Chapter 17 – Secret Revealed, Tricksy Little Elf
The four were soon lounging on blankets, talking beside the small lake. Arwen and Laura admiring the beautiful waterfall, and Legolas and Aragorn talking about some business in Gondor. The day was just beginning, and already Laura felt better than she had all week. The air was warm, but there was a slight breeze through the trees that made it just perfect. The water was warm, and clear, and Laura found she longed to swim in it.
Giggling she stood, and turned to Arwen. "Last one in…" She paused thinking of a suitable insult. "Last one in smells like an orc!" She laughed, jumping in, still clothed in her heavy dress. Legolas sprang to his feet in concern, but she resurfaced soon after she'd dove in, laughing, and splashing water at them all. Aragorn, and Arwen looked to one another in confusion. "Well you three are no fun." Laura said with a frown.
Sighing, she paddled her way over to where the waterfall splashed into the small lake. Taking a deep breath, she dove under, swimming forward when she noticed a hole in the rocky wall that the waterfall fell from. She emerged in a dry, dank cave, the walls adorned with little white stones that sparkled, providing the only light in the cave. She let out an ear piercing scream when something grabbed at her from behind.
Something was dragging her out of the water, hands clenched around her upper arm, nails digging in painfully. Turning, she was greeted by the face of what she could only guess was an orc, it's mouth curved into a creepy smile, pointed yellow teeth giving off no gleam. She let out another scream, and kicked her feet out, kicking the orc in the shin. Releasing her arms from the pain, she fell to the ground of the cave. She dove back into the water, submerging and kicking the hand that reached for her away.
She broke the surface of the small lake, and let out another scream, swimming for the shore where the three now stood confused. "ORC!" She screamed, as a hand reached for her ankle, pulling her under the water again. Legolas immediately dove into the water, while Aragorn stood on shore, sword in hand, Arwen behind him. Laura struggled against the hand that pulled her deeper, and deeper, back into the small cave she'd only just escaped. She kicked out, trying to make contact with anything, but was only met with the water. Gasping for breath, she soon succumbed to lack of air, and darkness overtook her senses.
Under the water, Legolas trailed the orc, Laura's blue dress his only guide. Reaching a hole in the wall of stone, he swam through finding a dark small cave at the end of it. Gasping for air, he spun around in search of Laura, and the orc. Spotting her being dragged away, he pulled himself out of the water, and sped after them. Pulling his knives out of their scabbards on his back he followed the trail, and found a group of orc, sitting by a small fire, picking at bones that lie on the floor of the cave.
Laura lie in a corner of the cave, the orcs now all stood in defense. "What's this?" One of them asked, one he assumed was their leader. "Intruders, that elf followed the girl in." the one who dragged her in replied, now crouching down next to Laura, poking her in the gut, and tearing at her clothes. Pushing his disgust away, Legolas started forward, and gritting his teeth demanded they return Laura. The orc all just laughed in his face, and proceeded to attacked him.
The leader moved to stand by the orc who had dragged Laura in, and Laura, his weapon in front of him, his pointy yellow teeth bared in warning. Legolas slashed, and wounded or killed all the orc who had attacked him, and was now making his way forward, towards the orc, and Laura. "Return her to me." He growled, knives crossed in front of him. The leader orc rushed forward, his weapon in front of him, and struck hard, only meeting one of Legolas' own knives.
Legolas struck out with his other knife, slashing the orc in the leg. It hobbled backwards, and putting a hand to it's leg, growled. Rushing forward again, he brought his weapon forward, only to turn at the last moment, slashing the back of Legolas' arm. He was now behind him, rushing forward again. Legolas turned in time to shove one of his knives directly into the charging orc's stomach. The orc groaned, and stumbled backwards, then fell dead.
Legolas turned now to find the other orc had suddenly disappeared, leaving Laura lying in a lump on the ground. He smiled, and knelt down beside her. She appeared to be unhurt, only unconscious. He swept his hand slowly down her cheek, reveling in the feel of her skin against his, and leaned down closer to her. "Laura." He whispered in her ear. "Come back to the light my love." He now ran his hand through her hair, and down to her neck, tracing his fingers along her collarbone. She let out a soft moan, and wriggled about on the cave floor.
Gasping, she suddenly sat up, knocking her head into Legolas' chest. "Ow." She groaned, and looked to Legolas in fear. "The orc!?" She cried, looking around the room in horror. "Shh melamin, they're gone." He whispered, taking her in his arms. Laura lay her head on his shoulder for a moment, and sighed contentedly. "Your forest doesn't like me, it's always attacking me in some way." She whispered near his ear. Legolas' let out a soft chuckle. "Nay, it is only the dark inhabitants that remain who do not like you. Can you stand?"
