Oh my goodness, I am a cheerful little somebody right now! For my birthday, I get to meet Billy Boyd! WEE! screams in excitement I hyperventilated when I found out! Sweet Eru…I am going to die! continues screaming I'll try to get a picture of him and then OGLE it and post it everywhere on the internet!
Also, there might be a little bit of switching around between the characters in this one. I hope you can figure it out.
Oh, hehe, here is the next chapter.
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Chapter 28- Treachery Unveiled
The company reached the feet of the mountain that night and they set up camp. Everyone was in high spirits and they told stories excitedly. Even Turwaithiel told one or two of her childhood tales. Mithrandir had started a roaring fire that flickered blue and green. A rabbit that Espenshade had caught was roasting above the flame for the two humans and wizard to feast upon while the elves munched cheerfully on their lembas. After much talking and laughter, the group finally quieted down and only the sound of crickets chirping could be heard.
Turwaithiel glanced around at all of the silent companions before slowly moving over to Norui. The Crown Prince looked up at her and smiled, nodding his head in a bow. She returned it.
"What can I do for you, my lady?" He asked quietly as if he were afraid to break the silence.
"I wish to ask you a question." She said, "About your brother." He quirked an eyebrow but nodded.
"Alright." Turwaithiel looked around at everyone against before leaning over to whisper.
"What really happened between him and Jaimea?" She asked, gaining a sigh from the ellon.
"My lady, it isn't any of my business nor is it yours."
"Lord Norui, I must know. If something did happen, we should try to make something out of it."
"No." He responded immediately, shaking his head, "It would only prove to be a distraction for the two of them."
"Ah, so something did happen." She said, smirking. Norui glared, "But what about you? Surely your lady back home is constantly on your mind."
"She is none of your business either." He hissed. Turwaithiel smirked and faced forward again. A moment later, Norui sighed and motioned for her to come closer.
"Yes, my lady, something happened." He said guiltily, "They shared a kiss."
"Just a peck, I am assuming."
"No." The Crown Prince said, "It wasn't. I was very intimate and…loving." The mechanics in the lady's mind began to churn with thoughts and ideas.
"Do you think anything can come of it?"
"I do not know. They said that it was innocent." He replied, narrowing his eyes, "But why do you care?"
"Because he is very close to her and she to him. He needs another companion."
Norui glanced over at Legolas. The young prince was staring into the fire, unblinking. The Crown Prince was about to look away but stopped when he saw his brother shift his head slightly. He followed his gaze and found that it was locked on Jaimea. Norui quirked and eyebrow when the elleth looked carefully over at the younger prince and Legolas quickly averted his eyes to the fire once more.
"Do you see?" Turwaithiel asked and Norui nodded.
"Yes, I do." He replied, "Perhaps something should be done. It might be more of a distraction if they were to be worrying about one another's safety along with trying to contain their feelings for one another."
"What do you suggest?" The lady asked.
"Leave it to me." The Crown Prince said and stood up, stretching and breaking the peaceful silence.
"My flask is empty." He said to the group, "Would anyone be kind enough to fill it for me?" No one replied and he sighed, sitting back down. Turwaithiel shook her head but the Crown Prince winked at her, "Legolas?"
"Yes?" The golden haired ellon replied.
"Really, you will?" Norui grinned.
"What?" Legolas questioned in confusion. Norui grabbed his flask from his pack and tossed it at his brother.
"That is so kind of you!" He exclaimed. Legolas scowled, realizing what the older ellon was doing.
"Why can you not do it?" The prince asked, annoyed.
"I am so dehydrated, Legolas, I can not move." Norui replied, melodramatically. Legolas glared.
"Where is the nearest stream?"
"About a half a mile from here." Turwaithiel said before the Crown Prince could reply. Norui's grin grew and the lady smirked mischievously at him. Giving one last sigh, Legolas stood and glanced at the others.
"Does anyone else need water?" He asked exasperatedly.
Almost immediately, everyone leapt up and grabbed their flasks, then threw them at the prince. He gasped in surprise as they all came flying towards him and he reached out to catch them all. The group laughed as the flasks scattered everywhere, some coming dangerously close to the fire and ot ting the ellon all over his body. When the assault of flasks ended, the prince growled and began picking them all up then cradling them in his arms. Norui stood.
"Would you like some help, brother?" He asked.
"I thought you were too weak." Legolas replied bitterly as he maneuvered one of the flasks away from the fire with his boot.
"I am." He said, taking a few of the skins from the younger prince, "That is why Jaimea is going to help you." He added quickly as he dropped them into the elleth's arms. She looked up at him in surprise.
"Me?" She asked quietly and Norui nodded.
"Yes, you." He replied, looking over to Legolas with a smile. The young prince was glaring daggers, now completely aware of his brother's intent.
