When the Snow Falls Red
Chapter 6: Dreams and Doors
Don't own.
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Lólindir peered into the room around the prince, and gasped silently. Órelindë suddenly remembered that she had a patient in that room, and she rushed in, followed by Lólindir, then Legolas.
"Finwë!" She called out, looking around the room for the Captain. She heard a groan from the side of the room, and she hurried over, and found a horrid sight. Finwë was laying a pool of his own blood. There were many wounds on his body, all open and all bleeding freely. "Oh Valar!" She cried, kneeling down to him. She looked him over. "He shall live. I shall see to it!" she cried, lifting the elf in to her arms. "Lólindir, ready a bed. Legolas, leave." She commanded. Legolas nodded hurriedly, and left the room, closing the door behind him.
The elf prince placed a hand over his stomach and leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down until he was sitting on the floor, his back against the wall. Seeing the silver hued blood of his kin was different from seeing the black orc blood. The sight of his kin's blood made him sick to his stomach.
"Legolas!" A cry came from down the hall. He looked up, and saw his brother turn the corner and run down the hall. The Crowned Prince kneeled down beside his brother. "Are you alright? I heard a scream and I... why are you so green?" He asked. Legolas looked up at him.
"Someone destroyed the Hall of Healing. They attacked Finwë and wrote 'When the snow falls red we will be happy' on the wall in blood." Aranel paled.
"W-will Finwë be alright?" He stammered. Legolas shrugged. Aranel swallowed hard and held his hand out to Legolas. The latter took the offered hand and rose to his feet, his face still looking a little green. Aranel led him away from the Hall of Healing, and brought him back to the room Legolas was staying in. Upon reaching the room, they found Náessë standing in the doorway, holding the cup, looking worried.
"There you are, Legolas." She said. She moved forward, offering the cup to her little brother. "Why are you green?" She asked. Legolas shook his head, took the cup and went into the room. She looked questioningly at him, but Aranel pulled her away and closed the door.
He told her what Legolas had told him. Her slender, pale hand covered her mouth. The color drained from her face. "Oh my..." she whispered. She reached out to her brother and pulled him protectively into her arms. "Something is happening here, Aranel. I fear that it may hurt us all. We must put a stop to it...." She said. Aranel patted her back reassuringly.
"Do not worry, Náessë. I will find out what's going on here." He said. He pulled away from her and pushed her gently towards Legolas's room. "Keep watch over our brother. I will speak with Ada." He said. She nodded and entered the room. Aranel left the hall to find Thranduil.
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That night, hunger plagued the princess of Mirkwood, so she left her charge and wandered the halls, slowly making her way to the kitchens. As she rounded a corner, something wasn't right. The air was still, and the halls were too silent. She didn't think it was all that late, so she thought there still might be elves wandering the halls. She made her way slowly down the hall, and rounded another.
All at once, the torches that were burning brightly in the hall went out, and Náessë was thrown into darkness. She looked around, fear creeping up her back like walking into very cold water. She looked around, her eyes trying to adjust to the darkness, but there was no light for her eyes to take in.
She spun around, wanting to go back the way she came, but she bumped into something. At first, she thought it was the wall, but what she bumped into was warm, and soft. She put her hands out in front of her, and felt the fabric of a cloak of some sort. "Ada?" She whispered. Whoever was standing in front of her said nothing, but reached up, his hands resting lightly on her arms. The touch was unfamiliar. "Legolas?" She asked. No response. "Aranel?" Still no response. She pulled away from the light touch, trying desperately to focus on whoever was in front of her. "I demand to know who you are!" She commanded, pulling herself to her full height, using the royal voice she rarely used on others.
Still no response. Since her sight was lessened, her other senses were heightened. Her nose picked up the smell of the trees and of melting snow. A traveler perhaps? She could feel the figure move closer to her. She pulled back, but a tight grip on her arm prevented her from going anywhere.
Soon, there was hot breath on her neck. She opened her mouth to scream, but a gloved hand covered her mouth, smothering her scream. She whole frame began to tremble with fear. The hot breath moved to her ear. "Good bye, princess." The figure spat. Náessë was shoved away, and there was a small burst of air, and something flew through the air, singing. Náessë inhaled sharply when something found it's way to her left shoulder. Another hit her thigh. A third grazed her arm, missing, and clattered to the floor some distance from where she was standing.
