This chapter is dedicated to authoressinhiding, half because I owe her the favor in return, and half because she single handedly (with help from Lady Raven) got this chapter posted!
The pain was overwhelming; he had been sleeping, unprepared, vulnerable. His head ached and he couldn't open his eyes, the hand of his attacker touched his face. He recoiled, visibly shaken. He was so weak…so weak…he needed him…needed Legolas…needed his support. He tried to block out the cry, to save his friends the anguish.
"Legolas!" the cry broke through still air, pain vibrating in the words. But Aragorn did not want his friend to come…to risk death for the ranger's own life. His breathing came in ragged sobs, it was so unlike him to be like this…weak…so weak.
"Estel!" the voice was not Legolas', his friend was not in danger…but then, whose was it? His fuzzy mind had to run through the voice a few times.
"Palanél…" he gasped, "No…run…he'll…run!"
"Estel, there is no one here, hush," the fear was evident in her voice. There was so much blood, it soaked the blankets.
"Estel!"
"Legolas…" relief poured through the ranger as his friend pulled him gently against him, hushing his protests.
"Estel, mellon nin, what is wrong?"
"So…weak…couldn't…stop him."
"Who couldn't you stop?"
"Didn't see…don't know…"
"Palanél, call the healers," Legolas instructed calmly. The poor girl was near hysterical, her breathing was sharp and fast and she was pale as a winter snow.
"Okay," she hiccupped, "Will do…" Legolas frowned.
"Palanél, try to speak Sindarin with them," he told her gently. In her panicked state the girl had reverted to English, and Legolas couldn't understand a word. She hiccupped again and nodded, rushing from the room and grabbing the first elf she saw.
"Estel injured, hurry!" she managed in broken Sindarin and lots of random English words. The elf nodded and ran towards the healers. Bridget ran back to Estel's room. Legolas was talking quietly with him. When Bridget entered he motioned the terrified girl over. Trembling from head to foot and blinking back tears the girl reached a tentative hand over and touched Estel's cheek. The human reached his hand up and grabbed Bridget's.
"Palanél, I will be well, worry not."
"Estel! There was so much blood…" she said rapidly. The elf put a hand on her shoulder.
"Speak in Sindarin, Bridgie," he told her gently. The girl seemed calm by the use of her nickname. Aragorn trembled again, he hated this.
"Estel, tell me what happened, where are you hurt?" Legolas asked.
"Just a scratch," the ranger murmured, grinning slightly. Legolas nodded.
"Aye mellon nin, just a scratch indeed." The elf waited patiently.
"I woke up when someone put a pillow over my face; thought…thought it was you. But it didn't stop or go away, so I jumped up and tried to get rid of him. He stabbed me…my shoulder, my arm, he laughed while he did it. Tried to fight back, too strong, he was too strong. He kicked me in the stomach, couldn't breathe…hit me on head…" the ranger's breathing was becoming more panicked and his voice took on a frightened tone.
"Easy Estel, hush," Legolas assured the man.
"Said…' the ranger paused, and squeezed Bridget's hand, and Legolas' as well. "Said the time had come…it would happen again, the strongbow and the black sword would return…and the lady…hiril o calad…Silivhel…" he dropped off, sinking into the comforting blackness that surrounded him. Bridget's brow was furrowed, and Legolas wondered what sense she could make of his blathering.
"The Strongbow…and the Black sword…Beleg and Túrin, Hiril o Calad…I know not that one. But Silivhel, that's Celebrían."
"Oh, well, it still makes little sense." Bridget had the uncomfortable feeling it did…but she wasn't willing to tell the Prince yet. Legolas smiled reassuringly at her. Then looked back at the human with a frown.
"Who would do this too him?"
"I do not know…Legolas, there are a million possibilities. I wish I could tell you who, in fact, I would kill them myself, but I can't. I can't do anything. I am fifteen, Legolas, fifteen, most girls my age are dating boys, going to dances, getting their first kiss, normal things! They are not watching their friend nearly die, they are most certainly not having conversations with elves that sailed to Valinor!" her voice faltered at Legolas' expression.
