Chapter 33

The ending line is an inside joke from Pinky and The Brain. Yes. Always.

That morning I woke before the sun. I looked up at the high window and saw faint light shining through the curtains. From where I was laying I could see that the sky was beginning to brighten and assumed the sun would be rising within the next hour or so.

I looked down to see Legolas's head positioned between my breasts, his ear pressed tenderly against my breast bone. One arm was buried in the front of his face, his hand resting on my shoulder. I raised an eyebrow. He was making it very difficult to get out of bed.

Slowly I sat up, one hand holding his neck upright. When I caught sight of his open eyes I gasped. No matter how many nights I had slept beside him, the whole sleeping-with-my-eyes-open thing still startled me. I waited a moment to make sure he was still asleep before gently laying his head on the pillow. When I slipped out of bed he fell onto his back.

From there I went to the wardrobe and pulled on Legolas's emerald green cloak over my singlet, clasping it closed at the top. Before escaping through the door I slipped on my boots. I laughed quietly to myself – how funny I must have looked.

Outside the wind blew a bit harsher than it had been. Autumn would be settling in soon, for summer was drawing to a close. Mirkwood was absolutely beautiful in autumn with all of the brightly colored leaves. There was a tree by the lake on which the leaves always changed into a lovely shade of red. I would settle beneath it after swimming and let the leaves shower me.

I walked farther away from the village and into the deeper part of the forest, gently letting my hand slip from tree to tree. I wished that I could speak to the trees or at least hear them. Although Legolas tried to teach me, he said that I was 'too stubborn and impatient'. Thanks, I love you too.

The leaves that had fallen crunched underneath my feet. It was the only sound that reached my ears besides the occasional gust of wind. A sudden gust pushed the hood of the cloak back from my head and I stopped in my tracks. From the corner of my eye I could now see partially behind me. Something caught my eye.

I whirled around, my searching the trees. I found not a thing out of place, and shrugged. Perhaps I had seen a leaf falling or a bird fluttering past. I continued on my way, leaving the hood back just in case.

Soon after continuing on my way again I came upon a place to sit. Rocks were spread out into an oval as if someone had placed them there in that specific way. It was curious how little things like that seemed perfect. I sat down on one of them.

"I still remember the world,
from the eyes of a child,
slowly those feelings,
were clouded by what I know now.

Where has my heart gone,
an uneven trade for the real world,
oh I...I want to go back to,
believing in everything and knowing nothing at all.

I still remember the sun,
always warm on my back,
somehow it seems colder now.

Where has my heart gone,
trapped in the eyes of a stranger,
oh I…I want to go back to,
believing in everything-"

I stopped singing when I heard a faint rustling behind me. Taking a quick breath I pulled my dagger out and spun around quickly to see a bird that had just landed on the ground. I lowered my dagger, laughing to myself. Rolling my eyes I turned – only to come face to face with an Uruk.

Before I could scream he had an abnormally large hand over my mouth. I swiped my dagger across his throat as he grabbed my fist. He gurgled as blood flowed from the gash.

Once his hand left from my mouth I turned to run but was met with four more of them. They eyed me like intoxicated men and I realized my mistake in wearing only a singlet. There was no way that they I was going to be raped again. I was going to protect myself and the life of my unborn child.

I ran at them, stabbing one in the arm as I broke through the pack. They seemed to be amused by the fight I was putting up against them. The one I had injured snarled and snorted, grabbing my wrist in a tight grip. He leaned in as if to kiss me but I shoved his face away, the blade grazing his cheek. In a rage he threw me back, my elbow hitting the rock I had been sitting on.

I could feel the blood from my elbow soaking into the material of Legolas's cloak. Rough, dark colored hands grabbed the clasps holding my cloak on and pulled off the garment although I was lying on my back. I heard them saying things that made me remember the previous rape and I grew even more determined to stop them.

As one reached for me I grabbed his arm and flung him backwards. He stumbled but stayed on his feet. I quickly got to my feet.

"Don't scream." One of them commanded, coming closer. Ignoring his demand I let out the loudest scream I could, feeling the lining of my throat paying for it. Only when I was slapped did my lips close. Although surprised I didn't fall.

As I bent down to retrieve my fallen weapon one of them grabbed it. The same one then tossed it to one of the Uruks. He then turned back to me, licking his lips and looking at me with lustful eyes. I saw that one of them was inhaling my scent from Legolas's cloak.

I backed away from the approaching Uruk but he took my arm and twisted it behind my back in such a sudden movement that I had not the time to fight back. He then reached out with his other hand, his thumb running over my racing pulse. He smiled, his sharp teeth curling out over his lips. As he leaned closer I drove my knee into his crotch. Enraged, he slapped me hard across the face once more.

