Thank you very much for the reviews! I know that this chapter is late, but a lot has been happening around here lately (Earth, not Middle Earth). Also, I am trying to make the timeline fit, the details fit, the geography to fit...sigh...you get the idea.
But here it is...a split in the road.
John was an excellent guide. He took her to the kind of places that tourists would never really stumble across - unless they were lucky. Irulan had never been too fond of cruising in the touristic circles. She preferred the wild, local, unusual and raw views and once again she was lucky enough to have a guide in a foreign place. Though, of course, it would be ridiculous to compare John in any way to Legolas. But she welcomed the laid back and friendly atmosphere and took many pictures of herself and him in many locations. They ate delicious food in shabby restaurants, met eccentric locals, got discounts for many things that she wasn't really in need of.
"So where are you headed to from here?" John said finally, when it was late afternoon and the sun was blazing in the sky once more.
Irulan knew that she could not refuse him the information any longer. After their friendly time together it would seem very hostile. Besides, she needed help and who better than John? She fished out the folded paper from her bag. "Here."
He took it, read it, then pondered for a few minutes. "That's mighty far."
She shrugged. "I'm in no hurry."
He scratched his head and returned the paper to her. "I know Shanghai like the back of my hand. But China is a big country, you know. And VERY versatile. I have no clue how the road there would be." She shrugged again. "What is there, anyway?"
"A friend," Irulan said simply.
He nodded. "Tell you what - I think we should have this address translated for you. To Chinese."
She blinked. "Why the hell for?"
John gave her a dry look. "Cause you are headed somewhere where I can not imagine a single English speaking soul to reside. How on earth will you ask for directions?"
Irulan nodded slowly. "True. Thanks, John." He waved away the appreciation. "I know a good translator. She's not too far from here, either."
"Why can't you do it?"
"For one thing, I speak Chinese, but can't write it. Its friggin impossible. Also, I don't speak all local dialects and let me tell you, there are simply too many of them." He gave her a sidelong glance. "We'll have this translated and written down. Then we'll have a few words translated and written down as well – directions, food, help…you know, that sort of thing. You can then point out if you need anything and find your way around. Actually I think you will end up in some dirthhole but nevertheless…" he shrugged, placing his hands in his pockets, "…if you want to try so badly…"
Irulan exhaled in frustration. "Thank you for having so much faith in me!"
"You're welcome." They walked in silence for a while, through what seemed to be the slums of Shanghai. Children played in the streets and Irulan smiled. She had missed the playing of children on the streets. It was not an everyday sight in New York. "Listen…" John said suddenly and scratched his head. She looked up in expectation and he didn't speak for a moment or two. "I think you shouldn't go."
Irulan blinked in surprise and smiled in confusion. "Why?"
He shrugged again, squinting his eyes. "Just a feeling in my gut." He gave her a short glance and cleared his throat. "Stay here. Or go to Hong Kong. Beijing…you know…there's not much else to see in China anyway."
"You were just telling me the opposite yesterday!" protested Irulan.
He shrugged again and looked at her. "Maybe I am lying."
Irulan's smile faltered at the gravity of his expression and they walked like that for a minute or two, turning some corners. "Why would you do that, John?" she said finally, her voice cautious and a bit hurt.
He shrugged a fourth time, great discomfort obvious in his behavior. "Maybe I'm just a bad guy, Irulan."
Irulan gave him a long look, then finally sighed and looked away. "My road back is blocked. I can only go forward now," she said finally.
"Why the hell is this so important to you?" he said, fishing out a cigarette and lighting it.
It was her turn to shrug. "Let's say…let's say you found out one day that you had a different heritage that was hidden from you, before," she began tentatively, glancing at him. He seemed concentrating on smoking. "That…one day someone came and told you that your family history is all made up and what you thought was true until then was all but a lie…"
"Yes?"
"And that you found out the truth. Wouldn't you want to know more?"
He puffed out the smoke and gave her a long look. John had the uncanny ability to go from being a jerk and a joker to serious in a flash and he seemed to have made another transformation just now. "Is that what this is about?"
"Not really," Irulan said. "I mean…I have discovered something about myself that I didn't know before and I am trying to verify it."
"You have Chinese heritage?"
She rolled her eyes. "No, you fool! It's just…I had a very heroic and brave great-great-great-grandfather."
"And you want to know if it rubbed off on you?" he said, no mocking in his tone.
She looked up at him and felt immediate relief at his serious expression. She nodded before she spoke. "Yeah…something like that. You see…everyone keeps telling me that I can't make it. But I think I can. If I really want to, I KNOW I can."
John didn't speak for a while. When they arrived to a shabby store from which the crackling tunes of Chinese music were spilling, he sighed and threw off the butt of his cigarette. "Well…stranger things have happened."
"You still think I can't make it," she said, eyeing him.
"I never said you can't make it. I said you shouldn't try. Why bother?"
She smirked. "Because it is what I am. I rise up to challenges."
"Right," he said, waving her argument away. "Then you are on the right track."