Náessë's sensed told her that the figure was gone. She slumped to the floor, her energy leaving her. She could feel her warm blood soak through her dress. She took another shuddering breath and her eyes closed slowly...
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Little Legolas raced across the grassy field, giggling. His older brother and sister were hot his trail, both shouting to him that they would catch him. Not too far off, Thranduil and Ireth were sitting in the grass, holding each other in their arms, watching their three children play in the warm summer sunlight.
Náessë was the first to catch the little elfling, and she picked him up in her arms and swung him around, holding him against her chest. She smiled and kissed him on the forehead, and received a large grin and giggles. Aranel came up behind Legolas, and he started tickling the little elfling, and Leoglas began to giggle more, and he kicked trying to get his brother to stop. Náessë placed him gently on the ground, and Aranel continued to tickle the little elf. "Stop!!" Legolas cried, having a fit of giggles. Finally, Aranel ceased and stood up. Náessë picked up Legolas in her arms once again, and the three of them returned to their parents. Legolas reached out for Ireth, so the young elven queen took her youngest son in her arms and cradled him, and soon, the small elf was asleep. Aranel and Náessë sat down in the grass near their parents.
All was well, and the royal family was content with each other, and each secretly hoping that their happiness would never cease.
The scene changed. The sky was overcast, and it was only Aranel, Legolas, Náessë, and Thranduil standing in the field. Ireth had long since traveled to the Undying Lands. The three royal children were playing in the snow while Thranduil conversed with Valandil. Suddenly, Náessë brushed the snow off something that was buried. She picked it up. It was an arrow, and the head slipped and cut Náessë's hand. "Ouch." She said, holding her hand, watching the silvery blood seep through her fingers. Her brothers surrounded her.
"What's wrong?" Aranel asked. Náessë held up the arrow in one hand.
"Legolas's arrow cut me." She said. Her eyes were cold as she turned to look at her little brother. Aranel too looked at Legolas, his eyes telling Legolas that it was his fault the princess had a cut on her hand.
"But I did not leave that here." He protested. His siblings merely threw the arrow at his feet and walked away, Aranel resting a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder, and they walked away together. "Come back!" Legolas called out, but they did not come back.
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Legolas opened his eyes, and looked around his room. Náessë was not sitting beside him as she was when he went to sleep. He thought maybe she had gone to get him something to eat.
Slowly, Legolas climbed out of bed and looked out the window. The sky was overcast, but the falling snow had slowed. The large snowflakes fell slowly from the clouds above. He saw small elflings playing in the white snow near the palace. He smiled. He remembered when he, Aranel and Náessë used to play in the snow during the winter, building forts and throwing snowballs at each other.
Still smiling, Legolas turned from the window and crossed the room to the door. He placed his hand on it, and tried to turn it. The knob did not move. He tried to turn it harder. It was locked! Someone had locked him in the room! He pounded on the door. "I demand that you unlock the door!" He shouted, hoping someone would open the door and explain to him why it was locked. His fists struck the door harder and harder each time that he pounded on the door, until there was blood seeping from the small cuts on his hands. He stopped, and slumped to the floor. What was going on?
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I'm home! My family reunion was ok. Nothing exciting... except for seeing a cute guy at a fishing pier. Hehe! Anyway, I truly wished I had brought my mom's laptop along because I got a lot of inspiration from where we were at (Elison Bay, Wisconsin). But alas, I did not bring it, so I have to catch up. Next Monday I leave for band camp, so that's a full week of no updating! Sorry guys! I'll try to make it up to you somehow!
Reviewers:
Celebrian: Hehe. I usually like to make chapters cliffies so that people will keep reading! Does it work?
Aroswein: That hurt. Hehe. I know. I'm sorry I didn't get it up in time. Your sister told me that I missed you. Sorry!! I hope you had fun though.
KissTheRainGirl12489: Yeah, I got tired of my old pen name, so I changed it! Indeed, something bad did happen. You have good instincts, grasshopper. Haha. I'm kidding.... Uh... about the grasshopper thing... uh...
Later all-
Blue September Rain