Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening to you all! Thanks to the response to the poll thingy at the end of the chapter for those who did it! Mucho appreciated! I think I am going to wait one more chapter before I reveal why I did it so maybe I will get more responses for it. :D Anyways, here we go!
'…Italic…' - Thoughts
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Chapter 16- What He Once Was But Is No More
The others were roaming around, preparing the camp. Estel and the twins were bickering about who should keep watch first and if it was really necessary. Melyanna and Lothron were sitting together, Arwen trying to comfort them. The wizard, Mithrandir, sat on the other side of the great willow tree, deep in thought. Legolas sat isolated from everyone else, having thoughts of his own.
Norui landed silently on the soft ground, searching around at all of the others before coming to his normal height. Jaimea landed silently, but without as much grace as the elf prince before her. Before continuing to Mithrandir, Norui locked eyes with his brother. The two stared into each other's eyes for a moment. The Crown Prince was able to pick up on Legolas's discomfort and loneliness, so he turned to the maiden behind him.
"Jaimea, go give my brother some company. I will inform Mithrandir of the news." Without waiting for a reply, Norui whisked away from her.
Jaimea watched his fleeting back, and then turned to look at the younger elf prince. He sat by the water's edge, staring out in the depths of the lake. The water reflected the moon's light onto the prince's face and the crisp wind blew his golden hair over his fair face.
With a sigh, the woman slowly made her way over to the isolated elf. He didn't move when she came up behind him, but he knew of her presence. Jaimea then sat down behind him.
"Hello, Legolas." He didn't turn to her, causing the maiden to shift nervously. A troubled expression covered his face.
"Hello." He responded simply.
"Why are you sitting away from everyone else?" The prince shrugged.
"No reason. I just want to have some time to think." Jaimea nodded, and said nothing else.
'So much for keeping him company.' She thought.
"How are the wounds on your arm?" She asked. Legolas finally looked over to her, giving her a confused expression.
"What?" Jaimea ed her head.
"Didn't Espenshade hurt you?" Legolas furrowed his brow in thought, but then smiled.
"Ah, yes, that. It is fine." He said.
"You said you would have someone look at it." She reminded him, but he shrugged.
"Nay, that is not necessary. They are healed." Saying this, he took of his vambrace on the wounded arm and then rolled up his sleeve. Just like he had said, the wounds were gone and the only thing left were but tiny scars. Jaimea's eyes widened.
"But you only got them today! How could they be healed already?" She asked, quite puzzled. Legolas laughed quietly.
"You will see in time." He replied, mysteriously. The prince then quickly rolled his sleeve back down and returned the vambrace to his forearm. Once again, the two fell into silence and the troubled look returned to his face. Jaimea looked over to him and studied the mask he wore. It confused her.
"Legolas?"
"Hmm?" He said, still gazing out into the dark of the night.
"Is something troubling you?" The maiden noticed that his face fell at that and he took in a sharp inhale of breath.
"Why do you ask?"
"You seem worried." Legolas sighed, and then slowly looked over to her. He gazed into her eyes for a moment, then let them drop to the ground and nodded once.
"Yes, there is something that unnerves me."
"Would you care to tell me what it is? Maybe I can help you." She said, reaching out involuntarily to touch his arm. The piercing blue eyes of the prince shot up to stare into her's with a questioning look. Jaimea gasped slightly and quickly recoiled, setting her hand back in her lap. Legolas looked from her eyes to her hands and then back out into the distance.
They sat in silence once more. With a sigh, Legolas spoke.
"Something is about to happen, Jaimea, though I do not know what. It concerns me greatly, almost scaring me."
"What is causing you to feel this way?" She asked. Just hearing him speak like this set worry and unease in her heart. The prince visibly hesitated.
"From something that no one is aware of for I have told no one." Jaimea motioned for him to continue. "It is-" Just as Legolas was about to continue, he was cut off.
"Legolas!" The called elf snapped his head to the source of the sound and found that Elladan had called him. "Come over here! You need to meet someone!" Legolas suddenly grew slightly pale and his heart beat quickened. Jaimea's eyes widened at his reaction and then placed a hand on his shoulder, remembering what Norui had told her about Legolas sometimes becoming nervous around new people.
"It is alright, Legolas. Your brother is here and you don't have to worry about who ever this new person is." She assured him. He turned his head to her and she smiled, thinking it comforted him, but what she got was the exact opposite.
The prince wore a furious glare on his face and he stared straight into her eyes. Jaimea gulped and cowered from his anger. He jerked his hand to her's on his shoulder and threw it off of him. He then stood up, positioned in an aggressive stance.
"I do not need your pity, Jaimea! I thought we have gone over this already!" The maiden looked up into his eyes, fear showing across her face.