He opened the door and let himself in and she followed. The shop looked like it would collapse any moment. The music was coming from an old radio, hanging on one of the shafts and was blasting loud. John walked over to tune it down. Immediately a very skinny, old woman waddled out from another room and began to talk and bow to John, who imitated the gesture. Soon thereafter Irulan joined the ceremony.
They got the address as well as the directions translated. Irulan watched her writing both down with hypnotizing pencil strokes. John explained her as they went along with the process. Baeron's house was in the Jinxiang region of China, which lay further to the southwest of Shanghai. It was close to a city called Nanchang. John said that it was a beautiful region, with thick jungle-like forests, many lakes and rivers, along with steepy hills and mountains. She would take the train to Hangzhou first – a city that was about 180 kilometers from Shanghai and would mean a 4 hour or so journey. Then came Yingtan, followed by Nanchang. From there, Irulan would have to find a local bus or a train to the inner regions. John grinned and said that she might even have to travel on foot. Irulan was appalled by that – the distance seemed too great to walk. But she pushed the thought aside and instead focused on the next step right ahead of her – Hangzhou.
After the left the little shop they strolled around, buying a map, a city guide for Hangzhou and the other, larger cities that she would stop at along the way, and a few other necessary items for the trip.
She decided against staying another night in the hotel and decided to go to Hangzhou with an evening train. John helped her to make an arrangement at a hotel there and took her to the train station. "Why not stay another day?" he said but it helt none of the whining he had put into it the first time.
"I think it will be more fun to wake up there and start exploring right away." Irulan sighed, observing the massive crowd around her. "I will miss the daytime trip and the view of rural China, but I have a feeling that I will come to see it more than enough on this trip, anyway."
John grinned to her and motioned at the train that was pulling in. "Yours," he said before he scratched his neck and gave her a fleeting glance. "Maybe you'll see me on your way back."
"Of course!" Irulan laughed. "IF I make it back, that is," she said darkly, wiggling her eyebrows.
Instead of amusement, John replied with mysterious graveness. "Yeah," he said finally and it hung between them like a disturbing shadow.
Irulan diverted her attention to the train and grabbed her backpack when it halted completely. "Well...I think I better go," she said, turning back to him.
He smiled and opened his arms, then gave her a painfully strong hug. "Good journey, princess!"
She stilled in his arms and for a moment, a moment only, thought of Baeron who had been so fond of calling her King-daughter. "Good riddance, evil wizard," she said instead, pushing the memory aside.
She would never see John again.
That night on the rocking train Irulan dreamt of Legolas. They were standing on some sort of a hill with a sharp blue-orange sunset blooming around them. Irulan looked up and there was a tree above them, shaking with a breeze. Instantly she recognized the picture - it had been one of her favorite scenes from Gone With the Wind - when Scarlet O'Hara had stood underneath this tree and swore to the world that she would never suffer hunger again. She had always admired the character of that woman, maybe because she seemed to be so fragile and useless in the beginning, but had proven to be a woman of incredible strength over time. Scarlet O'Hara was a survivor - no matter what happened, she prevailed. 'Where does she draw that strength from?' she had thought many times, sitting in her dark livingroom.
In the dream, Legolas stood beside her and they were looking at the field together. Irulan knew it to be a dream and the uneasiness of his presence left her at that realization. It wasn't real, so she didn't feel the need to raise the barriers that she usually did, in his presence. Also, she didn't need to hide her true emotions - the fact that she enjoyed his presence. A sad melancholy came over her, because she liked him beside her and she wanted it to be like that, again. She didn't miss the passion and the romance as much as she missed the company of Legolas. 'It is strange,' she thought then. 'How a stranger can seem so close to my soul.' She sighed and threw him a glance. He was wearing black on black today and his pale complexion was pronounced by this. Orange and blue danced in his silver hair.
"Irulan, why have you run from me?" he said suddenly and she blinked in surprise.
"I have not run from you, Legolas," she said warily. "I am merely discovering myself."
He sighed and gave her a long look. "I fear that you might be in danger," he said finally.
It surprised her even further and she turned to face him fully. "That's silly, Legolas. I am fully capable of-"
"Return to me," he said, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. He took a closer step. "Return to my side," he whispered, holding both her hands in his.
Irulan looked down at their entwined grip. "Now I know for certain that this is a dream," she said with a bitter smile. "The last time you spoke you said quite a bit different things."
His fingers caressed her hands as if to soothen her, and yet Irulan didn't feel soothed. "I am sorry," he said finally. "I was bitter and angry. I felt...defeated and hopeless. Humiliated. Toyed with. Left behind." He sighed and gazed out into the fields and his face seemed somber. "I thought myself old enough to overcome such emotions. Now I think that maybe my age is exactly why I failed to handle them properly." He gave her a broken smile. "You could say that people tend to get a bit stiff at my age. We don't take setbacks as easily, anymore."
Irulan smiled back. "You are too old and I am too immature. This would never work, Legolas."