When I turned my face back I saw a wonderful sight – an arrowhead pointed at the Uruk's head. In an instant it was through the Uruk's temple and he fell away. Dínendal went to reach for me but as the other Uruks came closer he turned and began to slay them. That was when the one person I didn't want to see at that moment fly in.

Legolas, although equipped with his bow and quiver, used his knives to rip open the remaining Uruk's abdomen. He then whipped his knife further inside of the wound, guts spilling to the ground. The sight was enough to make me sick.

When he had tortured the Uruk enough he turned to me. His eyes were terror filled and wide. His eyebrows were furrowed angrily above them, the rest of his face just as enraged and wild. I noticed that he was still wearing only under britches, figuring that my scream had woken him from sleep. Once our eyes met, his searched my body and I saw them widen even further. I realized that I was wearing a singlet…and that was what I had been wearing when Legolas found me in the hospital wing.

I watched as his mouth opened and he let out a loud roar as he turned and dove at the Uruk's writhing body. I could not watch as he continued to beat the bloodied thing to death and turned. I placed a hand over my stomach as I felt churning deep within me. Eruanna…

As I fell to my knees, back to Legolas, I puked my guts out all over the ground. In an instant there were hands on my back, rubbing gentle circles. I could hear Dínendal's voice in my ear.

"Is it morning sickness Adette, or are you hurt?" He asked quietly.

"Lego-" The churning started again, and I emptied my stomach once more. My arms wrapped around my middle and I rocked back and forth, trying to calm the infant who was obviously feeling my fear and anguish.

"Legolas he baurs le." Dínendal said in a stern tone, his voice no longer in my ear. His hands left my back.

(Legolas she needs you.)

Although my head was bent over I knew the person kneeling in front of me was Legolas. He reached out, taking my shoulders. Once he touched me the churning ceased and I knew that it was him who had calmed the baby.

I looked up to meet his eyes and although they were no longer wide they were still angry. I saw that his bottom lip trembled.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his tone cold. His voice frightened me.

"I am fine." I assured him, trying to calm him with a gentle tone. It didn't seem to work, and I knew that my answer had not satisfied him.

"Did they touch you?" He asked through clenched teeth.

"No." I answered quietly, looking down from him. I was shocked when he jerked my head back up to look at him. I could see tears filling his blue eyes.

"Are you sure? A en laes?"

(And the baby?)

"Tríw. Erin fliw." I answered in the same quiet tone. He must have realized then that he was frightening me for he offered a small smile. Only when I gasped and looked away did the smile disappear as he leaned in front of me.

(Fine. Morning sickness.)

"Adette?" He asked worriedly.

"My elbow." I lifted my arm for him to see the gash. I had not gasped in pain, but because I could not feel it. Numbness had taken over the area that was bleeding.

"Dínendal, nin gól." Legolas said, his hands letting go of my shoulders. He then wrapped the cloak back around me, clasping it on my shoulders and then lifting me into his arms. "You should be more heavily dressed."

(Dínendal, my cloak.)

"Are you blaming me?" I asked, glaring up at him. He did not look at me.

Legolas's POV

At first I thought I had dreamed it. My ears perked up at the scream and my eyes flew open, searching the room. When I realized that Adette was not beneath me I got to my feet and ran for the door, grabbing my bow, quiver, and knives all in one move. I raced down the halls, shoving anyone in my way to the wall as I passed through. When the scream came to an abrupt halt my pace quickened. I knew that someone else had stopped her scream.

Although my feet hardly made a noise against the ground when I walked, they thundered through the forest as I ran towards where I had heard the scream. All the while thoughts raced through my head. Why had Adette gone out by herself? Would she ever learn to be careful, especially now that she was with child?

When I arrived I paused for a split second as the scene tried to process in my head. Adette was standing, staring as Dínendal slaughtered three Uruks with his knives. I rushed in, taking one down instantly. I had no reason to be unmerciful as I extracted his insides. He fell away, still alive, shaking on the ground.

I then turned to Adette. My eyes went wide when I realized that she was dressed only in the singlet she had worn to bed. Memories flooded my senses and I remembered the day she had been raped. I had no time to wonder if they had touched her as I let out a bloodcurdling scream and began to beat the Uruk that lay bleeding senseless.

Only when I heard the sound of Adette throwing up did I finally turn from the bloody pulp I had been beating. Dínendal was rubbing her back as she emptied her stomach. Although I stood and turned to face them I could not step forward. My mind was screaming at me to go and help her but I was frozen.

"Is it morning sickness Adette, or are you hurt?" He asked her quietly, still rubbing her back. I heard her trying to say my name but it was interrupted when she emptied her stomach once more. Her voice was pitiful and I was angry with myself for not going to her side.

It then clicked in my mind that she needed me.

"Legolas he baurs le." Dínendal got to his feet and turned to me, his eyes hard. He watched me until I slowly went to Adette, kneeling before her. She slowly looked up to meet my eyes after I had gently taken her shoulders. Her eyes searched mine.