"No." He spat and Norui sighed, walking over to him. He stood at his side and whispered.
"Legolas, please, do this. I am not forcing you to do anything nor do I expect you to. This was Turwaithiel's idea." He explained slowly. Legolas shifted his gaze to the lady and glared but she didn't seem to notice, "Legolas?"
"Fine." He said, "But nothing is happening between us." He gathered up the remaining flasks and turned to Jaimea, motioning his head to come. Hesitantly, she gathered up the flasks surrounding her and made her way towards him. He gave her a brief smile but quickly turned away, "Which direction?" He asked and everyone pointed to the east.
"That way." They all said simultaneously. Estel stood and took a large branch from the fire and handed it to the prince.
"Here, use this to light your way." He said, smiling. Legolas nodded in thanks, then started off into the night. When the flickering of the flame was only a small light in the distance, they all let their laughter loose.
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Ellon and elleth silently walked, side by side, in the dark. Legolas held the flame in one hand and balanced the flasks in the crook of the other. His blue eyes would occasionally glance out into the distance, looking for any sign of danger. Jaimea walked with nervous steps, keeping as close to the prince as possible without bringing attention to it. After a few moments of walking, they could hear the quiet rushing of the creek. Legolas smiled at her and then kneeled down by the creek. Jaimea did the same and they slowly began to fill up the skins.
Though he told himself not to, Legolas couldn't help but watch the elleth of the corner of his eye. There were no stars out and the moon was absent. Only the flickering of the torch lit the area. It set shadows on her face in mysterious ways and he felt himself smile. He set down the flask he held and dipped his hands in the water. This caught Jaimea's eye and she watched him curiously. He cupped his hands together, catching some water and turned towards the elleth with a smile.
"Are you thirsty?" He asked quietly, holding his hands to her. Jaimea glanced between hid face and hands, then smiled.
"Yes, I am." She said, dropping the flask she was filling and moving over to him. She placed her hands under his and slowly bent down to drink out of his cupped hands. She took small sips slowly, as if teasing him.
Legolas closed his eyes and fought back a shiver when her lips came in contact with his palms. Her lips seemed to linger longer then what was necessary before finally sitting up again. She smiled shyly at him.
"Are you thirsty?" She asked, already dipping her hands in the cold stream. Legolas didn't answer, subconsciously licking his lips as he watched her delicate hands. She blushed at his behavior and held out her hands. The prince put his hands under hers, following her example, and drank.
Jaimea gasped and almost dropped the liquid when she felt the prince's tongue brush against her palm. She knew not whether it was intentional or not but her mind was racing. Legolas looked up at her with questioning eyes.
"What is wrong?" He asked, still holding her hands.
"Nothing." She answered shakily. Legolas frowned.
"Did I do something?"
"No." The ellon gazed into her eyes for a moment and she stared into his. Their faces were slowly turning a faint pink and Jaimea dropped the water in her daze. This, though, did not break the stare they were in.
Legolas shifted his hands on top of hers and slowly pulled her closer; she did not resist. And just when they thought their lips would touch, an eerie howl rang out in the night that sent shivers up their spines.
The prince instinctively reached behind his back for his bow but found that it was not there. Furrowing his brow, he went for the knives he kept as his belt but they were absent as well. His eyes widened and he glanced at Jaimea.
"I felt my weapons at the camp!" He exclaimed.
"Do you think that they will try to kill us?" She asked fearfully.
"I am not sure. It sounded like a normal wolf; not a warg. I don't think so." He replied, trying to reassure her. The elleth nodded nervously and they hurriedly filled the rest of the glasses. When the last one was filled, they gathered them up in their arms and turned to leave.
Only to be faced with a snarling gray wolf.
Jaimea dropped the flasks in her shock. The water spilled out, spilling at their feet but her gaze remained on the wolf's yellow eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Legolas drop down to ground and let the flasks scatter, still gripping onto the torch. The elleth stepped closer to him once he regained his normal position and he immediately grasped her hand in his, squeezing tightly.
"Back away." He whispered, tugging gently. She only let out a quiet whimper and took a step back. The wolf continued to snarl and snap at them, eyes glowing. Suddenly, there was an angry bark and they spun around. Two more of the creatures had appeared, both a little smaller then the first.
"I thought you said they wouldn't try to kill us!" Jaimea hissed as another group of five came into the light of the flame.
"I did." The prince retorted, "But I never said that they wouldn't try."
"What!" She shouted in anger but immediately regretted it. The wolves growled and leapt towards them.
The warrior buried within Legolas took over as he ducked when one of the beasts jumped for his neck. He swiped out at them with the flame, alighting one. It yelped, running towards the stream. The prince skillfully dodged and blocked the wolfs' attacks while still guarding the frightening elleth. One had slashed him on he leg with its sharp claws but the wound went unnoticed by both ellon and elleth.
