I think a few people are going to hate me for this chapter. And I'm sorry it's so short.
Chapters 8: Danger and Disturbance
The next morning Silrocca's foot still bled and Elizabette and Legolas both rode upon Súláríl. Legolas noted that Elizabette did not relax the entire day. She remained stiff and tense, as if she were waiting for a warning, a silent horn-call from invisible trumpets. Her eyes darted to any movement in the trees and she kept her hood down so that it would not obscure any sound.
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Mid afternoon, he asked, "Elizabette, what troubles you? I feel nothing."
Elizabette glanced over her shoulder at him. Her gray eyes were sharp and alert, though their expression softened slightly as they focused on him.
"I do not know," she said, "yet something disturbs my thoughts. Súláríl does not know what it is."
"I feel no danger near," said Legolas.
Elizabette faced forward again. "I do not believe that it is danger."
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That night, Legolas found that he could not sleep. He lay rigid in the darkness, searching his mind for the thought that troubled him.
Suddenly a dull pain struck his heart. He winced at the pain and the panic that filled his mind. Glancing over to where Elizabette had laid her blankets, he saw that she sat up in the darkness.
"Elizabette?" he asked.
"You felt it?" she replied wearily, her clear voice filled with sadness.
"Yes. What was it?"
Elizabette sighed. "I know not if I should tell you, for it will pain you greatly."
"Elizabette. You know something. You must tell me."
She sighed again. "Legolas, I would shield you from this were it possible." At his frown, she continued, "I shall tell you," she aquiesced, "but again, I say that it will plunge you into despair." She paused and closed her gray eyes. "Legolas, your father has fallen ill."
Legolas sat up. "How do you know?" he demanded.
Elizabette reached out for him, offering comfort. She caught one of his waving hands, but he pulled it away. "It came to me in a dream that this would happen. When I felt the pain, I knew that it had come to pass."
Legolas stood, beginning to pace with astonishing energy. "We must go back," he said. "If we hurry we can save him."
"No. We cannot return. Your father will die. It is meant to be so." She bit her lip as she spoke the words; wincing at his expression.
Legolas seemed not to hear her last words. "Why did you not tell me?" he demanded angrily. "This could have been prevented! I would not have come."
Elizabette sighed. "I did not tell you," she said, "for I did not wish to cause you pain. It is meant to be. You wished, Legolas, to come with me. You said it. I need you. You cannot go back."
"I will return to him."
"You cannot help him," said Elizabette softly. "What could you do? And how could you get there? Silrocca cannot carry you."
Legolas sat down on his blankets. "My father will die," he said, "and I will see him never again. If you had told me I could at least have been with him to the last." His voice resonated with anger, sadness, and above all, pain.
"I am sorry," was all that Elizabette said. She did not reach out, did not try to comfort him. She closed her eyes and slipped into sleep.
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The next morning Legolas avoided her as they ate and packed up the camp. He made certain to be folding blankets while she was putting away food; to be checking his pack while she saddled horses. The other elves had felt nothing in the night, and did not immediately notice the enmity between them.
What should I have done? Elizabette asked Súláríl.
You did everything that you could.
What do I do now?
Wait.
Elizabette sighed at the cryptic message.
Legolas examined Silrocca's foot when he had finished. He looked worried but said nothing. While the others rode he walked beside Silrocca, carrying her packs as well. Elizabette again offered to let him ride behind her but he declined with barely visible anger and contempt. The elf did not speak to her unless he had to. Elizabette spoke little to anyone. The other elves wondered at the change.
Elizabette found that without Legolas' support she succumbed more easily to her pain- filled memories.
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A day's journey from Imladris, Elizabette asked Legolas to walk with her away from the other elves. He consented reluctantly, disliking her presence.
Elizabette told him, "Legolas, you must not let this ruin the rest of your own life. It was meant to come about and nothing can stop it."
Legolas stopped walking. He stared at her angrily. "Have you any idea what this is to me?" he demanded. "My father is dying, and you tell me to forget. Do you not know that it is impossible?"
Elizabette sighed. "Yes, Legolas, I know what this is to you. Do not forget that it happened to me also."
Legolas stopped short. He had forgotten that in his pain and sorrow. But the ache was still too great. "You were four only, then, as you told me yourself," he said. "You did not care as much as I do, perhaps."
