Yea, hey again. Sorry for the delay. Here is a chapter for you…
Italic represents Tarmikos' writing.
Bold represents flashback sort of things…
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Chapter 43- When the Fire Takes Hold
To say that the room was tense would be an understatement. Those gathered in the large study were having difficulties sitting upright in their seats, as the king seemed to glower at the wall. He obviously had not recovered from the return of his daughter and it felt as if he were casting the blame on them. That wouldn't surprise them, of course. Even Mithrandir who stood a little ways behind Judeqir seemed to be squirming in his boots.
"May I ask why you called us in here?" Elrohir questioned, attempting to be strong though his voice quivered.
"We need to make a decision on when you wish to set out after this Muru of yours." The silver haired king replied, his eyes narrowing at the elf. The peredhil wasn't sure if it was intentional or not- either way, it was quite intimidating, "The sooner you go, the more likely your people will live."
"When is it convenient for you, my lord? We are willing to go as soon as possible." Legolas answered. The Muru shifted his gaze to the prince, his brow furrowing in thought.
"I could begin casting the magic tonight for it may be a while before it takes affect. Also, the people would need to be informed of the decision. Would you be ready to go tomorrow?"
Quick glances were exchanged between the small group and simultaneously, they all nodded.
"Yes, my lord. We will."
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That was the conversation that had followed after the morning meal had come to an end and a servant lady had come to retrieve the companions. They had arrived before the king had and so spoke quietly to one another, questioning the reasoning for this meeting. This talk was quickly silenced though when the door to the study flung open, was slammed shut again, and Judeqir stormed to his desk where he sat for the next five minutes or so kneading his forehead in irritation.
Afterwards, they had all gone their separate ways- the dark haired twins to meander aimlessly in the halls with their sister and brother, the Mirkwood princesses to sit in silence in their rooms, and Legolas and Jaimea to gain some much needed time together. Though most of this was spent in silence as well. The companionship was enough to satisfy themselves, they decided. At least, for a while.
They soon found themselves weaving through the busy streets of the market outside the palace, eager Muruien bartering and dashing about cheerfully. The elves could not help but smile, walking side by side, as the young children laughed and called to one another, displaying their newly purchased trinkets. The golden haired prince made a mental note to himself to bring up the idea of setting up a market like this back in Mirkwood.
Muruien, the two elves soon realized, were talkative people. And with this trait came the love of spreading the latest news, which often would twist into completely new stories by the time it reached the far end of the market- more commonly known as gossip. That was the first thing that popped into their minds when ellon and elleth heard a young girl crying to her mother away from the crowd. Their sensitive ears quickly picked up on the conversation.
"Mama, I know what I heard the other day!" The girl pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I cannot believe you are still going on about that!" Her mother replied in annoyance, "Our prince did not speak! It is impossible for him to do so."
Almost instantly, the elves' eyes snapped to each other's in curiosity and wonder. Were they talking about Tarmikos? Surely, that girl must be mistaken. Legolas motioned his head in the direction of mother and child.
"Shall we see what is going on?" He suggested and Jaimea shrugged.
"If you wish." She replied. Without another word, the prince broke away from the crowd and towards the couple with the elleth in tow.
The girl's eyes widened as she saw the two elves approach from behind her mother. The woman continued to go on about the absurdity of the idea of their prince speaking and only stopped when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. Her head quickly whipped around to see who had interrupted her but ended up staring in awe at the two beings.
"Is everything alright?" Legolas questioned, a small smile on his lips. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Jaimea was watching the young girl with a sympathetic look on her face. Had it been under different circumstances, he would have been grinning his head off.
"Yes, we are fine." The older Muru said after a while, her voice curious. It is not everyday you see a pair of elves in Banemera, "Thank you for your concern."
"We couldn't help but overhear you talking about your prince." The ellon continued, "Is it true that he spoke?"
"He sure did!" The girl broke in before her mother could reply, a wide grin on her face. The elleth smiled at her.
