The Power of Love

Disclaimer: I own nothing of J.R.R. Tolkien's and in no way mean any disrespect towards him in the process of writing this story. All characters except those created by me belong wholly and fully to J.R.R. Tolkien.

Chapter 19: The Treachery of Tatharion

Legolas woke with a start. Everything looked as it should. Above him was the white ceiling of his bedchambers. Beneath him was the soft elven bed. Around him were the silken sheets and bedcovers. But next to him… was bare. He distinctly remembered falling asleep with a small elleth in his arms. He remembered her returning to his room in a sadness he had never seen before. He remembered how withdrawn she was from him and how she withdrew from his touch. Something about her meeting with Tatharion had changed her.

He sat up in the bed, grasping the silken covers in his calloused archer's hands. The sun was bittersweet as it shone into the room. The Balcony doors were wide open and a freezing wind was coming in and out of the room. He watched as his breath came out in a small cloud. He slowly looked down at the pillow next to his. An indentation was left where her head should have been. On the pillow was a solitary white rose. A small dot of red flawed the white petals. He reached over and ran his thumb over the spot, the red smearing onto his skin. He brought it to his lips and tasted… tasted her.

He closed his eyes tightly, the cold in the room sending shivers over his skin. He was in denial but his practical side told him she had left him. And his bitter side told him she wasn't coming back. No, she wasn't coming back.

"Navaer… Araviniel… Navaer…"

Araviniel looked up from the frozen silence of the forest. She pulled her cloak around her and looked up at the balcony of the prince. She stood at the edge of the forest with her hand on the reins of her horse. Sirdail jerked his head up and with a last look of goodbye to Legolas she mounted him. She gave him a swift kick and he went into a soft canter. It wasn't long before she had to bring him down to a trot. Any faster in these woods would be fatal.

She ignored the freezing tears that ran down her cheeks and continued to ride deeper into the forest. She was leaving everything that ever mattered behind but for some reason it felt so good to be alone; to be free.

Tatharion stood on top of the solid stone steps that led into the palace. His hands were clenched behind his back and his eyes were a violent grey. Anger built up inside him. He quickly made his way down the icy steps and whistled sharply. Immediately a Black horse trotted into the clearing. He had a solid band of white that wove around his neck and a matching one right above his front left hoof.

Tatharion mounted him quickly. He secured a large sword around his waist and then spurred the horse into a deadly gallop. Somehow he managed to make his way safely through the trees. It wasn't long before he caught up with Araviniel. He slowed his horse to an almost silent trot. She didn't notice him untill he was a few feet back.

"Caredel man?" she asked without turning. (What are you doing?)

He ignored her and matched her horse's gait. They rode side by side in silence untill he finally asked her,

"Even after last night you chose to go alone?"

She finally looked into his eyes and he saw a coldness he had come to dread while she was in the company of Cúdir.

"You chose to follow?"

He steeled himself against the urge to pull her into his arms and said with an uneven voice,

"I will not let you do this alone. You don't know what you are up against."

She looked up ahead and said detachedly,

"You can't help me if you're dead."

Her words took him off guard. Shocked, he reined his horse to a stop.

"Go home Tatharion." She said as her horse slowly made its way into the fog.

Araviniel felt something come over her. It was as if her soul wanted to be left for dead. She wanted no company, nor did she want the pain love brought. These people were not helping her. They only made things complicated. Without her father, Cúdir, Legolas, Tatharion, and Galadriel… there was only her. A simple easy life with no feelings or emotion. A dead an empty life; how odd that that would be so appealing.

But however she felt she never meant to be so harsh to Tatharion. Everything inside her was tugging at her to pull her horse around, ride after him, collapse into his arms and let him kiss away her fear and hate just like he always used to. But she couldn't. In order for him to live he had to stay behind and in order for her to move on she had to get as far away from the temptation. She had to do this alone. It was the only way.

But it was painful. The minute the words left her mouth she bit back the apologies and the overwhelming sensation of dismay. But he did not react like she thought he would. Instead of turning around and leaving, his knowledge of her let him see exactly what she was doing. She heard him give his horse a quick kick and felt him approach behind her. The silence was overwhelming. But still it carried on for hours. She couldn't speak. He wouldn't answer. And all the while they rode. They just rode.