He brought up her hand and kissed her palm, then, his gaze fixed on her face. It had always excited Irulan and was something that she associated directly with him, since none of her other lovers had done this in the way Legolas used to do it. "I will take my chances," he whispered. "You must return to me," he said with a stronger voice a moment later. "I can not protect you from danger if you are not by my side."
She frowned once more. "What is this danger you are talking about?" She thought of the trip lying ahead of her and suddenly felt unsure about it. Could it be that this dream was some sort of omen - a warning, perhaps? Maybe she would have an accident. Or maybe she would be robbed or killed by some petty thieves? She might even fall prey to a disease and die in delirium. She swallowed, the unease in her growing. "Why would there be danger?" Her voice was raspy.
"I don't know," he said with a tinge of urgency and stepped closer yet, his grip on her hands growing. He was looming over her and his eyes seemed magnetic. "I don't know where it will come from. Or the nature of it. Neither do I know the reason. But I feel it, and I fear for you, Irulan."
"Well..." she stammered then, her heart thumping in her throat, "...do you...know the outcome?"
A fleeting look of horror shimmered and passed in his eyes. It was so swift that she could have easily imagined it. "All I know is that I have to find you," he whispered, cautious. "But find you, I can not!" this part was a bit more frustrated. "Why have you torn your bond to me so?"
Irulan bit her lower lip. The sensation of danger was very strong now and even though there was nothing in her immediate vicinity to be the reason for it, she felt invaded by it mentally. "What do you mean?" she managed finally, her voice quivering.
To her surprise, Legolas smiled, almost with amusement. "How do you think I found you every time anywhere in the city?" he said finally.
Irulan blinked with surprise. "I thought...they told you...I mean...someone must have..."
Legolas shook his head and she sensed an emotion akin to pride flow from him before he spoke again. "I could find you anywhere in the world, Irulan. As you could find me. If you empty your mind, you can find me. You can learn how to do it - but it is no magic. It is true," he said, cautious, "there were times when I required help from others. But most of the time I sensed your location and I merely strode or rode to meet you there."
Her eyebrows rose in amazement. "Wow," she said, "I never thought of that." Her mind went back to the times Legolas had sprinted out of nowhere and true enough, it had usually been in places that did not include her routine daily schedule. Places like a cafe or a ticket line or a store - locations she visited only for a short period of time. Anyone reporting to Legolas would have found it hard to describe the location and have him arrive there during the short timespan Irulan was there. "Now that I think about it, you always came upon me so out of nowhere..." She laughed again. "Wow."
He nodded before his face gained a more serious expression. "But our bond has been severed and it is harder for me now. In fact, I hardly sensed your leaving. Nor can I sense now where you are. It frightens me," he added and kissed her palm again. "I find myself helpless."
Irulan watched him and the same terror washed over her. She realized then that until now, the presence of Legolas in her life had given her a sense of protection and comfort, although she hadn't be too conscios of it. She remembered once being abused by one of her co-workers and that she had failed to report his suggestive manner because he was married and had two kids. The idea that he would face his family if she filed a complaint seemed unbearable to her. He deserved to be punished, no doubt, but the punishment would, in a way, extend to his family as well and she felt incapable of having a few policemen tell his children that their father was such a man. But she didn't have to fret for long. Merely two days later she came upon his cleared desk and he never came back. She heard that he had been transfered - not to a very pleasant location, either, as an emergency. She had thought of Legolas, then, but it had seemed a far-fetched fantasy to assume that Legolas knew her whereabouts so much.
But things of that nature always happened around her. The landlord who would bother her for silly reasons stopped calling twice a week. The company that had refused to honor the warranty on her laptop called back and told her that they would be proud to do so - and even upgrade her current computer for free for the misunderstanding. Finally even Irulan -who was simply unable to see such connections until they were right in her face- had sensed that Legolas had something to do with all these 'coincidences'. She should have been angry. Normally that would have been her reaction. After all, she HAD been angry at his gifts, flowers and other obvious offers. However, in a silly way, it had pleased her.
Irulan had discovered very early in her life that she couldn't hold a grudge. It was simply not in her nature. And as time passed, her frustration at Legolas' unceasing attempts had dampened. In the end, she had found herself even capable of a decent conversation with him. So it was that these little attempts of 'help' on his behalf had not annoyed her. On the contrary - she sensed that Legolas felt happy to do them and she felt no reason to refuse them. They never spoke about it. She had been tempted to ask but no doubt, Legolas would have denied it -subtly, if not openly- in fear that she was angry at his interference. Plus, he was too proud to come out and take credit for his deeds. So she had left it unmentioned and it became a mysterious and kind bond between them. When all other bonds failed, when their words were harsh, their actions sharp, their emotions sizzling, this was the only gentle and soothing thing Irulan would recall and hang on to. Legolas cared for her. Not only in a way a man would care for a woman. He cared for her beyond that and worried for her well-being on every level. There was something very relieving and pure about that and she held on to it when all else failed.