"Nonsense." The older Muru retorted, glaring at her daughter, "It is impossible."
"But I really did see him talking to Prince Ricamros!"
This definitely was an interesting thing, both elves said to themselves. It seems strange that some girl would make up a story about such a thing. Perhaps it would be best to actually take the idea into consideration. Maybe Tarmikos's voice was returning and he had not yet revealed it.
"It may be best to take it up with him himself." The ellon suggested, "We will be seeing him soon, probably, so you may join us if you wish." The grin on the girl's lips widened but the woman quickly shook her head.
"Nay, that is not necessary. We will just leave it as it is." She replied, earning herself a pout from her daughter.
"I insist." He continued, smiling, "I would like to know if it is true or not as well." The woman opened her mouth to retort once again but the little girl thought otherwise as she hurried from her mother's side and bounded over to Jaimea. She grinned up at the elleth, taking her hand in her own.
"Please, can I come with you? I won't be any trouble." She assured and the elleth couldn't help but smile back at her. She sent a glance towards Legolas who smirked right back.
"Of course, you may." The elleth answered, already leading the way back to the palace. The prince watched her as she meandered through the crowds, carefully avoiding being shoved by the other people. He began to dread entering the sea of Muruien once again, and he turned back to the flustered woman.
"My apologies, my lady. Would you like to come?" He asked. The woman only snorted and crossed her arms. The ellon took this as a no and he smiled, "Do not worry, my lady. We will bring your daughter back safe and sound." Another snort was his answer. Ignoring this, he bowed slightly at the waist and hurried after his companion.
By the time he reached the far end of the market, he had succeeded in knocking over three barrels of fruit, making a small child cry for his mother after he accidentally knocked a small cup of some sort of sweet smelling mush out of his hands, and being attacked by one of those long fingered creatures. So much for elven grace.
He spotted Jaimea and the young girl waiting at the doors of the palace and he quickened his pace, reaching them a few moments later. The elleth's eyes twinkled in amusement at his disheveled appearance and the girl stifled her giggles behind her hand. He rolled his eyes in reply though a smile could not help but sneak onto his lips.
"Alright, so let's find Tarmikos, shall we?" The golden haired prince said and without waiting for an answer, he passed into the ever-winding halls of the Muruien palace.
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Iaurtondariel lay on her bed, staring up at the white ceiling with wide, unseeing eyes. Her dark hair was twisted and splayed wildly about on the pillow, and she wore the same dress she had on the day before. After her little 'incident' with the silver haired prince, she had ripped back to her room, locked the door, and threw herself upon the bed. She did not move from that spot once, not even when the maids came knocking on her locked door.
How can that be possible, she asked herself over and over. How could both she and Ricamros have the same dominant form? Why him? She didn't even know him! It made sense now, the awkwardness that was between both of them whenever they were in the same room. But why? He was a great prince of the Muruien lands, while she was only a simple lady. The daughter of a lone elf and a Muru who lost his love. Surely, there must be someone who is better suited for him.
About the hundredth knock rapped on the door and the elleth sighed tiredly. Sitting up, she smoothed out her clothes and headed towards the door. Slowly, she opened it up to find the grinning face of a young maiden, not even at her majority. Silver curls fell from her head, bouncing as she bowed at the waist. Her blue eyes glittered at the elleth.
"Good morning, my lady. I have been asked to bring you to the library for reasons that I am not allowed to tell." She said happily and Iaurtondariel narrowed her eyes.
"Then I will not come if I do not know who called for me." She replied but the lady did not waver.
"You must come and see, Lady Iaurtondariel! It is a surprise for you." The elleth couldn't help but roll her eyes. Why allow this girl to drag her throughout the palace for some strange reason? But her curiosity got the better of her and she nodded once, sighing.
"Fine." She said and the maiden beamed. She clasped her hand in her own, and then preceded to pull her down the hallway. Iaurtondariel could barely keep up with her.