Legolas was numb. He slowly got out of the bed and dressed. He made his way out of his rooms and wondered into the hallways. Finally he stopped by the indoor garden that his sister had designed. She hated being underground just as much as he did. As he slowly opened the giant wooden doors and stepped into the round room, a sob caught in his throat. How many times had him and sister lay under these trees? How many times had they planned their future and lives near these pools?

He walked to the middle of the giant retreat. There were large pools of water, small waterfalls, a stone pathway that wound around the whole place, trees, grass, flowers of all kinds, and not to mention birds; birds from all over middle earth. His sister loved birds. He was so caught up in the moment he didn't notice an elleth come from behind him.

Morveril slid her hand around his right shoulder to his left, coming around to rest on his chest. She stepped in front of him and had an undistinguishable look in her gleaming eyes. A sly grin graced her sharp feminine features.

"Emelen linna ceni chen Legolas… Nauthon ú-vedir. Bain lín síla limb." (My Heart Sings to see you Legolas… I thought they would never leave. Your beauty shines much.)

He raised his eyebrows and stepped backwards.

She laughed deviously.

"Surely you aren't afraid of me my sweet Legolas. That would terribly hinder my plans."

He cocked his head to the side

"What are you talking about Morveril?"

She gave a look of mock surprise.

"Why don't you know? I'm talking about us Legolas. Or perhaps I'm talking about Araviniel. Your sweet little princess who right now is headed into a brilliant trap set up by the one person who she loves the most, the one person she hates the most, and of course I cant help but take credit for at least half of it."

Legolas felt a spike of fear drive into him. He quickly grabbed Morveril's wrist and jerked her into him.

"What did you do to her! Where is she!"

Morveril smiled and pushed into him.

"That's it Legolas. Give me what your brother failed to."

Legolas released her and stepped back; disgusted.

Morveril mad a face of mock sadness and then in two quick steps she brought a dagger to his throat.

"Big mistake Legolas… I would kill you now if it weren't for the fact that my master wants you alive. Nothing would give me more pleasure then to kill the last Greenleaf."

She tapped her chin with her left finger and said indirectly,

"Part of my plan is watch the pain in the eyes of the princess when she learns her beloved plotted against her."

"I would never do any such thing!"

She suddenly looked at him straight in the eye saying with a bemused grin,

"But I'm not talking about you Legolas. Did you really think you could just steal her away? Her heart remains with Tatharion even if you choose not to believe what is so plainly before you."

Anger flared inside of Legolas. Anger he knew was caused by a sickly truth in her words. His hand flew up and knocked the dagger out of her hand and then kicked her legs out from under her. She caught herself last minute and rolled, unharmed, out of the way.

She quickly stood and glared at him.

Legolas picked up the dagger and strode towards her.

Morveril, fearing for her life, retreated backwards until she was abruptly stopped by a large rock. Legolas used this moment to close the distance in between them.

What he did next was not only a shock to Morveril but also to himself. In a fit of rage he plunged the dagger into her stomach and twisted it cruelly. Her scream of agony swept through him like a blow to his ribs. But he couldn't back down now… it was too late.

Her hands found his, still clutching the dagger and she looked up at him, her eyes glazing.

"I always knew you were a killer… Legolas. Its…in your eyes..."

Her words cut at him.

"You will now regret the moment you set your eyes upon the palace of Mirkwood. They that meddle in the affairs of treachery have only to be betrayed. Let not yourself forget who sends you to hell!"

He withdrew the knife and dropped it to the ground. Turning on his heel, Legolas left the garden as quickly as his feet would take him, hell-bent on finding Araviniel.

And so came the first bloodshed into the Gardens of Alphril, Princess of Mirkwood. And as Morveril sank to the floor of the indoor paradise her blood would forever stain what once was beyond purity.

When Araviniel finally gave in to exhaustion and dismounted her horse the sun had set twice since her leaving the palace. The going was rough and she was constantly on edge. Every thicket and brush held unseen eyes. She feared the unknown in these forests. It was in this lonely hour that she wished to be home. She, at least, knew her demons' faces there.

Tatharion proved to be better company them she had thought. Although they did not speak to one another his presence gave her a feeling of security.

As they made camp Araviniel was able to steal a good look at his face, covered in the obscurity of night. He had an odd mix of hate and pain in his eyes that reminded her horridly like the look in her own. It hit her like a cold slap to her face. She, in her efforts to protect him, was actually making him suffer through every little thing she went through. She was hurting him, changing him, renting him in two, making him a shell, a hard empty shell of what he once was.