Now, in the field under the orange sun, she realized with sudden panic that this very bond, too, was lost between them. For the first time ever since they had first laid eyes on each other, Irulan was not only out of his control, but also out of his ring of protection and care. True, this had happened before, when she had run to Baeron, but then Baeron had been there and he was no less protection and care.
'I have been alone all my life,' she thought, baffled at her own degree of fear, 'and I have not felt afraid like this. How can this be?!'
The tree above them shook again and a chilly breeze came up. 'I am Aragorn's kin,' she thought to herself, trying to convince herself. 'I can DO this!'
Legolas cocked his head, as if he had heard those thoughts. He didn't speak for a while, but merely gazed down at her and she found it impossible to tell what he was thinking. "Even the mightiest need someone to lean on," he whispered finally. Irulan cast down her gaze to their grip, not certain if she felt discomfort at that thought, or relief. She wanted to be like Scarlett O'Hara, damn it! She wanted to be someone of strength and purpose. And just like Scarlett O'Hara, she wanted the very man who was simply wrong for her in every conceivable way.
She woke up, then, drifting out of the dream with a sense of loss and defeat, for no particular reason. Once, she had made another train night like this, at night, and Baeron had been there to tell her of Bentanta. Irulan sighed. In a strange way, she seemed to be thinking of Baeron more and more often. But then, it was not that strange. After all, he was the reason she was here right now and he was the person she was chasing. Maybe more than she was even chasing herself. The fear subsided with the realization that she was very close to her destination now. But the feeling of loss and emptiness did not. 'Maybe our bond IS really broken,' she thought later as she watched the dark rural China swim by her train window. A part of her smirked at that. 'Big deal,' it said. 'You didn't feel it as much as he did, to begin with.' But another, perhaps smaller part, felt like she had held something of utter value in her palm, then watch it drop into murky water, never to be recovered again.
Anne and Russel noticed the agitated state of Legolas, of course. Not that he seemed agitated. On the contrary – he was as calm as ever. Nevertheless, he was too distracted to control the barrier that kept his emotions from roaming the world around him and his anxiety was a mild buzz, easily picked up by everyone around him. At least everyone who was not too dense to miss it. And neither Anne nor Russel were that dense. They threw each other questioning glances, then decided to leave it be.
Haldir, too, seemed tense, but refused to speak about what the matter was. Legolas had no qualms about using the aid of the Circle for locating Irulan –especially in that last hour before they landed in Shanghai airport- and it was just a matter of minutes before the Circle called back, giving them the hotel name and address where her credit card was used.
"That was fast," mumbled Anne, suddenly a bit anxious of confronting Irulan this early. She had expected some chasing around, some tracking. She had HOPED for that – because the delay would have given everyone more time to "cool off", so to say. After all, as soon as Irulan and Legolas were face to face, all hell would break lose, no doubt. And after that they would discover her scheming and then the second apocalypse would erupt. "Ouch!"
Russel grabbed her by the arm and dragged her away from the two elves. He halted, glanced at them –they looked back with something like astonishment- and decided that their damn ears could probably hear from that distance, so took Anne's arm again and dragged her some more. "Listen!" he hissed then, turning his back to the two men – maybe they could read lips, who would know?! "I hope that that evil mind of yours has also thought of a way of avoiding the conversation between Irulan and Hea....Legolas, I mean, that will fry us both instantly!"
"I had no idea they would find her so soon!" she seethed back.
Russel blinked with shock. "Is that a 'no'?"
"Russel, I had no time to think about it!"
"You had the 14 friggin hours on the plane!"
Anne shifted on her feet with unease. "I was resting, ok?"
He brought up his hand to his face. "Resting?! RESTING?! What the hell from? Sitting around?!"
"Oh, please! What's up with the drama?" she countered and glanced at the elves, waiting for them.
"What's up with the...Anne! I don't think you realize whom we are facing here!" He locked her shoulders in his grip and did what he had meant to do for the longest time – shake her with fury twice. "THE Legolas, woman!!"
She slapped off his hands and combed her hair away from her face "What are you? Insane? I am aware of that, thank you."
"I hope he plasters you against a wall, too," Russel said dryly after a long gaze. "I really do. I won't move a finger, so you know." He turned away from her, then and walked back to the waiting men.
She combed her hand through her hair, exhaled in frustration, then joined them. "Do we need to go there right away?" she said to Haldir. "I mean...this can wait. We could check into a hotel and..."
"You can check into that hotel," Legolas answered.
"Yeah...but..." Anne stammered. "But...I mean is it a good idea to meet Irulan right away?"
"Why not?" the Prince said slowly, turning to her. "You saw her letter. She must be very depressed. The sooner we find her, the better."
"Yes, of course," Anne whined, glancing at Russel who gave her a blank, expressionless look. "However, she will be mad if she sees us like this!" Legolas didn't reply, so she tried to elaborate. She hated lying, damn it! She hated it! Dancing around the truth was far easier. "Maybe we should just...I don't know, observe her for a while...and then...later when we are certain how she is doing, I mean..."