Elizabette's gray eyes blazed with angry fire. "How dare you accuse me of not caring? You are losing only your father! I lost my entire family! How dare you think that since I was young it did not matter? Do not forget that you have not seen your father in his illness. It would cause you such pain that you would want to die with him." Her anger flared sharply but Legolas did not care.
Careful, Elizabette, cautioned Súláríl.
I do not care, she replied sharply.
"Here I am in the wilderness, with my father lying at my home, dying, and I will never see him again. The things that happened to your family are in the past. Can you never forget it? It does not matter anymore."
Elizabette's eyes went wide. She stared at the elf in disbelief. "You tell me that my family does not matter? Are you not grateful for what I have done? If my family had not existed all of the elves in Mirkwood might already be dead. Let them die," she added angrily. She did not wait for a reply but fled back to the camp.
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Thank you to everyone who replied to my questions.
Most people seemed to think that there should be more action, and also more Legolas/Elizabette interaction. Bad stuff started to happen in this chapter- hehe- and there'll be more next chapter. There should also be more Legolas/Elizabette interaction- they have a few arguments and hang around at Imladris for a bit, and have a cute little moment... yeah. Anyway.
In general, you all tend to think that Elizabette's too weak and too 'mary-sueish.' I guess my lead characters do have a tendency to reservedness- Elizabette excessively. When she gets over the 'memories overpowering her mind' stage, she does get a little stronger, but I will try to give her more personality. In this chapter, she actually summoned the nerve to shout- yes!
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Legolas. The general feeling seems to be that he's too cliché and changeable. I guess that's the way I imagined him. Since I don't read much Legolas fanfiction, and haven't read a single one for at least two years, I'm not entirely sure what is meant by 'cliché', but assuming that he's in need of more depth of character... I'll work on it. As I've said before, I hate this story and will never write another fanfiction.
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I feel like writing responses, so thank you for reviewing:
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Kelso Queen Of Genovia: I got your review right after I learned that my riding trainer's selling one of my favorite horses, and it really cheered me up- thanks! I'm glad you like Legolas- I liked him when I wrote it too.
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Miriellar: I'm glad you liked the stable scene. I see what you mean about my portrayal of Thranduil- he's not there except when I need him to be. When I wrote it I didn't really give him his own personality. I didn't need him to have one, and I couldn't be bothered. Laziness is one of my unfortunate traits. In the books we didn't see him at all, really, and in the Hobbit he was only an authoratative figure that Bilbo didn't like much, so I decided it was up to the author to give him a role. I didn't. He does have more of a role in this chapter, obviously. Thanks for noticing that.
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bandgeeks101: Thanks for offering to review my other story. I appreciate it, you're the only one. Go to and click on 'To Run Away' The actual link was on the last chapter, but it might not have come through. I dunno. You're definitely right about Lizzy's wimpiness, and as I mentioned in my general note, I'll be working on it.
My last chapter almost made you cry? I'm proud.
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Le phantomet: Thanks. Did you think Lizzy had a better personality before she 'became elf'?
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Navaer Lalaith: I hope college goes well. I'm sorry the horse telepathy bothers you. I'm not going to change it, it's something I've contemplated for rather a while, but it's nice to hear your opinion.
I've already discussed the Legolas issue. Elizabette- her name? What precisely bothers you about that?
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Celtic Cross: Thanks! You're officially my nicest reviewer. Legolas is a bit oblivious, though, isn't he? I kinda like him that way. And I'm glad you like Lizzy- most people apparently don't, but I based her on someone I'm very close to, so... I like her too. And the 'horse/human mind talk' as you termed it, was also an idea that I'd contemplated for a while before finally writing it up.
I appreciate your answers. Keep the opinions and ideas coming, they're useful. If you like, since you apparently don't have a account, I can send you an email when I post a chapter. And yes, I did update soon... I think.
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Mirkwoods Princess: Thanks!
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Yellow Peanutbutter Ruler: Yeah, all the similar answers do get a bit tedious. Yours were a little different, though. Can you maybe specify the difference between movie Legolas and book Legolas? I didn't think they really developed him at all in the movie, which in my opinion didn't do the books justice. And you like the humor? That's good to know. I've actually started another story... that has odd humor popping up even in the serious moments. Most people don't notice it, but maybe you have the same sense of humor as I do... since you noticed my little quips in the beginning of the story.
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Jr8action: thanks!
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And, if anyone has any spare time... my other story's still neglected...