shippo: thanks so much for your reviews! will do! here's your update!
PrincessofRain: i won't die. i promise. thanks!
Myri78: i will get to the french fries. if you read this chappie, it says she wants to do something for him, it'll be in that, whenever seh gets around to it. i swear! thanks!
SofiaB: hehe. thanks! he'll tell soon enough. don't worry!
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beautystar: hmm, kids. be careful what you wish for! thanks!
Disclaimer: don't own anything that belongs to Tolkien. sad to say that does include Legolas too. :tears:
Chapter 37
Elenayave reigned in Armordulin and turned right onto the path leading out to the fields. She needed to be alone for a little while to think. She loved Legolas dearly, but sometimes, he was just…smothering. Now was one of those times. He had hardly let her out of his sights, as if he was terrified she would just up and walk out of his life again. She shook her head firmly. Not again. Never again. There was no way she could both of them through that once more. It would completely rip them apart, and that was what terrified her.
What she really needed to do, she decided, was to just lay low for a little while. Let Legolas have his way. After all, she had come to the conclusion that she did want a baby too. What was better than a little bundle of joy to bring the two of them closer than ever before? But she really needed to show him that she loved him. Sure, she told him several times every day, and sure her nights had been sleepless yet pleasant. But she really wanted to do something for him that would show him how much he meant to her. But what?
"What would Nilfalath do for an elleth?" she wondered aloud. She sniggered at the thought. "He wouldn't be able to stutter three words before he passed out, that's what. What about Elrohir? He writes poetry. Hmm."
She shook her head again. "Elenayave, you can't wax poetic to save your life. That won't do. Perhaps I should ask Arwen. She always knows what to do in situations like these. She was the one who suggested you marry Legolas."
Elenayave paused with a confused look on her face. Why was she talking to herself? She probably looked like an idiot, babbling on the way she was. But who cared? There was no one out there watching her. Finally, she laughed. "I'm losing my mind, Armordulin," she declared to the black steed.
He snorted amicably and bobbed his head as if to say he agreed. It was a while before either made another sound. Elenayave seemed lost in thought, and the stallion focused on his trail, prancing along like he was showing off to his brood. When suddenly the horse stopped, ears perked forward, Elenayave drifted out of her deliberation and glanced around the field. Nothing. An eerie sense of déjà vu set over her as she remembered the last time her horse had spooked in a clearing on the outskirts of Mirkwood. But there were no orcs here. Not this close to Rivendell. It wasn't possible with the way Elrond protected his lands.
"What is it, Armordulin?" she questioned, patting his neck in a soothing manner. "Mani naa ta?"
Her mount shied away from the path he was taking and began to turn around. Stamping the ground with his front hooves, he whinnied loudly, and then whipped around in the other direction. Before Elenayave had time to react, Armordulin was reeling back down the path at breakneck speed, hurtling through the foliage and over fallen trunks.
"Tampa!' she screamed, attempting to halt the spooked beast, but her cries went unheeded as he galloped furiously back toward the gates. Now upset with herself for not using tack, she set about grimly to holding on to nothing but the scruff of his mane. Armordulin wheeled about, nearly crashing head-on into the trees before him, prior to turning to the left to avoid a tangle of brush.
Elenayave had had enough. She needed to get off the panicked horse's back before he ended up killing them both. His eyes were wide and his ears were pricked up in the air, alert and listening as he sped through the valley. What was it with her and horses? First, Patrosh nearly falling down the cliff face, and now Armordulin tearing dangerously along the trail. She was never getting on the back of another horse again. She would walk back to Mirkwood if she had to.
She glanced up ahead and her eyes went wide. The trail ended suddenly, and at the end was a large cropping of rocks, pointed and razor sharp. The green of the trees blurred together as they whisked by, and at that moment, she knew Armordulin would never be able to stop in time.
"Armordulin, whoa! Stop! Slow down!"
Time dawdled for a moment as the horse realized his plight and tried to dig his hooves into the dirt to slow his frantic pace. Dirt and dust flew about all around them, and she could feel Armordulin sliding over the ground in a frenzy. His powerful front legs dug into the soil, finally braking his approach. As his hind legs went up to compensate, he sent Elenayave flying through the air, straight onto the rocks. In the milliseconds it took her to hit the hard stone, she saw her life flash before her eyes. Then her world went black as the sharp pain dug into her wavering senses.
Armordulin paced skittishly beside his fallen rider, not knowing what to do. If it was at all possible for an animal to feel guilt, he was consumed with it. He nudged her gently with his snout and whickered softly in attempts to wake her, but she didn't stir. Bright red blood trickled from her left temple across her face, and her eyelids fluttered. The shallow rise and fall of her chest was all that proved she was alive. Torn between getting help and staying beside his injured master, Armordulin finally cantered off down the path to find aid.
Legolas lay naked sprawled out on a rock beside the river, sunning. Nilfalath lay on the next rock over, hands behind his head, gazing up at the sky. The light spray from the waterfalls misted over them, keeping them slightly cooler than they would have wished, but comfortable nonetheless.
"So…what are you going to do today?" Legolas asked, turning his head to glance over at his friend.
"Not sure," Nilfalath replied. "Might go for a walk. Might go swimming again." He shrugged.
Legolas smiled and turned back to the sky. How he wished Lena was by his side, rather than her brother. She'd be curled up against his body, just as bare as the day she was born. He sighed at the thought, then turned back to Nilfalath.
"Did Lena tell you where she was going?"
"No. Elena doesn't tell me anything. Why do you ask? You've had her to yourself for the past three days."
"And an amazing three days, it's been," Legolas stated dreamily.
"For some, perhaps," Nilfalath added grumpily. Because of his sister's 'nightly activities', he'd overslept and been late for his meeting with Mirrawen, which she hadn't been too pleased about. Then she had kept him late to make up for it, and he'd nearly missed his father on the hunting trip they'd had planned. The best part of his day so far had been the swimming. It was unusually warm in the Dell, and even the Elves were feeling it.
Nilfalath rolled over onto his stomach to warm it against the rock, and then glanced over to Legolas. The blond haired prince was staring longingly off into space, no doubt daydreaming about Elena. Nilfalath shook his head. At least he wasn't like that when it came to Mirrawen. Or at least, he thought he wasn't. Ah…Mirrawen. He was about to make a comment to Legolas, when a shrill whinny broke the silence. Armordulin burst into the clearing, stamping his feet and frantically whickering.
Nilfalath propped himself up and glanced around, looking for the steed's rider. It was curious for the horse to be so far from the stables without a rider. But no one was to be found, and the steed strutted over to him purposefully. He nudged Nilfalath in the shoulder, trying to unseat him from the rock he was perched upon.
"What is wrong with you, Armordulin?" He reached out and patted the horse on the underbelly.
"Armordulin?" Legolas said languidly. "Isn't that one of Lena's mounts?"
"Yes," Nilfalath answered slowly. He didn't like where this was headed. "And he's got her pack."
"What?" Legolas sat up immediately, his stomach muscles rippling as he moved. He leaped down off the rock and grabbed the pack from the horse's neck. "She never goes anywhere without this bag."
Legolas gripped the horse by its mane and stared into its eyes. Armordulin seemed to calm a little, but Legolas's face drained of color. "Get dressed," he barked. "Lena's hurt."