One leapt through the shadows, catching Legolas off guard. He quickly dropped to the ground and the beast soared over him. Thinking nothing of it, he continued to battle against the creatures.
The only thing that brought him out of his frenzy was the distressed call of his name.
Legolas spun around to find Jaimea pinned under the same wolf that had leapt over him. She lay on her back, holding the creature's mouth open and away from herself, crying out in panic and fear. The wolf growled viciously, digging its claws into her body.
The prince leapt forward and swung the torch wildly against the wolf's side, gritting his teeth. It yelped when there was a faint crack of bones breaking and then it slumped over on the ground. Jaimea's eyes were wide with fright and Legolas stood over her protectively, swiping at the seemingly endless flow of wolves.
"Jaimea, up!" He shouted but she didn't respond.
There was a sudden screech from above and Legolas stole the chance to glance up. His dace lit up when he saw a falcon swooping down towards them.
Espenshade dug her talons into the eyes of a wolf. It howled in pain, swiping at her blindly. She easily dodged its mad attacks and went to another beast when it darted off into the night.
Five of them had been driven off but more kept coming. Jaimea had come out of her stupor and was trying her best to stay safe. Legolas looked up at Espenshade's fleeting form and called to Jaimea.
"Run! Follow Espenshade!" He shouted and ran off. The elleth quickly followed, the wolves hot on their heels.
They ran blindly, following only the screeching of falcon. The snarling and snapping of the wolves were behind them. Panic instilled itself in their hearts and Legolas couldn't help snatching Jaimea's hand in his even if it did slow them down. The elleth did not notice but kept running.
Until they felt no earth beneath them.
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"Norui, put the fire out!" Elladan hissed.
"No, not until Legolas and Jaimea return." The Crown Prince said as he broke more twigs to feed the fire. The Noldor elf growled.
"Some of us would like to get some sleep!"
"No one is sleeping until they return." Norui replied a bit more sternly. There were some growling and muttering in frustration.
"If you worry so much, grab a torch and go look for them yourself." Turwaithiel suggested, "I shall come with you." The ellon glanced around at everyone and sighed in exasperation.
"It is nice to see that you care so much, my friends." He said as he paced around the fire in search of a branch that would serve as a torch, "Fine, Lady Turwaithiel, I will go." He stuck a branch in the fire until it ignited, then headed off in the direction the other two elves went, "Come, my lady!" He called. Turwaithiel stood from her spot, picking up her staff and then followed after the Crown Prince.
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Both of the young elves gasped when the ground left them. And, before they knew it, they were tumbling down to the ground below.
Their screams broke the peaceful silence of the night, echoing off of the canyon walls and across the plains. Their elven eyes could not pierce the darkness below them and did not know if they were falling into water or jagged rocks. Espenshade suddenly swooped down beside them like an arrow. Her wings were plastered against her back and she cried out in excitement. But the elves continued to scream.
Jaimea's life flashed before her eyes as her death slowly came upon her. She was near to unconsciousness but a soft touch kept her awake. She mustered the courage to pry her eyes open and saw Legolas falling beside her.
The prince took the elleth in his arms, desperately trying to keep his screams back though they blocked his throat and he couldn't breathe. The elleth didn't scream but she had tears falling from her eyes, her lips trembling.
'If this is my last moment in Middle-Earth, I might as well make it a good one.' He thought and, with that, he pulled her close to his chest and planted a loving kiss on her lips.
The elleth gasped in confusion and shock but after a moment, slowly eased into it. It was gentle and caring but also was filled with worry.
Legolas came up for air and had time to whisper only one thing to her.
"Le melon."
And they struck the icy water below them.
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Norui's head shot up when he heard the screams. He could recognize that scream anywhere. He glanced to Turwaithiel but she seemed completely oblivious to it.
"My lady, did you hear that?" He asked worriedly but she did not respond, "Lady Turwaithiel?" She turned to him but she was no longer the lady that he knew and had traveled with.
Her once fair face was covered in scars. Her eyes were no longer blue but a midnight black. Her hair had grown longer, reaching her lower back and had white streaks running down its length. She wore a black tunic with silver clasps, black leggings, and a cloak that just reached the ground. Her feathered staff was now made of some sort of metal and its peak was decorated with two spikes.
Norui took a step back and drew his blade. Turwaithiel did not move but glared at the Crown Prince. She shifted her staff into her right hand and took a step forward.
"It is time this comes to an end." She hissed and, before Norui could react, she swung her staff and it connected with his temple. He inhaled sharply before falling to the ground, unconscious.