Haldir pursed his lips and glanced at the other elf. The Prince's stance spoke of his strong determination and his deep anxiety. He knew that Anne's arguments were pointless – he would never change his mind now. "We are not here to play spies, Anne," Legolas cut in finally with a frosty tone. "I am well aware that she will dislike the sight of us, but she will see us sooner or later. I'd much prefer it to be BEFORE something happens to her."
She opened her mouth, gave Haldir and Russel a last, pleading look, then sighed in defeat and closed it. "Fine," was all she mumbled.
They got into a taxi and drove to the hotel in tense silence. Shanghai flew by them, but neither Anne, nor Russel were in the mood to enjoy the ride as they bit their nails and awaited the upcoming confrontation.
The hotel was big enough and full with tourists. Legolas and Haldir purposefully strode to the lobby, attracting the usual admiration and curiosity. Anne and Russel scampered behind them, attracting none of the sort. They bid a good day –in Chinese- and asked about a guest staying there. The lobby of course would not give her room number, but they politely asked them to give her a call.
The staff scanned through their computers. "I'm sorry, sir," the pretty woman in the navy colored suit said in English. "She checked out yesterday evening."
Legolas took a deep breath that spoke of disappointment. "Did she by any chance mention where she was going?"
He knew the slim chance of that, but being a stranger in this place, Irulan might have asked them for directions. The woman smiled with regret and shook her head. "But I did not do her check-out. Please wait while I ask my collagues." She politely waved in the direction of the waiting area and the elves nodded, then walked there to sit in the large red armchairs.
"I can't believe we missed her by only a day!" Anne sighed. Strangely, she didn't sound disappointed at all.
"Didn't she tell you where Baeron's estate was?" Haldir asked, leaning his elbows on his knees.
Russel shook his head. "We didn't really get the chance to speak to her much. She packed and left. And we...we found the note afterwards." He waited for a moment. "The Circle wouldn't know where his house is?"
"Baeron had two estates in China that we know about," Legolas murmured. "But they are both in the very northern part. Irulan would not have taken this route to Shanghai if she meant to go there. There must be a third one that we don't know about."
"How come?"
Haldir shrugged to Anne. "We don't necessarily report our private posessions to the Circle. Most of our ownership is recorded, but it's no rule to do so."
Just then the receptionist arrived and bowed slightly before she spoke. "I'm sorry, sir, but she asked no questions. She left this morning early with her friend."
Legolas blinked and dropped the hand that was pinching the bridge of his nose. "Her friend?"
"Yes, sir. There was a man with her." The woman gave their surprised expression an uneasy look. "Her friend," she said, trying to make them understand.
"I don't think Irulan knew anyone in China," Anne intervened. "Who was this man?"
"I don't know," the woman said simply.
Haldir said something in Chinese then and the woman hesitated. They locked eyes and he spoke again. Anne and Russel waited, anxious where this was going as the woman listened attentively. She replied after a moment and it sounded like a question. The elf continued, his voice soft but determined. She hesitated again. "Please come with me, sir," she said finally to him. "Maybe we can find the answers to your questions."
They left and Anne bit her lip not to ask what just had happened. They waited for what seemed eternity while Legolas said in expressionless patience. In reality, it only took 15 minutes and finally Haldir strode back to the company. Everyone jumped to their feet at his arrival. "His name is John Cosgrove. I understand that he is some kind of tour guide and had clients from this hotel, before."
Legolas frowned for a moment, then took out his cellphone. He dialed a number and waited. "John Cosgrove, residing in Shanghai. Possible occupation, tourist guide," he said after a short silence. "I want information as soon as possible."
"The hotel has a contact number," Haldir said then.
Legolas nodded. "I still want to know more about this man before we go to him." The dim recollection of the dream floated back to him and the discomfort returned. 'He's just a guide,' he told himself. But the idea that Irulan could be in danger made him move cautious nevertheless. He would not move on clumsily now. He would take careful steps and would not make any mistakes that could result in Irulan's harm.
He turned off the phone and gave Anne a long look. "Don't worry. We will find her," he said. "Haldir, let's check in. Our friends seem tired."
"I already acquired rooms for us," Haldir smiled and handed Anne and Russel their keys. He gave another one to Legolas. "Let us rest a little and meet for lunch?"
Anne nodded, dumbfounded. She didn't know if she was sorry that they had missed Irulan, or glad for the luck. "Call us if you find something, all right?"
They arrived at John's house that evening, having found out nothing about him other than the fact that he was more crook than guide and had been living in Shanghai for many years. He was not at home. Anne whined about starving and everyone realized that it had been an awfully long time since they last ate, so they decided to go for dinner first. When they returned and knocked on the door again, the rustle from inside told them that their guide had arrived. He called out in Chinese, asking who it was and Haldir pretended not to understand and spoke in English, saying that they are customers interested in a deal.
