Chapter 11 – A Confession? Or not.
Legolas sat silently in a dark corner within the still room. Having previously opened the balcony doors, Legolas took in the soft peaceful sounds of the night. Just across the room sat a bed, cloaked in darkness and within it's protective confines lie a motionless mortal woman. Laura had lay unconscious in this place for two days now. Two long, torturous, worry filled days. Legolas left the room very litter, only did he venture out to clear his mind by partaking in some target practice. Afraid she would waken while he was gone, he only allowed himself that one luxury.
Legolas berated himself endlessly, ridden with guilt Legolas blamed himself completely for her current situation. He had made himself promise to apologize profusely the moment the awoke, and he would be there to do it, that was of course if she awoke. "No!" He scolded himself. "You cannot allow yourself to think such things. She will waken, she must, if simply to continue her scolding of me." Legolas stood quickly, and began a frantic pacing of the room. "She will not forgive my behavior," He mused after some time of thinking.
"Nor forgive me, I fool myself to ask it of her, or expect it. I have behaved horribly towards her, and am not deserving of her forgiveness. I should go, simply leave. Allow her to leave Mirkwood as she wished. Go away, and find someone, find a man she can grow old with, and fine a normal life elsewhere. Though I find my heart tightens at the mere thought of her going away. No, I can hardly bare to leave her side, I could never allow her to leave, and would follow her to the ends of the world if need be. No, I must stay, I must stay and beg her forgiveness."
Legolas sighed heavily, he wished now more than ever he could speak with his mother. He knew his father would greatly frown upon his sudden interest in the mortal woman. But his mother, she would understand, she would know he could not choose who his heart chose. She would speak with his father on his behalf, and he would not even be in this situation had she not died. Laura would not be. He would not have ended the kiss, nor would he have behaved the way he had.
He was not worried about his immortality, death from a broken heart did not frighten him, no life without love did. Legolas worried solely of what his father would say, what his father would think, and even what he would do. He also worried about the people of Mirkwood, what message would that send to other elves if he threw away his eternal life for love? No, he could not be responsible for sending a message of that kind.
Sighing heavily again Legolas flopped
back wearily into the chair nearest to Laura's bed, and shut his eyes.
Tonight he would dream.
Insert doodily doo sound from Wayne's World here to indicate beginning of dream sequence
Darkness surrounded him, his heart heavy with worry and guilt, his breath caught in his throat. This dream frightened him, it was unlike any he had experienced before. His forced dreams always lifted his heart, lightened his spirit. He would run with old friends through vast fields of flowers, birds singing within the nearby trees. He would find his mother singing to him, a young elfling from afar. Bu this dream felt wrong, and Legolas was filled with a sense of dread.
Blinking repeatedly Legolas attempted to adjust his vision to the darkness, to see anything around him. Suddenly behind him he heard the distinct sound of crying echoing through the darkness. Quickly spinning on his heel he tried to make out the direction the sound had come from. "Hello?" He called out, being met only with the sound of his own call over and over again until he thought he may go mad. Legolas sighed, confused and frustrated he sat upon the solid surface beneath him.
Suddenly his echoed call ended, and another began. It was a voice, a feminine voice, soft, and sweet, yet urgent, and frightened. He immediately recognized the voice, it was her. But what was she doing within his waking dreams he wondered. "Mel?" He called out into the darkness. Again only met his endless echo for some time. Legolas grew frustrated by the time it was taking to speak with her, and stood again intent on finding her.
He stood, and reaching his arms out before him he walked forward feeling for something, anything. Finding nothing, he turned and felt in another direction, but was soon greeted by her reply. "Yes! Legolas, is that you?" The strange thing was her reply did not echo within the darkness as his did. Calling out again Legolas answered her question. "Yes my lady. Where are you? I can find nothing within this vast blackness. Do you know what this is? I've seen nothing like it before in my life."
Continuing his fruitless search, he awaited her reply. "I am here Legolas, trapped within the darkness, I am everywhere. This is no place Legolas, only darkness, I have become trapped within my own mind. I do not understand why you have come, I can only guess we are connected in some way. Stay where you are, I do not know if it would be safe for you to explore my mind." Legolas asked in confusion. "Why would it be unsafe Mel?"
Sitting again on the dark surface Legolas awaited her reply. "There are things I have buried so deeply within Legolas. Things too dark for anyone to see, some are even too dark for me to recall. I would not want you to see them Legolas. Please, just go." Legolas frowned becoming angry. "How can you ask me to leave you like this? Alone in your darkness. I am the reason you have come to be in this state. Had I not angered you, not fought my feelings, denied them you would be safe. Not trapped here, within your mind while your body heals it's wounds. I cannot leave you, you must allow me to stay, allow me to comfort you Mel."