The girl did not stop giggling as they winded through never-ending passages and hallways. The other lady could tell that she was excited about what ever this was about and she could not help but be suspicious. She suddenly began to wish she stayed in her room and never had answered the door. This could not be something that she would enjoy. Blast her curiosity! Her suspicion escalated as they neared the library doors and she heard a very familiar male voice ranting inside, along with another male's amused replies.
The girl nearly fell on her back when Iaurtondariel froze in her tracks, apprehension radiating from her body. The child had led her right to the person she had no desire to see ever again! The other female looked up at her questioningly, continuing to tug on her hand.
"Come, my lady! Someone wants to see you." She grinned.
"No they do not! And I do not want to see him either!" Iaurtondariel retorted, glaring and pulling in the opposite direction.
"Sure he does! He was talking about you earlier and says he wants to talk." For a moment, the elleth was fooled by her words but quickly shook her head, her glare hardening.
"I think not!"
Suddenly, the doors swung open and crashed against the stonewalls, creating a resonating sound that carried down the hallway. A very disgruntled silver haired Muru Prince soon stormed out of the room, followed by a very eager golden haired male, and turned in the direction towards the two females. The young girl tightened her grip on Iaurtondariel's hand as they approached while the elleth only watched on in horror.
"I say it again, Siruho, I refuse to meet with that…!" The prince's words were cut off as he met gazes with Iaurtondariel and a deep sinking feeling found its way into his heart. Almost immediately, the Muru and elleth found themselves encircled by the golden light and were reduced to two small foxes. The two other Muruien snickered together- their plan had worked.
The silver fox paid little attention to the startled black creature, it's blue eyes settled angrily on the golden haired male. The fur on it's back stood on end, bristled with tension, and it's claws flexed on the marble floor. And suddenly, without warning, the small creature lunged for the other male; it's sharp teeth latching onto his arm.
The golden Muru growled loudly in pain, his fingers instinctively grabbing the scruff of the animal and tugging roughly. With a yelp, the fox released its hold and was thrown to the floor, only to quickly regain it's feet and chase after the startled Muru down the hallway. The silver haired female only giggled behind her hand. But when she turned to retrieve the black fox, she found it had already disappeared. Her ears were able to pick up the clicking of claws against floor, quickly making its way down the hall in the direction of the two males.
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Norui growled and buried his head under his pillow when yet another knock sounded on his door. He knew exactly who it was and what she wanted but he could only deal with so much of Leneya without going absolutely insane. Not to say that she was not easy to get along with, of course.
'She is just too blasted energetic!' The Crown Prince growled to himself, rubbing his tired eyes. The night before, the Muru princess had insisted in a trip to the markets and shortly after, a romp in the forest just outside the city's walls. This quickly led into a few laps around a nearby lake and only then was he able to escape the Muru's clutches and flee to his chambers. And now she was back, pounding on his door with probably some outrageous idea in her head.
Furrowing his brow, the ellon sat up slowly when he noticed the rapping had finally stopped. Now, suspicion was the only thing is his heart as he swung his feet off the bed. Carefully, he went to the door and opened it a crack to find the hall empty. He furrowed his brow again and turned towards the bed once more.
A startled gasp escaped his lips when he found the female Muru standing right before him, glowering with her hands on her hips. Despite himself, Norui found himself cowering under her intimidating glare.
"How did you get in here?" He questioned and she sighed in annoyance.
"The window." She replied. Quirking his brow, the elf looked over the Muru's shoulder and sure enough, the window was wide open, the curtains billowing in the slight wind. He smiled apologetically at her.
"Forgive me, I just need to rest." He said, taking a step around her and moving back to his bed, "But what can I help you with?"
"I just wanted to ask you if you planned on joining us for the evening meal later today or if I should have something brought up to you." She answered, crossing her arms over her chest. Norui tensed for a moment, but quickly loosened up.
"I will eat here, if it is not too much trouble."