The reaction to that was hesitant and for a while they heard nothing. Finally though the door was unlocked and cracked open to reveal a man in his mid-thirties. He gave them an overall look. "Hello," he said finally.
"Hello," smiled Haldir. "John Cosgrove, I assume?"
The man glanced at Haldir, then at Legolas –who stood at the side, unmoving- "You assume right," he said slowly. "How can I be of assitance, gentlemen?" He threw Anne a smoldering look. "And my lady?" was his drawl of an addition.
"Can we come in?" Haldir said politely.
"Well..." he threw a glance over his shoulder, "...this place is too messy to show it to my visitors. I...wasn't prepared, you know." He hesitated for a moment. "Let me put on a shirt and join you guys outside."
The door was closed upon them. Haldir gave Legolas a long look and the other nodded. The Lothlorien elf stepped back, then and made as if he would kick in the door. "What are you doing?" Russel said in amazement.
"He is lying," was Legolas' flat reply.
"How do you kn-.."
Too late. The door smashed in a moment later and Anne and Russel scrambled in after the two elves only to find –to their surprise- an empty room. Legolas ran to the right, through a small corridor and ended up at an open window. He mumbled under his breath before he gracefully jumped through it, landing on the terrace and running after John, who was jumping to another roof right then.
It took Legolas about thirty seconds to catch up. He grabbed John's shirt and hauled him away from another stunt he was getting ready to perform. The man barely managed a shout of surprise, then rolled down the remaining part of the roof, hung in air for a few moments, and landed on another, flatter terrace. The air went out his lungs with the impact of the fall and before he could gather his second breath, the elf was upon him. Again, he was hauled from the ground by the grip on the back of his shirt, flipped over and pressed to the ground.
When Legolas' face appeared above him and his steel grip pressed down on his chest, John had already given up the struggle. He may not have been wise, but he was not so stupid as not to see that he was at a clear disadvantage here. For a moment or two nothing happened and he managed a painful inhalation. Then he felt it - the threat washing over him. First subtle and gossamer, then stronger, until his heart decided against slowing down and actually picked up pace.
"You can not escape," the blonde man above him said and John blinked, unable to tear his gaze from the cold gaze he was receiving just then. "It would be in your favor not to try again."
He nodded weakly and the man stepped back and away, his eyes still glued to him. He threw a quick glance around him and dusted himself off. "I could have fallen all the way, you know," he rasped, patting his chest.
"You still can," Legolas said curtly.
John swallowed and shifted on his feet to pretend indifference, but he was very sure that he was not doing a good job at the moment. For one thing, he was truly afraid. And it took a lot to scare him. "No need for that, my friend," he smirked finally. "I'm not stupid."
Legolas nodded only once. "Where is Irulan?"
John sighed and tried to look surprised. Again, he found himself doing a lousy job of it, because the other's eyes betrayed his disbelief. 'There's no way to pretend I don't know her,' he thought obviously and decided to play along. "Why?"
The eyebrows of the other rose in what could only be described as cold amusement. "I don't have much time, so let's make this very clear. I will ask the questions here. You will reply quickly, shortly and honestly."
"Or else?"
"Or else," Legolas said slowly, "I will not save you from becoming a broken heap of bones in a deserted alley in Shanghai."
John followed the man's gaze to his right, to the edge of the terrace. The fall wouldn't kill him, no doubt, but perhaps this man would come down to finish what gravity failed to do. And he was not very fond of pain. Not at all. He smirked again and combed his fingers through his hair. "Fine. I don't know."
Legolas gave him a blank look. "That wasn't very honest." he said. The next string of events was a blur to John. He remembered the other standing right before him, maybe two steps away. Then he remembered a swift movement, and before anything could register, he felt a sharp pain in his left arm, accompanied by a loud crack. He howled in pain, stumbling back several feet, then sinking onto his knees while his right arm cradled his left. For several minutes he failed to suppress his whimpers and it took him his entire control not to cry. "You broke my arm!" he screamed.
Legolas just looked back with pure disinterest. Just then Haldir arrived by his side, calm and expressionless as well. They watched John moan and whimper for a while, then the Prince spoke again. "One more time - where is Irulan?"
John breathed heavily. His arm was throbbing painfully and the world seemed to be swimming in a hot blaze. He swallowed, his throat as dry as parchment. "Why should I tell you?" he rasped finally, glancing up. He saw dark specks in front of his eyes and resisted the temptation to faint. "What business do you have with her?"
"We are her friends," Haldir said, regarding him with a cool expression. "We believe that she might be in danger. And you running away just confirmed that."
"And I am supposed to believe that?" the other man spat.
Haldir advanced then and John thought that he looked more like a predator animal than a human being. He knelt on one knee, his face inches from John's and the other man swallowed hard, trying not to move. "But you DO believe us, John," he said calmly.
He opened his mouth to deny it, then glanced at Legolas, standing with a regal pose merely steps away, and decided against it. He intended to keep his right arm, thank you very much. John sighed and bit his lip. The threat was still there, throbbing along with his arm. And yet... "How do I know that you won't kill me if I tell you?"