"What?"
"Stop talking Bridget, tell him it was stress, child."
"I've said to much, oh Valar, oh Valar, oh Valar!"
"Palanél, I want you to breathe, tell him…tell him the truth. Tell him the whole truth."
"Legolas I…" at the moment the healers rushed in, pushing Bridget out of the way and taking the unconscious Estel from Legolas. Bridget took a shaky breath, opened her mouth.
And fled.
She ran from the room, down the stairs and out towards the garden. Her bare feet made soft noises against the slick grass as she weaved through the twisted pathways. She reached a dead end and sank to the ground, damp as it was; it was cool to her hot face. Her breathing was ragged for she was not used to that much running. Oh Valar, oh Valar, oh Valar, oh Valar! She kept thinking, lying motionless on the grass for a while. They will kick me out of Mirkwood, and Rivendell, and wherever else I can hide, they will send me far away…and I will never get home! Home. It was the first time in three months she had thought about going home. Home. What an odd concept. It shook her, had she really said to Elladan, whilst racing through the fields, 'I'll race you home?' the words echoed in her head. She had, she had….
Bridget turned, near out of breath but laughing nonetheless. Her eyes scanned the brilliant green fields. Elladan beside her. She kicked Hirilych into a gallop, calling back as she and her horse flew across the valley, "Race you home!" the elf, of course, had beaten her. It was an elf thing; they always beat humans, no matter what.
"Valar…" she breathed. Slowly she rose, brushing herself off and frowning at herself. "Now….where am I?" She turned right and walked a few feet before shaking her head.
"Hmmm, maybe it was left….no, no, I think it was right. Or was it straight…" her eyes scanned the floor beneath her.
"Ah! My footsteps, oh, so left then, no….maybe those are from last night…or.."
"Are you lost, milady?" She spun around. A friendly looking elf with silver hair was watching her with a smile.
"Umm…kind of, and, it's just Palanél please, no milady or lady, or anything of the sort." The other elf nodded.
"Surely you know you would be thought of with at least….slight respect, you are a friend of our prince."
"What's your name?"
"Randir, son of Inior. I would be happy to escort you out of this trap, had you been deeper I would have been as lost as you! Prince Legolas is the only one besides Strider who knows the full way."
"My thanks, Randir son of Inior." He smiled and began walking with her.
"Where do you hail from, Palanél?"
"The north, I am Strider's cousin."
"I traveled once with the rangers, what is the name of your father?"
"He died several years ago, I do not often speak of him," she responded quietly. That much was true; she nearly never spoke of her father.
"Goheno nin, I did not know."
"U-moe edared, and now we have reached the exit; you have my thanks, Randir son of Inior." She dropped a hastily bow before stepping away, her resolve tightening to speak with Legolas. It was time to tell him the truth. With a sigh she ducked back into her room, and the only thing she could find was her dark green tunic and brown leggings. She changed quickly out of her sopping dress, and moved out. She stopped the nearest servant.
"Would you direct me to the healing wing? I search for my cousin Estel."
"It is just up the hall my lady."
"Thank you," Bridget replied. And she was off at a fast walk, knowing that if she gave herself time to think she would chicken out. The room was silent, or near to it. Legolas sat in a corner just next to the window. In a bed next to him lay a rather pale Aragorn. She approached quietly, but the elf turned to see her before she had even gotten two feet.
"There have been questions as to why you were absent; you are his cousin, Lady Palanél." Bridget flinched slightly at the title, sitting across from the elf.
"You are mad at me."
"Perhaps, but only a little, I am angry at whomever attacked him."
"Legolas….there is much you should know, much you deserve to know, but I hesitate to tell you without counsel."
"Can you not trust me?"
"There is a heavy responsibility with the knowledge, it is better if you simply do not know," she replied steadily, observing her feet.
"You are not Estel's cousin?"
"No, no, I am not. But at the time it was a good ruse, Legolas, for reasons unknown to me Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond decided it would be better if your father doesn't know of my…origin. Telling you this would endanger whatever their motives may have been."
"I do not know where this distrust came from, but I will not betray your confidence, Bridget."