"Legolas, I-I…"
"You are what?!" He asked, placing his hands on his hips. Jaimea searched his eyes for a moment, then looked down to her hands in her lap.
"I don't know." She said quietly.
"Then do not meddle with business that is not your own!" He yelled as loudly as he could without drawing attention to himself. With that, he stalked off to where the others were seated in a circle.
Jaimea looked out into the darkness, unmoving. She took in a sharp breath and bit her bottom lip to stop the impending tears, but to no avail. Silent tears slowly made their way down her face. She brought her hand to her face and wiped the tears away.
After a few failed attempts, she was able to contain her sorrow. With an uneven sigh, she stood, brushed her clothing clean of dirt and made her way to the circle.
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The others sat in a circle, studying this new arrival to their camp. Jaimea came towards them and sat down between the twins. She stole a glance towards the youngest prince of Mirkwood. To her displeasure, he was staring at her intently with a look of hatred and disgust. Jaimea paled and then looked to the grass, trying desperately to keep the lump caught in her throat contained.
What sat in the center of this group was a maiden. She wore a tight, pale purple gown with beads laced into a flowing white cloak. The gown hugged her body and hung in the right places so that all of the males in the group stared at her in awe. Even the lips of Mithrandir turned slightly up into a smile at the sight of this woman. The other females in the midst of her just glared in jealousy.
Laid across her lap was a staff with a slightly pointed tip. Fine vine-like engravings traveled up the smooth mahogany wood. Feathers of a hawk hung from strips of leather tied at the tip. Holly also decorated the staff.
Her eyes were a mesmerizing dark blue and she had dark brown hair that hung down past her shoulders. Her skin was pale and fair. There was only one flaw to this beautiful being was a long, but light scar that trailed from her left eyebrow down to the top of her cheekbone.
The companions continued to stare at this woman in curiosity and wonder. The woman took quick glances at all around her, smiling sweetly at some.
"Who are you?" Mithrandir asked. The woman then smiled at the Maia.
"My name is Turwaithiel, my lord. I have heard of your situation and I wish to aid you, for I too have suffered from the actions of the Muruién." Her voice was soft and kind, yet powerful as well.
"And how, may I ask, do you plan to help us?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. Her lips then turned up into a small smile.
"I know where you are going." She said slowly, and then turned to the four children of Thranduil, smirking. "And I also know of a shortcut." She said. The four looked up in awe at her, not believing what she just said. She smirked once more, pleased that she had gotten their attention.
"What do you mean a 'shortcut'?" Arwen questioned her in distrust. Turwaithiel did not turn to look at the she-elf, but continued.
"A shortcut that will cut the time in half, giving your beloved king and father a better chance of survival." She then turned slowly to the Crown Prince. "And also for Glithiel, Prince Norui." The woman said, staring intently at him.
Norui's eyes widened and he struggled to keep the tears back.
'How is that possible?' He thought. 'The moat time we could save would only be a few days, and even that would mean a rigorous trip up the side of the mountain itself.' It was then that the human, Estel, stood up in an aggressive stance.
"How do we know you are not lying and won't lead us to our death?!" He shouted at her. Turwaithiel turned to face him now.
"It is your choice, my lord. You can follow me, or you cannot. The choice belongs to you." Looking around at the others, Estel sat back down on his mat, crossing his arms and glaring, thus letting his stubbornness show through.
She then turned around to everyone in the group once more with a deadly serious look on her fair face.
"What will it be then?" She asked. "Will you accept my offer?" Still giving her wary looks, the group moved together in a tight circle. Turwaithiel sat patiently, lost in her own thoughts. Whispering, the group began their decision.
"I think we should follow her." Elladan said.
"Yes, we should." His twin agreed.
"Are you mad?! She will bring nothing but trouble!" Estel hissed to his foster brothers.
"Estel is right. We should not listen to her." Norui said. With a gasp, Lothron smacked him upside the head.
"What is wrong with you?!" She asked him in disbelief. "Don't you want to save Ada and Glithiel and everyone else?"
"Yes, I do, but I think it would be better to decline her offer and continue on our way."
"But everyone in Mirkwood will die!" Norui was about to continue the argument, but the booming voice of Mithrandir stopped him.
"Enough!" The wizard shouted. They then turned to face the Maia. "Let us make this easy. All in favor of accepting Lady Turwaithiel's help, say 'aye'." The sound of all but Estel's, Norui's and Legolas's voice rang out. Counting off the ones in favor, Mithrandir sighed. "I think that settles it. We shall bring her along." Estel stared at the ground and grumbled. Norui shook his head in disagreement while Legolas just sat with a troubled look on his face.
"This is not right." He said. "She is dangerous."