Haldir's eyebrow rose in a manner an adult would be amused at the banter of a child. "Because I tell you so," he said finally.
John rasped a little more. He knew of course that his stalling meant nothing. He had no choice. Now that he was captured, they could leave him, or they could kill him. But they WOULD find the answers to their questions first. Assuming that being helpful at this point could strenghten his chance of coming alive out of this, he decided to give in. "Look...I don't want that woman to come to harm."
"Neither do we. That is why we need to find her."
John eyed them with deep suspicion. "You mean she WILL come to harm by some other?" They didn't answer and he prodded on. "Who? And how do you know?"
"Are you asking questions again?" the Prince said in a frosty tone and John shrank back, unable to suppress a shiver that ran down his spine at the voice.
Haldir gave Legolas a reassuring look. "We are friends of Irulan," he said calmly, returning his attention to the other man. "You can believe that."
"Oh really?" John said, still looking rather mistrusting. "Then how come you don't know where she is headed to?"
Legolas was done with patience. He took a step toward the huddling man, eager to beat the answer out of him but Haldir held up his hand to the Prince, urging him silently to hold back a little longer. The other elf hesitated and bore his eyes into John. "If you don't speak really fast," Haldir said then, "I will not be able to protect you any longer. And frankly, I don't know if I should, to begin with."
"I don't know if you are friend or enemy!" John wailed with frustration. "And I will NOT tell anything to Irulan's enemy!"
Haldir nodded in agreement to that. "And how can we prove our good intend?"
John hesitated. He eyed the statuesque other elf one last time, then mumbled "All right...if you are Irulan's friends, you should also know her private life." Legolas gave Haldir a perplexed look, but remained silent and watchful. John pushed up his chin and gave the elves a defiant glance. "She told me of someone. Someone she really loved. More than she has ever loved anyone else, she said. I want you to tell me his name."
The elves exchanged confused glances, then stared down at the panting man. "Is this a joke?" Legolas seethed finally. "Enough with this nonsense, Haldir! Step aside."
Haldir, though, remained calm and rose to his feet. "Heath Greenleaf," he said simply, locking eyes with John.
The answer stilled both other men. Despite his fury, Legolas could not help but feel a trifle anxious and curious as he glanced back at John, trying to read his expression. The man seemed surprised 'I guess I am not the one in her heart, anymore,' he thought wryly, then. And why would he be? He had almost spat to her face when she had called for an apology. Perhaps she had spoken about Russel instead. Irulan wasn't aware of the man's advances, no doubt, and she might still be considering him a friend only, but even as a friend he seemed to have gained more of her love than Legolas had managed to, despite all his efforts. The brutality of that thought took his breath away and he swallowed, feeling the noises of Shanghai beating on his back. He made as if to turn around – if not to leave, then to gain a little space to breathe but John spoke just then.
"True," he said slowly. Then a moment later. "True."
Again, the Prince stilled. And this time it was simply to breathe out the despair and instead, inhale hope. 'It was me she spoke of,' he thought, dumbfounded. He had never doubted that Irulan loved him. If she hadn't, there would have never been a bond between them. However, the bond was broken now and this disturbed him on more than on one level. For one thing, he didn't know what her feelings to him were. 'What does it matter, fool!' his inner demons stirred. 'It's over!' And yet...it DID matter. In almost a childish, helpless, foolish way he wanted to have her liking more than he wanted anybody else's liking. Her love? He would easily risk death for that.
Legolas turned, suddenly realizing that he had missed part of the conversation. "...you run?" Haldir was saying, placing his feet slightly apart. "You could have told us the truth from the very beginning."
"How the hell was I supposed to know you came for that?!" John spat. "I'm no child, you know! The moment I saw you I knew you were not here for a tour. Nobody contacts me at home for a tour. You had 'danger' written all over you. And I was right in that, by the looks of it!" he added with a glare to Legolas.
"Where did she go?" the Prince said, crossing his arms on his chest to hide the incredible joy that was running through him at the moment.
John sighed with defeat. "Fine. She took the train to Nanjing yesterday night. I got her her ticket."
Haldir gave him a long look and John looked back with all the innocence he could muster. "Should I check on that?" the blonde man said finally, his tone low.
He shrugged. "Go ahead. Though I bought it with cash, so it might not be on the records."
"Where is she planning to go?" Legolas interfered then.
"She said to a friend. Close to Hefei."
Again, there was a silence and they remained like that, the heat beating down on them. Finally it was Legolas who broke it. "We should not lose any more time. Let us go, Haldir."
Haldir nodded and stepped away. Then he hesitated and turned to glance back at John. "If you are lying to us, know that we can find you, John Cosgrove."
John waved a dismissive, defeated arch with his arm. "Yeah, I noticed." He rose on his shaking legs, giving the duo's back a spiteful look. "And you should know that if you harm her, that Heath guy will probably kill you!"