From the silence rose a tension that rendered them both uneasy. The Crown Prince fidgeted with the silky sheets on the bed.
"Norui, when are you going to put your 'plan' into action?" The Muru princess asked, moving to sit beside him. The tension increased tenfold.
"I do not know but it will be soon, I assure you." He responded, not looking at her,
"But it must be soon, my lord." Leneya began, her voice urgent, "The king has made an announcement that your brother and his companions will seek out the Muru that holds your people in his grasp tomorrow. He begins the incantation that will drop all Muruien powers after the meal. You must make a move soon before it is too late." Norui narrowed his eyes in frustration.
"I do not need instruction on this matter." He growled, "I will do it when I see fit."
"But what about your brother's feelings? And your friends?" The Muru retorted, her own voice angry, "They may not show it, but they are still wounded deeply by your death. And what happens if one or all of them die against that Muru? They will travel to the Halls of Mandos, expecting to reunite with you, bu hall not come to pass. They will reside forever in the Halls with no one but themselves and a false hope for company."
The ellon glowered at the woman but he knew she was exactly right. He would never admit that, of course. He was too proud and too stubborn.
"You know nothing of this, Lady Leneya. I know exactly what I am doing."
"Norui, if you knew what you were doing, you would have shown yourself to your companions the moment you arrived here in Banemera." The elf stared at her, speechless, for a long moment. Once again, she was right. Blast it, why does she have to be right? Norui grunted under his breath.
"I will reunite with them tonight, my lady, and I will use the plan that I have been carefully constructing." He said tensely and she smiled happily.
"That is more like it, my lord." She replied, her spirits once again high, "So, are you going to join us or do you still hold to your decision?" He seemed to ponder this for a short moment before nodding.
"I still wish to eat here and then I will carry through." He replied, although hesitantly.
"Do you promise?"
"I do."
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Tarmikos shut the doors to his father's study with a tired sigh. That had not been a fun meeting. How was he supposed to know where his brother and sister had gotten to? It's not like he was their keeper. The prince rolled his eyes skywards, running his hand down his face. No, not fun at all.
The sound of approaching footsteps down the corridor caught his attention and he sat up, casting his princely demeanor over himself once again. The chattering of a young girl met his ears and he quirked his brow. Why would a child be in the palace? His interest piqued, he moved away from the study and towards the voice.
Only to be slammed into by an excited, laughing girl, nearly loosing his own balance in the process.
Almost as quickly as it had happened, the young girl leapt back from him with wide eyes. She barely took one look at him before bowing deeply at the waist, her small hands clenched tightly together at her sides. A wave of bright hair fell in front of her face, hanging down almost to the floor.
"Please, forgive me, my prince!" She exclaimed and he could tell by the pitch of her voice that the grin had not yet disappeared, "We have been looking all over for you!" Tarmikos quirked his brow and looked up when he heard two sets of footsteps approaching. Even more confusion washed over him to see Legolas and Jaimea slowly walking towards him, small smiles on their faces.
"It is a pleasure to see you again, Tarmikos." Legolas greeted as he came to a halt, "But we have a question for you." The Muru nodded once, watching the girl curiously as she bounced from foot to foot. Jaimea chuckled softly at the girl's antics, "This child has claimed that she heard you speak in the market the other day and we are interested in knowing if this happens to be true."
Had it not been under the same circumstances, the flabbergasted look on the silver haired prince's face would have appeared quite comical. It was a mixture between shock, regret, and pure confusion. The elves were quick to detect this surprise though the girl was oblivious to it all.
"Yes, my prince, remember?" She began happily, "I saw you walking with your brother and you spoke to him and I heard you but he said that you said nothing but I knew better because I heard you, even if no one else believes me!" She took a deep breath, still grinning. Tarmikos furrowed his brow. He opened his mouth, as if to speak, but quickly shut it.
He pulled a crinkled piece of parchment from his pocket, removed the feather from his hair, and quickly scratched a message. He handed it to the girl and, as he had expected, the smile soon faded from her lips.