"Would you care to explain, Legolas?" Mithrandir asked, raising a bushy eyebrow. Legolas looked up to the wizard and paled for he still was not comfortable with the wizard. The prince clenched his teeth and slammed his eyes shut, but for a different reason.
'No! No, I will not let my timidity get the better of me this time!' He shouted to himself in defiance. He quickly tried to gather his thoughts.
"I-I believe she is dangerous b-because something is telling me to be wary of her." Legolas looked over to his brother. He found that Norui was smiling proudly at him, a tear running down his cheek. Legolas furrowed his brow and tilted his head to the side in confusion. He mouthed to him, asking what the matter was, but the Crown Prince only shook his head.
'Why is he looking at me like that?' He asked himself.
"And what is this something?" Mithrandir asked.
"Well," He turned to face Turwaithiel. She sat up against the willow tree, gazing up at his falcon, Espenshade, who was perched on a branch who was also gazing down at her. "It is Espenshade. She is warning us." His gaze lingered a bit longer on the two, then looked toward his companions again. No one spoke, until the twins burst out in laughter.
"The bird?!" Elrohir laughed. "The bird is warning you about the lady?! Ai, you need to get your head out of the clouds, Legolas! The bird can't speak to you." Legolas blushed out of embarrassment.
"She did not speak to me. I heard her in my head."
"Sure, Legolas, and then my horse will grow wings and fly away." Elladan and Elrohir then continued laughing all the harder as Legolas went even more red.
"I knew I should have kept my mouth shut." He mumbled. He then stood and walked over to Turwaithiel. She looked up at him and smiled.
"Well, what of my offer?" She asked.
"We accept." Legolas said in monotone. Her smile widened.
"Good, very good. We shall continue at dawn." With that, she leapt into the tree and was gone. With a sigh, the prince looked up into the tree where he met the gaze of Espenshade. The falcon peered down at her master and ruffled her feathers in annoyance, then swooped down onto his shoulder.
"I am sorry, Espenshade. It was not my decision." She sighed softly and stretched out her wings. "I trust you, and I also trust that you will get us out of trouble if it is needed." The bird flicked her head up and Legolas chuckled. "What would I do without you, Espenshade?"
He made his way to his bed mat and lay down. Espenshade flew down beside him and folded up her wings on her back. Legolas unhooked his cloak and brought it up over his shoulders and the back of Espenshade. He rested his head on his arms and soon fell asleep.
--NORUI'S P.O.V—
I swear, I am going to kill Elladan and Elrohir! Legolas was so close to coming back to the way he once was! But, of course, those two had to mess it up by making fun of him! If they weren't my friends, they would have been dead as soon as they made that remark.
When Legolas changed, the playful glow that always shone on his face diminished. As soon as it happened, I knew something was wrong. I always tried to make an attempt to get him to open up, but it always made it worse. I think that Lady Jaimea tried to comfort him, but he snapped on her. He knows that her attempt was innocent, I think, but that side of him took over and closed her out. I feel sorry for her.
When he was talking to Mithrandir, he seemed to panic, and I thought the usual was going to happen. To my surprise though, it didn't. I could see that same playful glow spread across his face and my heart leapt. I thought he was returning back to the way he was. But, no! The twins just had to make fun of him. Once Elrohir said that to him, my face fell when that beautiful spark of light fell from his face and was replaced with the usual empty emotion of loneliness.
Oh, how I wish I could both!
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Turwaithiel peered down from her branch in the tree tops. The group she would be leading still slept on their respecting mats. She noticed that the three couples lay close to each other. The wizard still sat up, but he still seemed to be sleeping. The Crown Prince was tangled in his cloak and his brother was not much better. The other female lay curled up in a tight ball using her cloak as a pillow.
Then her eyes fell on that bird. She glared at it.
'That rat with wings is no good.' She thought. 'It will only bring trouble.'
The woman did not like the falcon in the least. It seemed to have a strong connection to the one it lay with. She would have to learn more about it. Yes, it was a magnificent creature, but would only be a burden.
But she was unaware of the sharp blue eyes staring back at her.
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Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed it.
A Random Fact about 'Lost in My Mind'
'Norui' is the elvish word for 'Sunny'
Poll
(For those who do not remember and want to answer it)
Who is your favorite character in 'Lost in My Mind'?
F.O.L.O.T.R.- Thank you! I am glad you are enjoying the story! You like Espenshade, eh? Cool. She is my favorite too. I hope to hear from you again!
HyperSquishy- Well, now you know what was approaching and here is more! I hope you liked this chapter!
moonshine44- No suggestions? Well, I guess that is a good thing! Thank you for reading and reviewing!
Turwaithiel- Here it is! Your entrance into the story! I hope you like how I made you. Thankies!
That is abou ! ee you all later!
Until Next Time,
Manwathiel