(Legolas she needs you.)

"Are you alright?" I asked, keeping her gaze. She seemed startled.

"I am fine." She said simply. I became frustrated with her words but tried to keep my calm. Obviously she had not understood my question.

"Did they touch you?" I asked through my teeth.

"No."

"Are you sure? A en laes?" I remembered that she had gotten sick, and felt my eyes tone down a bit.

(And the baby?)

"Tríw. Erin fliw." She said quietly. I could see that she was frightened and realized that I was the one frightening her. Again I was angry with myself. My lips slowly twitched into a smile, trying to cheer her up a bit. Before I could speak again she suddenly gasped and looked away. My smile melted away as I leaned forward to try and see her face, to try and fine the source of pain.

(Fine. Morning sickness.)

"Adette?" I asked.

"My elbow." She lifted her arm and I saw that her elbow was covered in blood. It did not look like a bad gash but it was causing her pain.

"Dínendal, nin gól." I let go of Adette's shoulders and looked up at Dínendal. He handed me my cloak after wrenching it from an Uruk's arms. I quickly put it around Adette and gathered her in my arms. "You should be more heavily dressed."

(Dínendal, my cloak.)

"Are you blaming me?" She asked coldly. I didn't answer her, nor did I look down to meet her eyes. I wasn't blaming her, for I knew she had not set out to be found by Uruk-hai. However, she needed to learn to be careful. After all of the close calls she had had, how could she go walking alone in the forest wearing a singlet?

Suddenly she struggled against me and I looked down as she rolled out of my arms. She caught herself before falling, and came to stand in front of me. Her eyes were hard and her mouth was turned into a scowl.

"Pedo Legolas." She demanded.

(Speak Legolas.)

"You need help Adette, stop-"

"Why won't you talk to me!" She shouted, her voice cracking from her scream before. She shoved me, her hands staying on my shoulders. My feet dug into the ground and I refused to stumble. She glared up at me. "You do blame me don't you?"

"Don't put words into my mouth." I snapped, taking hold of her arms. She struggled to get away. "Where are you going?"

"Let go!"

"Adette-"

Suddenly I felt her knee drive into my crotch and I inhaled sharply. I watched as she turned and fled, leaving me to fall to my knees. Dínendal's hands were on my shoulders.

"She's a strong woman." He joked, shaking my shoulders.

"Yes." I answered sharply, still unable to speak.

"Adette, no matter what you do to a man, kicking him in his special area always hurts."

"She has not gone far mellon, come." He helped me to my feet, chuckling as I groaned. The pain was subsiding and I only hoped that she had not rendered me unable to father another child.

Dínendal and I slowly made our way back to the castle where I sent him to go and see if Adette had gone to the hospital wing while I went to the throne room. My father was going over maps with Lenwë, and the two greeted me with a smile.
"Did you not feel like wearing much today Legolas?" Lenwë asked, seeing me dressed in only under britches. When I did not laugh they both frowned. "What is it?"

"Uruk-hai attacked Adette in the forest. If Dínendal and I had not arrived…" I shook my head, pinching the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger. "We need to be aware of them."

"I will send the guards through the forest." My father said. I then heard him walk past me to go and do just that. When I looked up, Lenwë was coming towards me.

"Is she alright? And the baby?"

"They are both fine. Adette and I had a fight and…well I was going to go and see her." I explained. He nodded, patting my shoulder comfortingly.

I excused myself and found Dínendal coming down the stairs just as I was heading up them.

"She is fine, she is in your room." He said without stopping. I turned and watched him head for the throne room. When the doors closed I headed up the stairs.

When I opened the door to the bedroom I saw Adette lying down under the covers. She had turned her head to see who had come in and when she saw that it was me she turned over. I sighed, closing the door behind me.

"Go away." She ordered, clutching the pillow beneath her head.

"Adette," I slowly circled the bed and stood beside her, "we need to talk about this."

She pulled the blankets up over her head as I sat down. I moved one arm around her hip but one arm shot out from underneath, pushing me away.

"Don't."

"Adette please talk to me." I begged. She suddenly sat straight up, the covers falling away from her. She glared at me, an eyebrow raised over her eye.

"How does it feel?" She asked.

"I'm sorry that I did not answer you Adette. I was still," I sighed and took her hands into mine, looking down at them, "you don't understand dúlinn."

"What don't I understand?"

"What it was like for me to see you there like that. It triggered old memories and I just could not bear to think about them." I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I don't blame you."

She laid back against the pillows, bringing me down with her. She let go of my hands as I laid my head against her stomach. She pushed my hair back, gently tracing the tip of my ear.

"I suspect I will now be heavily guarded?" She asked after a time. I lifted my head, a grin spread across my face.

"Yes. Always."