I am sorry, little one, but my voice has not returned to me and I doubt it ever shall. I do not know whom it was you saw in the market but it was not I.
"But…I know it was you. I saw you there, talking with Prince Ricamros." The girl said desperately, the parchment slowly slipping from her fingers onto the floor, "I know what I saw." The silver haired Muru looked from the child to the two elves with desperate eyes. Frowning slightly, Jaimea stepped forward and put her hand gently on the girl's shoulder.
"Come." She said softly, "Perhaps it is best we leave now." The elleth gave her a gentle nudge on the back and she started forwards, her wide eyes never leaving those of the prince. Tarmikos couldn't help but suddenly feel so helpless under her pleading gaze. He did not stop watching until they both disappeared around the corner.
Legolas cleared his throat softly, catching the Muru's attention, and he smiled sympathetically. The prince returned it with his own.
"This brings up an interesting question." The ellon commented, crossing his arms over his chest, "I cannot believe that the child would create stories about something like this." The silver haired Muru nodded once and the other continued, "What do you think?"
The prince picked up the dropped parchment from the floor and wrote, There have been stranger things going on recently. And they do not sit well with me.
Legolas furrowed his brow as he read, then said, "What do you mean?"
This morning, I ran into my brother in the halls, and yet it was not he. His appearance was exactly as it should be yet the aura he gave off was not one that I am familiar with. And when he asked me to write my words, I knew that something was wrong.
"What could it possibly be, though? Did he seem normal, aside from what you told me?"
Not at all. He became very flustered and I grew more suspicious. And what puzzles me most is that he had an almost feminine way about him. Perhaps it was another Muru who disguised himself as my brother, though I do not know what would drive them to do so.
Legolas pondered this for a moment, taking a heavy breath. This was, indeed, very odd. But what could it be? Was it, in fact, just a young Muru who wished to stir up trouble or was there something more behind it? What ever it was, the ellon thought, he didn't like the sound of it.
"It is odd." He started slowly, almost catching the other prince off guard, "I find it strange that right after this happens, a girl claims that she heard you speak and is confident in her words; I sensed no falsity in her voice." He looked up to be sure he still had the Muru's attention, "And that leaves only one suspicion left in my mind."
The tension still hung in the air as Tarmikos replied; Someone may be disguising themselves as me, as well.
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"My lord, please!" The golden haired Muru shouted through his laughter as he raced down the halls, two small creatures attached to his body. He was barely aware of the shocked and amused glances of his people around him, chuckling softly behind their breath. He deserves it, they all thought to themselves.
Even after about ten minutes of running, Ricamros and Iaurtondariel- still in their fox forms- were nowhere near ready to let this Muru escape. A shrill yelp erupted from the Muru as the prince dug his teeth into his shoulder while the female clamped her jaws onto his calf. Normally, the elleth wouldn't even think of behaving in this manner but somehow, this just felt right.
Suddenly, the golden haired Muru stopped in his tracks, nearly causing the two foxes to fly off his body. His eyes went wide with surprise as another Muru turned the corner, silver hair flowing down her back. And in the blink of an eye, two weasel like creatures stood in their place, frozen in their spot.
A squeak-like noise escaped the female and, energetically, hurried towards the male. Wide eyed, the other squirmed away from the two foxes and scurried down the hallway in the opposite direction, the female Muru chasing after him excitedly.
The silver fox clambered to his feet unsteadily, snorting softly, and watched as the two creatures scampered away. The other animal watched warily as he took a few cautious steps towards her and she let a low growl deep from her throat. He came to a quick halt before blinking and, in a puff of golden light, was thrust back into his true form.
Ricamros watched the fox carefully as she took a step back from him, then she, too, returned to her form. And the first thing she did was quickly turn her back to him with a huff.
"You knew about this, didn't you?" She muttered bitterly. The Muru winced slightly.