Legolas led Laura out of the dark cave, and made a mental note to send others to clear the caves completely when they returned. Breaching the water, both taking in needed air, they saw Aragorn, and Arwen standing looking confused and worried on the edge of the lake. "Lets eat shall we?" Laura interrupted the silence with a giggle, and splashed Legolas one more time before running out of the lake. Legolas just shrugged, and nodded. "That's as good an idea as any." Both Arwen, and Aragorn still stood staring in confusion, until Laura, and Legolas both pulled them psychically onto the blanket, and began passing food out.
Later after they'd all eaten their fill, Laura and Arwen walked among the trees picking flowers, and Legolas and Aragorn sat on the blanket talking. "She confuses me, I know not where she comes from, and nor will she tell me. I know only but a little of her family, and I find that she behaves most oddly in the most inconvenient moments." Legolas was confiding in Aragorn while the girls walked. "She is indeed a mystery to me friend. But I find myself growing closer to her each day I am with her. It is most unusual."
Aragorn laughed. "She is no mystery friend, and I'm sure she will reveal all to you when she feels comfortable doing so." Legolas stared shocked. "You know something, she has told you something. You must tell me." He hissed, taking Aragorn by the arm, and leading him further from the girls. "I cannot friend, she has sworn me to secrecy." Legolas frowned. "Does Arwen know?" Aragorn gulped. "You know I keep nothing from her, however, do not try. She has been sworn to secrecy as well." Legolas grinned, and nodded. "Very well my friend, keep your secrets." Aragorn lifted an eyebrow, and the two walked back to the blanket together.
Soon after, Legolas excused himself from Aragorn's company, and went to find the girls, as they had disappeared from their sight. Aragorn didn't like the idea, but he stayed with the picnic basket, not wishing for animals to come and rummage through their things. Legolas soon found the girls, sitting among a field of wildflowers, giggling over something. "Ladies, did we not ask you to stay within our sight?" He stated, smiling at the two. Giggling the girls stood. "Yes, you did. Were we not in your sight?" Laura asked, twirling a finger in Legolas' long silky hair.
Frowning, Legolas seized Laura's hand before she had a chance to graze his ear, causing him to become uncomfortable in Arwen's company. "Nay, you left it some time ago. Laura, Aragorn wishes to speak with you. I shall walk with Arwen for a time, you go to him." Laura gave him a suspicious look, that looked something like jealousy, but she walked away anyway. Pointing in the direction he came from she called back. "That way?" He only nodded, and turned to Arwen. "So, I'm told Aragorn had told you about our Laura?" He asked, a sly grin on his face. She smiled, and nodded. "She has told you as well?" Legolas' eyes scanned the area before he spoke. "Aye, she has, and I find it absolutely horrid."
Arwen's face fell, and immediately he could see she was angry. "Legolas, she has told you her secret, and you find it horrid? That is all? You should be grateful she would be willing to expose herself in such a way. If your father knew her secret, he would surely make her leave your home, and possibly imprison her. Being from another world, and telling others of it is a great risk. She not only risks being exiled, but her safety from those who would try and use her for their own needs. Thinking she possess' some sort of magic to be able to travel to another world as she has."
Legolas' eyes immediately widened, and his face fell. She was from another world, and had not told him? She told Aragorn, but not him? That would explain the way she speaks, that would explain the odd clothing she wore when they met. It would explain many things. Frowning, he stalked away from Arwen. "Legolas?" She called to him, in confusion. He soon heard her footsteps following him close by. "You did not know did you?" She asked when she neared him. Turning he shook his head to affirm he knew not.
"You lied to me, you got me to tell you something I was sworn not to tell." He shook his head affirmative. "Aye, I am sorry Arwen, but I had to know." She sighed, and crossed her arms in front of her. "What are you going to do?" Turning to see Aragorn, and Laura coming towards them, at great speed, he shook his head sadly. "I know not." Soon Aragorn was by his side scowling at him, with Laura staring at everyone's long faces in confusion.
The remainder of the picnic was spent by the lake in silence, until finally the sky began to grow dark, and the four set back for the castle. Aragorn, and Arwen conversing silently, while Laura, and Legolas' walked ahead a ways, in silence. Laura glancing at Legolas every few minutes, as if it ask what was going on. They did not speak once on the journey home.
"He tricked me, I did not mean to tell him. He told me she had told him, and he found it horrid. I defended her assuming he meant she had not told him. I had no idea he was attempting to get me to tell him everything." Arwen frowned, and looked to the ground. "Do not frown Arwen, he tried to get me to tell him as well. I should have known that was the reason he excused himself to find you two. I knew for certain when Laura showed up at the lake alone, and we rushed to find you. He knows now though, and that can be good, or that can be bad. But we no longer hold a secret from our friend." Aragorn wrapped his arms around his wife, and the two walked in silence the rest of the journey.