To his surprise, both men laughed the sweetest, most incredible and unique laughter to that as they walked on, leaving a dumbfounded John listening to the residue of it, long after they were out of sight.
The elves climbed down the terraces with fluid movements and met the anxious duo of Anne and Russel at the corner of the street Haldir had told them to wait at. Information was exchanged and both Anne and Russel were relieved to hear that she was safe and sound. Not that they had believed it to be otherwise! "Nanjing? Is it far?" Russel said finally.
"No. Only a few hours by train. We should leave as soon as possible."
"Maybe," Anne said then with a lighter tone, "China is a good experience for her. I mean...maybe this journey is really changing her mood." She glanced at the three men and decided that she was on the right track. "She seems to be having a good time, no?" Haldir and Russel said nothing, but merely looked at Legolas. "If we give her a few days..."
"You can stay behind, if you want," Legolas cut her short and replaced his sunglasses. It was nighttime, but he felt too happy at the moment and not very eager to share the twinkles in his eyes. "I'll arrange your stay in the hotel, if you want. Shanghai is a beautiful city."
"Of course not!" she protested. "All I'm saying is..."
"Whatever you have to say, you can say on the train," Legolas smiled to her, then turned and left.
They watched him walk away for a few moments. "He is so...difficult!" Anne moaned with frustration.
"He is determined, that's all," Haldir said. "After all, YOU made him believe that her safety was at stake. And I would say you did a good job."
The woman groaned and began to trott after Legolas. Haldir took the opporturnity to look back at Russel. "Russel," he began cautiously, "I agree with Legolas. I think we should find Irulan as soon as possible."
"Yeah. I prefer a clean and quick death, myself," was the annoyed reply.
"No," Haldir said and waved his arm in a dismissive gesture. He urged Russel to join him and both men began to follow the duo ahead. "I have a feeling that Irulan might indeed be in danger."
Russel blinked to that. "What do you mean?" He received no answer. "Granted, she is a bit clumsy. But Irulan is a smart woman. I'm sure she will find her way to Nanjing or wherever."
"Call it an intuition," the elf said slowly, so that he wouldn't be overheard by the Prince. "Just...keep that in mind." Russel nodded slowly, trying to think of possible dangers to Irulan. "I don't know what the journey ahead holds for us. If, for some reason, we might get separated, I just wanted you to know."
"I understand. Thank you, Haldir."
The Marchwarden smiled and gave him a nod with the head. By that time they had reached a determined, but strangely joyful Legolas and a whining, frustrated Anne.
"Did they buy it?" she said, fixing her sunglasses.
John took a mouthful from his beer. "You bet they did."
Her voice was as cold as ice as she continued. "You resisted like I told you to?"
John gave her a sheepish look. Finally he held up the cast of his left arm. "What do you think?"
"And what did you tell them?"
"I told them she went north," he spat and took another gulp.
She didn't smile, but merely said "Good," then got up, leaving an envelope on the counter. He reached out for her hand before she could depart and she turned around, looking down at him behind those dark glasses. "I know why you did it," he said, aware of his own slurring.
She cocked one eyebrow. "Really?"
He nodded. The painkillers he had taken to dull the throbbing along with the alcohol did fantastic things to his brain. "You could have cought her in Shanghai. But you didn't." He gave her a grin. "I know why." She didn't say anything, but merely leaned back on the counter, looking down on him. There was something like amusement on her face. John allowed himselt the feeling of a small victory. "You knew her friends were coming," he said, taking another long draft from the bottle. "And you didn't want them to witness...or interfere. So you had to send them away."
Her smile was obvious this time. "Aren't you the smart one?" she cooed.
He gave the envelope a glance. "And I had to resist so that they would believe my lie. That's a lot of money for such a small deed." He hesitated moment. "Unless you will...What exactly WILL you do to her?"
This time her pearly teeth showed when she grinned. She glanced around the bar for a few moments, apparently in boredom. "I will be honest with you," she said finally, "I don't know." He snorted with disbelief, and she continued. "I play a small role in this. As do you."
"Smart man, then, whoever it is," he mumbled. "Puts so many layers between himself and Irulan that it will be impossible to track him down."
She nodded, her eyes still on the other occupants of the bar. "I do agree, however, that this whole thing was to separate her from her friends. It would have been easy to get her in Shanghai. But...it will be easier to get her outside of it. China is an interesting country." She sighed with mock frustration.
"She was a good woman," he murmured a long moment later, his eyes glazing.
"You almost sound resentful," she said, cocking her eyebrow again.
He gave the money envelope another look. "Me?" He took another gulp and finished the bottle, his eyes still on the envelope. "Maybe it's time to retire."
She turned to face him then, still leaning back onto the bar in a casual manner. "Splendid idea." Her tone was slow, deep and almost lustful. John blinked and looked at her, feeling the alcohol seeping into his brain. She took off her glassed then, in one single, slow, graceful manner and he watched, almost mesmerized. The light in the dim bar rode on her pitch black hair like moon on dark water.
Maybe that is why never saw the knife that planted itself in his gut.