"I know…You may not believe me, but perhaps it is better that way. I live in a country called America, I was born in Connecticut but moved to Virginia last year, my friends, Jess and Rusty, we all plan to go to the same college, but I am getting off track. Anyways, I come from a far away land, perhaps even a different world. I have only heard of Middle-earth in books and plays. It is not something that is real to us." Legolas watched her for several minutes, she stared at her feet.
"This is the truth, Bridget?"
"Yes Legolas, as far as I am willing to tell, at any point, to anyone."
"That is…hard to believe…" she nodded, her face falling slightly. "But I believe you, for your eyes hold no lie."
"Thank you, Prince Legolas." He nodded, and they both turned in anticipation as a groan was emitted from the still figure on the bed.
"How do you feel, my cousin?" Bridget asked, aware the healers were entering.
"Like I was stepped upon by a Mumakil who has eaten to much," was the slightly sarcastic response. Legolas grinned.
"Good, then you are feeling better than the 'like I was trampled under the feet of 10,000 orcs' you gave me earlier." Aragorn grinned in reply.
"I suppose I am; how is Bridget? I vaguely remember her sobbing, then some blurry images, then her running from the room for the…second time."
"I do not believe you are asking me how I feel!" she said in exasperation.
"Ah, but that is how the trick works, make everyone think of everyone but yourself, and you won't have to stay in bed for," Legolas leaned over and checked a small chart, "Five days."
"What!" Aragorn practically shouted grabbing the chart. He threw it back at the elf with a groan.
"Oh please be jesting Legolas!"
"I am afraid not my friend, you are confined to bed!"
"Valar, Bridget, be a wonderful, amazing, happy, lovable, sweet, perfect child and…"
"I will not argue your case to the healers Estel!"
"Please?"
"That might work…if you were a five year old little boy, unfortunately…you're not."
The human nodded and yawned, Legolas frowned and Bridget leaned over him.
"Your forehead is hot, go to sleep, Legolas and I will try to be quiet, understood?"
"Yes mother!"
"Oh shut-up, never mess with a dragon, you'll taste good with ketchup!"
"Bridget?'
"Yes Estel?"
"What is catch-up?"
"Never mind."
"All right," he replied, closing his eyes, Bridget watched in silent amusement as Legolas pulled the blankets farther over the ranger, glaring at him all the while.
"You are still fearful for him," she commented.
"He is not yet out of the clear, no matter what he may otherwise think. There could be an infection, mothering and childish as this may sound, I worry about him quite often."
"It doesn't sound mothering, and it doesn't sound childish. It sounds as though your best friend was attacked in the middle of the night in your home, and you don't know who his attacker is."
"Thank you."
"No worries…erm I mean, your welcome."
"Palanél, I have the biggest favor to ask you…"
"You want me to keep Miniel as far away from you two as possible."
"Yes…"
"Will do."
"Oh, and Palanél?"
"Hmm?
"Try to speak Sindarin. No need to make people wonder…"
"Sorry," she said, walking away to find, as Legolas had so kindly put it, the most dimwitted elf she had ever had the horror of meeting. The said elleth was standing where they had left her, on Legolas' valley.
"Darling, is that you?"
"No, I do not think Legolas appreciates you calling him darling."
"Oh, the human," without Legolas around the change in her was noticeable.
"You are possibly the haughtiest jerk I have ever met."
"My dear Palanél, I have no idea what a 'jerk' is, care to explain?" her voice was sickly sweet with a slight edge.
"It was you!"
"My dear child I know not what you refer to," Miniel smiled dangerously. "And little girls would be smart to keep their noses out of the future queen's business."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miniel has a brain! Oh my, that surprises even me if the truth shall be told. Or maybe she doesn't, maybe she is dangerously stupid. This is rather irrelevant but Randir is possibly my favorite character I have ever created. I know I haven't done much with him, but you will most likely be seeing more of him in the sequel….I originally had something more with Celebrían planned for this chapter, but decided against it. So, here is the question of the day.
What should the charm the twins, Estel, Legolas and Randir give her look like?