"Yes, I knew from the moment I laid eyes upon you, my lady. That was when I knew that I had to keep watch over you, to make sure you were all right. I did not want you to be injured for I knew of the future that we both would share together." He answered softly, knowing that his words would not please her in the least bit.
"You mean that you assumed would come to pass. I never agreed to be your life mate, nor do I have the desire to be that. Find someone else, prince."
"But my lady, we have no option! This is the fate that has been set before us."
"And you expect me to just bend to your will? I think not!"
"You have no choice!"
An outraged gasp escaped the elleth, and the Muru soon regretted his words. Quickly, Iaurtondariel spun on her toes, raising her palm in the air, and swung it towards his cheek with a fierce scowl.
But the strike was stopped in its path as Ricamros shot his own hand up, catching her wrist in his palm. Unfortunately, this action caused their gazes to lock unwillingly with each other. The prince groaned in frustration. Not again.
But the transformation never came and both were left watching each other expectantly. Blinking in surprise, Ricamros glanced from their hands and back to her, then frowned.
"Why aren't we changing?" He questioned, as if the previous argument was forgotten.
"I don't know." She replied, the scowl gone. She glanced up to their hands as well, "But you can let me go now."
"No, I think it is because of that that we aren't changing." He said.
"You do not know that." She retorted.
"You are correct but I just have a strong feeling."
"Well, feeling or not, I want my arm back. So, if you would please be so kind." Quickly, she pulled her hand away and, unfortunately for her, found that Ricamros had indeed been correct in his assumption.
The black fox growled in anger as she sauntered down the hall, ears laid flat against her head.
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The day passed quickly and before anyone noticed, the sun had begun to sink. Birds disappeared into their roosts and the sounds of the forest changed. Strangely enough though, more and more Muruien began to emerge from their chambers to stroll the halls. The dinner bell would be rung soon and the people wanted to make sure they were ready.
As he approached the door to his chambers, Legolas could hear a soft weeping coming from inside. Furrowing his brow, he carefully swung open the door and glanced inside. Jaimea was perched upon the bed, humming softly under her breath, as her fingers trailed gently in the long locks of the small girl in her lap. Tears streamed down the child's cheeks, fists tightly clenched. The elleth looked up to the ellon as he closed the door.
"How is she?" He asked softly.
"Still upset, obviously." Jaimea replied, returning her gaze to the child, "But she'll be fine in time." The golden haired prince smiled as he strode towards them, and then sat down on the edge of the bed. The girl looked up briefly at him but quickly hid her face once more. The elleth brought the child closer to her chest, resting her cheek on top of her head. Legolas couldn't help but chuckle.
"You like children, I see." He said, gaining himself a small smile.
"Which female doesn't?" She laughed. Legolas's smile grew, "How about yourself? Or is a prince too busy to interact with the lesser folk?"
"You know that is not true, Jaimea." He reprimanded playfully, moving to sit beside her. He carefully lifted one finger and let it caress the child's cheek, "Though I admit I have never had much experience with children."
"You should try it sometime. They are amazing to be around, to see how a child's mind works."
"You mean pulling on your hair and crying?" He grinned cheekily and the elleth smacked his shoulder teasingly.
"No, you immature elf, that is not what I meant." She chided, grinning, "Not all of them are like that. Though I am sure you were." The elleth laughed at the proud smirk that graced the prince's lips. Leaning over, she placed a quick peck on his cheek that made his smirk grow into a grin.
"Is that all I get?" He asked.
"Yes, it is. There is a child here and her mind does not need to be spoiled because of you."
"Me? I think not. You are the one in control every time."
"What? Where have you been?"
"With you, of course." He replied, "Doing this."
Beaming, he placed his lips gently upon hers and instantly felt the elleth melt under the kiss. He let his fingers trail along her jaw before pulling away and nuzzling his nose into her neck. Jaimea sighed softly, placing her free hand on the back of his head, and closed her eyes.
