was down safely on the ground. She grabbed her bag and bow and put both over her shoulders. She stripped off her fancy elf shoes and grabbed the pair of boots she had been given by Legolas. Kat swung leg over the sill of the window and then the other. She looked down at the ground before taking a deep breath and turning over so she could climb down.
Her first foot found a hold. Kat gained her balance and made sure her things were secure before bringing her second foot down. She set her other foot on a small ledge. As she rested both feet on the wall and evened her bodyweight on both, her right leg slipped off the small ledge. She held tight to the window sill as she caught herself and found another foot hold. She looked over to gauge how far the tree was from her. It was a good ten feet from being able to have a chance at jumping for it.
Kat could hear someone banging at the door. They were going to knock it down. It was now or never. She scooted along the wall until she reached the end of the window sill. She searched for a way to hold on to the wall until she could make it to the next window. There were two bricks that jutted out a few inches more than the rest but they were far apart, more that Kat's arm length. Kat could hear her door breaking and she hurried to grab on to the first stone.
She found more places for her feet. Fortunately, there was a tiny ledge of two or three inches that ran the length of the wall. Kat moved along carefully, stretching to reach the second brick. She stretched out her fingers but couldn't reach unless she let go of the first. She took a deep breath and lunged for the brick. As she grabbed it, her bag shifted and caused her to lose her balance. She slipped off the brick and began to fall. She tried to grab for the ledge her feet had been on but it was too slippery. Her fingers slipped off one by one. She looked down as she struggled to keep a hold of the ledge. There was a window sill below her. If only she could aim for that. She reached her feet down and felt the wood under her feet. She stepped forward and found that the window was open. Her fingers were starting to cramp as she kept clawing to keep hold.
She was just about to jump for the window when someone's hand wrapped around her leg. It startled her enough to make her let go completely and fall. Strong arms caught her under her arm pits as she fell past the window.
"Elenril! What in Middle-earth are you trying to do?"
Legolas had caught her. He pulled her into his tiny room. Of all the rooms to fall past. Kat couldn't speak. She was shaking badly, the mixture of adrenaline and fear racing through her body. Legolas let go and went around to close the window. Kat dropped to the floor, trying to catch her breath.
"You could have been killed," said Legolas as he turned around. "Your precious betrothed would have been saddened."
Legolas said the last part with much venom as he walked back around to face Kat. She looked up at him with fear as she began to shake her head.
"What? Conveniently lost your voice again?" asked Legolas. "Doesn't matter. I'll go get Dalkir for you. He'll be more pleased than I to see you."
"L-Legolas, no!" screamed Kat. She tried to suppress the all the emotion in her so she could form words. "Please don't. I'm begging you."
Legolas turned from the door and walked back over to Kat.
"Elenril, you have the chance to be Queen. This is what you've always wanted. Why wouldn't you want that Avari?"
"You don't understand," said Kat as she tried to get back on her feet. "I'm being forced into this marriage. I don't want to have anything to do with that disgusting creature."
"You have a real commitment problem," said Legolas with a sneer. "You supposedly fall in love and then run off when the time comes to act upon it."
"Legolas, shut up and listen to me. Just shut up!" screamed Kat. "Why do you think I was risking my neck, climbing out of my window? My mother was on her way in with Dalkir. I told her I wasn't going to marry him and she got very angry. The only way out was the window."
Legolas looked at her for a few moments, not really knowing what to say or do.
"But your mother said you were waiting for this moment for a long time," said Legolas quietly and slowly.
"She was talking more about herself than anyone else," answered Kat. "I don't want to marry him. I don't want to be here. I want to leave."
Legolas stared at her for a moment before pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her.
"I'm sorry, Ele," he said as he held her tight. "I shouldn't jump to conclusions like that."
"Apology accepted," said Kat as she pulled out of his arms. "Now we need to get out of here."
Legolas nodded as he grabbed his things. Kat ran to the door and opened it slightly, looking to see if anyone was coming. The corridor was clear but she had a feeling it wouldn't be for long.
"Come on," she said. "They're going to know I'm gone, if they don't already. We need to go now."
"I need my bow, Elenril," said Legolas as he made for the door. "Where is it?"
"I don't know. Here, take mine," said Kat as she pulled the bow and quiver off and handed it to Legolas.
They ran down the corridor and towards the main stairs. Legolas ran in front, making sure to check each branching corridor before moving on. They both crouched low next to the banister and looked into the main hall. The Avari guest were ambling about, making they're way out of the palace.
"Do you think we can make for it without being noticed by that lot?" asked Legolas.
Kat looked around the crowd and saw Carandil standing by the door, eyeing the Avari as they left. She motioned to Legolas to go, pointing towards Elenril's brother. They ran down the stairs and dodged through the group of elves who eyed them both strangely. Carandil caught sight of his sister as Legolas and she approached him.
"Elenril, Mother is furious," said Carandil.