Not only did this fact make Araviniel want to scream and finally end the irony, she also wanted to run over to him and hold him close. She would do anything, anything at all, to give him back his happiness. But sadly enough Araviniel only knew one way to do that and that meant leaving Legolas, which she could not do. She knew only one way to fix it all. And that way required her death. So both of them could move on…. If it weren't for her this war wouldn't even be going on.

Araviniel wanted so bad to walk slowly over to her bag and bring forth her sword, Pen-dhín, and slowly slice herself open; letting her blood stain the ground in a silent justice for all the trouble she caused. She would do just that. But not here. Not now. Not yet. First she would have to kill Ríndhraug, the wizard's son… and she would give him a horrible, painful death.

Tatharion finally looked over at her, his eyes so hurt and…. was that guilt she saw in them? She had learned so well to detect any emotion coming from him. Right now she felt some kind of deep trouble that was ailing him. But it was a dark trouble.

"Araviniel why don't you wait here. I'll take first watch. Stay close to the fire." He said in a strange voice. He brushed past her and as he did he whispered,

"Keep your sword close by."

Araviniel was stunned. Why would she need to be on alert if he was going to be watching out for her?

Tatharion threw her a last pleading glace before ascending into the great Mirkwood trees.

Araviniel strode over to her bag and withdrew her sword. Pen-dhín, or Silent-one in the Common tongue, was her sword, taken from her brother's trunk in the lofty talon. She claimed it as her own. It was a curved Mithril blade, one of the finest, that her brother had crafted himself. It was the only thing that came back of his from the expedition of elves that left that fateful day.

She walked back to the campfire and was about to sit down and pull her cloak around her when she heard a sound. A quiet sound of elven feet. A hunter's feet. She could tell by the way they moved and breathed. Her ears betrayed whoever was coming her way. Tatharion was aloft in the trees. He would never make it in time if this elf was as skilled as he sounded. Her only chance of survival was herself.

She crouched down and quickly shed her cloak; knowing it would only get in the way if this proved to be a heated fight. Araviniel backed up to her horse and untied its reins. If she needed to flee she would have to do it as quickly as possible.

Normally she would not be so fearful. But Tatharion's warning and the close proximity of Ríndhraug's dwelling set her on edge. And this elf was keen, swift and powerful. She could tell by the confident way he walked, barely hiding his footsteps in silence and breathing lightly as if he had not a care in the world; as if killing was as easy as breathing.

When the elf broke through the trees she was stunned by the familiarity of his stance. He was tall and cloaked in rich blue. He had a bow and quiver strung over his shoulders and hunting knives strapped inside worn, black leather riding boots. A long elven blade was strapped to his waist. And his hood was drawn over his eyes. But his small smile of relief betrayed him. This was no assassin. This was her lover.

"Legolas…" she breathed.

He lifted his head and was about to reply when a shrill whistle broke the forest's dismal serenity. Before Araviniel knew what was happening she was pinned to the ground by an elf with dark black hair and a twisted smile. He straddled her waist and held her hands above her head.

Archers appeared behind him and had their bows taunt with arrows ready to fly. Araviniel heard Legolas' struggles and shouted to him.

"Don't move Legolas!"

Immediately he looked up and saw the archers. Araviniel was being manhandled by some unruly elf and a deep anger was kindled in Legolas' heart. He held still and let the nearby elves bind his wrists behind his back and shove him to his knees by the fire.

It was at this time, while both princess and prince were being treated as bounty, for that was what they were to these elves, which Tatharion chose to gracefully drop to the ground in a catlike manner.

Araviniel, fearing for him yelled,

"Tatharion run!"

But he did not flee. Nor did the grave expression leave his face. He stared at her with remorse and a hate she had always feared would appear in his eyes. He strode over to her, glaring at Legolas along the way.

But Legolas was not silenced. Instead he spoke words Araviniel never thought she would ever hear.

"He will not flee Araviniel. For this is his doing. He has betrayed you."

A sob caught in her throat. It was too late to take back all the hurt she had inflicted on him. The damage was done.

"Oh how sweet you are Araviniel. But if I cannot have you… nor can he. For his treachery against us he will die. And you will as well. Two lovers gone astray. I will finally be able to have you Araviniel before turning you over to Ríndhraug, and when I am through with you I will never think of you again. You are nothing in my eyes any longer. You will pay for what you have done. For everything you have done."