Turwaithiel stood above him for a moment before giving a wolf-like howl. A few moments later, the same type replied to her and she smiled. A pack of wolves came up to her from the distance and waited at her feet. One of the wolves, larger then the others, came forward and looked up at the lady.
"Uhako." She said, smiling. The wolf barked and slowly became engulfed by a bright light. Turwaithiel watched on eagerly and when the light had disappeared, she ran forward and placed her lips on those of a man about her size. The man ran his hands through her hair as he gladly accepted her kiss. After a moment, they pulled away and she took the time to study him.
He had dark brown hair that came to his shoulders and hung loosely around his face. His eyes were a chocolaty color that sparkled and he was dressed in a brown leather tunic and black leggings. He, too, studied Turwaithiel and he smiled at her.
"How did that princeling and his wench fare?" The lady asked.
"Took care of 'em, we did. Drove 'em straight off a cliff." He said with a ney accent, grinning.
"Beautiful job, love!" She exclaimed, giving him a chaste kiss, "Now, we must go back to master." Uhako nodded and then, after another burst of light, returned to his horse form. Turwaithiel hopped upon the stallion and glanced at the wolves they were leaving behind.
"Thank you for your help, my friends. I apologize for any losses you may have suffered." She said. A couple of the creatures barked in response, then they turned and dashed off into the night. The lady turned Uhako around and gently nudged him on the flanks. He snorted slightly, then galloped off to their 'master'.
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It felt like a thousand knives stabbing into the bodies as they smacked against the surface of the river. Immediately, the current trapped them and they were swept away. Legolas kept a firm grip on the elleth, using his body to shield her from any rocks or branches. The impact left them both near to falling into oblivion but they reminded themselves that they must stay awake if they wanted any chance of survival.
The elves broke the surface and greedily gasped for breath before they were pulled back under. Legolas opened his eyes but soon wished he hadn't. A field of razor sharp rocks littered the bottom of the river.
He shut his eyes once more, bringing himself closer to Jaimea, then turned so his back faced the jagged rocks. The elleth remained oblivious to this until she heard the muffled, pain-filled cries of the prince behind her and she saw traces of blood pass them by.
She turned to face him quickly and saw that his back was grating across the points of the rocks. She reminded herself not to gasp and scream, then kicked off one rock to propel them away. They were lucky enough to break the surface and Legolas cried out in pain. The elleth only saw the Peregrine Falcon flying dangerously close to the water's surface, crying out in thrill, before the river swallowed them once more.
But the last thing that she could remember was feeling Legolas take a sharp inhale of breath, still underwater, and then her head collided with one of the teeth-like rocks.
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Bright green eyes stared out into the distance. They were hardened slightly and pierced the darkness for many miles. A dark cloak concealed all but her eyes and a few strands of chocolate brown hair that had escaped its confinement. A soft snort from her horse brought her attention back to reality and she gave a small smile.
"I know you are there, Runyariel." She said. Her voice was soft and ringing with laughter. She turned from the rock she stood upon and strode over to her horse; a large mare with an unusual spotted coat and a pure white mane and tail.
She pulled herself atop her mount, without the help of saddle or bridle, and patted Runyariel's neck. The horse pawed anxiously at the ground and the person smiled.
"Let us check the river one more time and then we may head home." She said and made a clicking sound with her tongue, then the two countered off, oblivious to the surprises that they would find at the water's edge.
XX
Yay, all done! I hope this chapter was long enough and posted soon enough! Hehe, I hope you liked it.
Jousting Elf with a Sabre- Hehe, maybe he is, maybe he isn't. You will just have to wait and see. I am sorry about your hand. I hope it feels better now. :( And I did write! See! Scroll up! Hehe. Ehem, anywho, any guesses on who this new green-eyed, brown-haired lady is? wink wink Hehe. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Lasien- Yes, it is weird and I hate it! So annoying, it is. But yea, that is why I didn't like last chapter. I think this one is much better. I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Legolas's Girl 9- Hehe. My hair is mostly blonde but my mom says I have every natural color possible. I have black, red, brown, blonde and even some white. I am hoping it isn't premature gray hair but I think it is just a pale blonde, silver kind of. Anywho! Catty, you say? Hmm…lol, that is one way to describe it. Jerk Legolas! What is wrong with you, woman? Lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Swasti- Aw, you like Espenshade? Yay! That was my intention when I started writing this. I wanted Norui to seem very protective over his family and a good brother, all around. And I tried to make Espenshade seem like a quirky little thing, very curious and stuff like that. It flatters me to know that you like her! grin Oh, and you know what? I think I got the bill yesterday! I took one look at it and threw it in the shredder:) Thanks for reading and reviewing!
That is about it! Thank you, guys! Billy Boyd, here I come!
Until Next Time,
Manwathiel