"I know," said Kat. "And that's why we're leaving."
"With him?" he asked as he pointed at Legolas. "He can't leave."
"I know," said Kat. "But he's my only chance to get out of here."
"But where are you going to go?" asked Carandil as his voice dropped low.
"Somewhere other than here," said Kat. "I can't stay and marry that elf, Carandil."
"There she is! She's with the Silvan"
Kat and Legolas both looked up to the top of the stairs. Someone had spotted them and now Luinuial, Dalkir, his father, and a couple of Aelin-Brethil guards were making their way towards them.
"Go," said Carandil as he pushed Legolas and Kat towards the door. "I'll stall them for you. Just go."
Kat nodded as Legolas grabbed her by the hand and ran out the door. They ran through the oval courtyard and off to the right. Their horses had been led this way when she arrived.
"Where are the stables?" asked Legolas as Kat ran blindly into the dark.
"I don't know," she said as she looked around furiously.
"You don't know? Elenril, you live here," said Legolas as he followed her in searching.
"Shut up Legolas," she said as she stopped. She listened for the sound of horses. They were off to their right. "This way, come on."
Legolas looked back to see lanterns coming out of the palace. He grabbed hold of Kat's hand tighter and began to run even faster.
"Hurry Elenril," said Legolas.
"They're over here," she said as she spotted a building, illuminated by many lanterns. She could see the outlines of horses inside. They got the entrance and Kat searched for Sitha and Blaith. Legolas stopped at the entrance and made a strange whistle. A banging sound came from the end of the stable.
"Blaith is down here," said Legolas as he pulled Kat with him to the end of the barn. He unlatched the door and Blaith came out at once. "Here, get on."
"What about Sitha?" asked Kat as Legolas helped her up. Legolas went over to Kat's white mare and opened her stall.
"She'll follow us," he said as he mounted Blaith and sat behind Kat. We can't be split up if we're on one horse."
He whispered into Blaith's ear and the dark stallion responded by galloping down the stable. They bounded out and to the right, making their way out of the main courtyard of the palace. Kat looked back and could see Sitha following behind. Also behind them was a collection of lanterns making their way towards the stable. Kat held tight to the arm circling around her.
They rode in the dark for what seemed like hours. Kat could hear more hoof beats coming behind them, but that only made Blaith run faster. They finally came to the gate that held the rest of the world out of Aelin-Brethil. The elf guards stopped Legolas and Kat.
"Open this gate at once," said Kat. She could feel Legolas shifting, trying to hide behind her.
"Yes, Your Highness," said the elf as he unlocked the gate and opened it. As Blaith and Sitha made their way out, Kat turned back to the guard.
"By no means is anyone to exit this gate until daybreak," said Kat. "There is a group of riders making their way this way. By orders of the crown, they are not to leave Aelin-Brethil. Your life will be forfeit if they do."
"Yes, Your Highness," said the elf. His voice was shaking.
Legolas urged Blaith back into a gallop. Sitha followed behind.
"Aren't your mother's orders going to override yours?" asked Legolas as they galloped down the path.
"Yes, but at least it will stall them," said Kat.
"For the moment," added Legolas.
After a few hours of riding, Legolas and Kat made their way out of Fangorn Forest and onto the open plains of Rohan. Both breathed a sigh of relief as the fresh air hit their lungs. The dankness and closeness of the forest made them both uncomfortable.
"Now where?" asked Kat as they kept riding out into open land. The hoof beats from earlier grew more distant after they left the gate of Aelin-Brethil, but they guard was only able to stall their pursuers. Blaith was able to maneuver through the forest with great speed, putting more distance between them and those after them.
"We have a few options," said Legolas as he slowed Blaith. "We could ride back for Mirkwood. My father would never allow anyone to enter our realm with such intentions as the elves that follow, especially if they are Avari."
Kat felt a twinge of anger at Legolas' words. The essence of Elenril was offended by his words about the Avari.
"We could ask for concealment in Rohan. Edoras is not far from here," continued Legolas. "Although the Rohirrim do not exactly trust our kind, I do believe they would hear our plea. Gondor is a possibility as well. Minas Tirith is a three or four day ride from here. Again, they are much like the Rohirrim in that they won't have much trust for us. And then there is Lorien. We sing many songs in Mirkwood of that fair place. I've never been there but we can find protection from our own kind there."
"Is it far?" asked Kat as she leaned back on Legolas' chest. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and rested his head on her shoulder.
"Not more than a few days, if we ride fast," he said. His breath ran across her ear as he spoke, causing her to get goose bumps on her neck and arms.
"Let's go," said Kat as she relaxed against Legolas. He urged Blaith to speed up and they began to ride off towards Lothlorien.
Sorry for such a long wait. This chapter isn't as long as I intended but the next one will be much longer since much will happen (exciting!) Anyway, I hope you all like this one. There is more to come, even if it does take ages to do.
Review responses are in the index.