Legolas
stared above him in the darkness, wanting more than ever to see the
stars. The sadness of the place he was in was affecting him greatly.
"Why Legolas? Why?! I do not blame you, I am too stubborn and I over
reacted. I am to blame for my own situation, not you Legolas. You do
not have any reason to stay, do not stay out of guilt." Legolas shook
his head furiously. "I do not stay out of guilt alone." "Then what
Legolas? What compels you to stay?" Legolas felt a tingle run all the
way down his spine. Taking a deep breath Legolas admitted something he
had denied to all, even himself. He shouted the one word both longed to
hear. "Love!"
Insert doodily doo sound from Wayne's World here to indicate end of dream sequence
Legolas' eyes flew open to find a dark room, with only a light breeze the only sound within. Stretching he rubbed his eyes clear of the blurriness of waking dreams. Glancing out the nearby balcony doors he judged it was but an hour before dawn. He stood from the chair and crossed the room to stand on the balcony. Breathing in the crisp night air he turned, suddenly remembering that Laura slept behind him, without covers to fight off a fever.
He was shocked to find Laura lying on her back, her head turned to face him, and her eyes open. She smiled and waved Legolas over. "Did I wake you Lady Mel? I am sorry." He offered walking over to sit in the chair he had only moments before vacated. But Laura shook her head no and patted the area beside her on the bed. He moved and sat where she had asked him to and she smiled. "I had the strangest dream Legolas, and you were in it." Legolas managed a curt smile back. "Did you?" He inquired, though he knew well of what she spoke.
She nodded her head enthusiastically, while grinning. "I will tell you about it if you promise not to laugh at me Legolas." This time Legolas smiled, and it was a real smile. "I swear lady Mel." He suddenly found his hand within hers, and noticed she was trying to sit up in the bed. He shook his head sternly, placing his free hand upon her shoulder. "Nay, do not sit up." Laura frowned, and nodded. "Okay Leggy, whatever you say." Legolas smiled. It was as if nothing had happened, no kiss, and most importantly no fights. She was smiling at him, had held his hand, and she had just called him Leggy.
"Anyway, the dream. Well, you see I was sort of a prisoner in this dark place, I mean really dark. Can't see a your hand in front of your face dark. Anyway I was there alone for a long time, or it seemed a long time anyway. I even thought I was going mad. I could see nothing, hear nothing, or even feel anything. I was just surrounded by complete darkness, yaw know? But then I heard something, I heard a voice call out hello. It was you, I explained to you that I was trapped in some deep dark repressed place within my mind or something, and asked you to leave. Which now I don't understand, because I was so happy you were there. You wouldn't leave though because you were feeling guilty about something, and don't laugh, because you loved me."
Laura ended her long winded story with a grin, and squeezed his hand. Legolas looked Laura in the eyes and nodded. She released his hand, and smiled. "Legolas, when I said don't laugh, I didn't mean for you to be this straight faced, and serious. Come on now, smile. What's going on today, and um why were you sleeping in my room, it's not even light out yet."
Laura again tried to sit up in the bed, but with Legolas not paying attention, and lost deep within his thoughts she cried out, feeling a sharp pain in her stomach. The cry brought Legolas back to reality in time to push her back down onto the bed. "You have been injured milady. It would be wise not to move." Laura stared at him, silently running over things in her mind, confused. "Then it wasn't all a dream Legolas?"
The elf nodded, and placed his hand lightly over the wound. "The injury was not a dream." He explained softly. "And what of the fights with you, and my-my dream Legolas? What of my dream?" Legolas removed his hand from her stomach, and placed it within his own lap, as a knock came at the door. "Enter" Legolas commanded. He turned to find the healer standing beside his father at the door. "Legolas, I was told I might find you here."
Legolas stood as his father entered the room. "Yes Ada, I felt it was my responsibility to be certain the lady was well, as I feel responsible for her injuries. I have scarcely left this room." The king smiled knowingly. "Save for your bow practice I trust?" Legolas nodded. The king walked close to Legolas, and leaning into his left ear, he whispered a message he did not want Laura to hear. "Go to my quarters son, await my return there. I must speak with your lovely friend." Legolas stared, confused but nodded, and exited the room as he was told, without so much as a glance in Laura's direction.