But those eyes quickly snapped open when she felt a small hand tugging on her sleeve. She cleared her throat and Legolas backed away with a furrowed brow. When he saw the puffy eyes of the girl staring up at them, he flushed a faint tinge of pink.
"Lady Elf, who is he? Are you two friends?"
"Uh…" Was the only thing Legolas could get out.
"No, little one. He is…my brother." Jaimea answered quickly, smiling more to reassure herself than the girl. The ellon shot her a glance.
"Oh." She said. She glanced between the two and wrinkled her nose, frowning, "Mommy says that brothers and sisters aren't supposed to kiss. She says it's bad."
Legolas's cheeks changed from a faint pink to a flaming red.
"Well then!" Jaimea exclaimed nervously, clapping her hands gently on the girl's shoulders, "How about you and I go for a walk, hmm? Dinner will be ready soon and I'm sure your mother is worried."
Quick motions and silent exclamations in frustration were exchanged between the two elves as the elleth passed out the door, the girl cradled on her hip. When the door clicked closed, the golden haired prince growled under his breath and crossed his arms over his chest in a pout.
"Legolas, you shouldn't act so childish." An airy voice called from the open balcony, causing the elf to jump slightly, and he turned to face the person. He smiled uneasily.
"Hello, Espenshade." He greeted, sliding from the bed and moving towards her slowly. Even though the whole 'incident' had happened a few days ago, his mind still couldn't cope with his falcon actually being a Muru. He came to stand beside her and placed his hands on the railing, looking up at the darkening sky, "It is a beautiful night, is it not?"
The prince couldn't help but notice the beauty of the woman before him as she turned to him. The dim light reflected on her fair tresses and sapphire eyes glittered with ancient memories. Her golden skin had not a blemish and appeared soft even to the eyes. Her green and silver gown clung to her body in all the right places, the thin sleeves blowing gently behind her in the slight wind. It became apparent to the ellon why she had been adored so much by her former lover.
"Aye, it is." She replied softly, giving him a half-hearted smile. The elf found it strange that this lady was so much more different than the one he knew before.
"Is there something wrong?" He questioned, seeing the sadness in her eyes. Espenshade bit her lip thoughtfully, turning back to gaze at the stars. She did not speak for a long moment but Legolas kept his tongue.
"On nights like these," She began softly, "Daeron would come wake me in my chambers, even though he was not permitted in the palace, and we would run in the forest together. We would swim in the lake underneath the stars, and laugh. He would tell me how much he loved me and that one-day, we would be able to love each other without worry of being found out. It was forbidden, a princess to love a commoner- and one who is a thief, no less. But what can be done about it? We were destined our whole lives to be together but no one could accept it." She paused in her words, stopping to catch her hitching voice. Legolas kept his attention on the lady, a small frown on his lips.
"He was caught one night by a maid as he snuck down the hall to my room. She alerted the guards and they captured him before he even had the chance to flee the palace. When my father found out, he was furious. He wanted to behead him and was willing to do so himself but the court ordered otherwise and Daeron was banished from this land. I still remember the sorrowful and longing look he held in his eyes as he left the city in exile. And then my father turned to me.
"He called me a tramp and told me that I was not fit to be his daughter. Despite Ricamros's and Tarmikos's pleading, I was cast away as well. That was many years ago, I have lost count exactly how many, and this is the first time I've been here since. Despite the years, my father and I still hold that grudge."
The Muru did not notice the tear that slid slowly down her cheek and Legolas brushed it away gently. He gave her a comforting smile when she turned to look at him and she returned it as best as she could.
"I am sorry that your romance did not end well." He said gently, "I looked up to him, in that short amount of time that I knew him." She gave him a small smile but it did not reach her eyes. With a heavy sigh, the woman brought her hands to her shoulders, rubbing them slowly. In response to this, Legolas drew her close, wrapping his arm around her waist, and she relaxed into his embrace.
"I can still see his glittering eyes, only in his youth, and I can still hear his laughter. My skin still quivers when I think of his long, silver hair gliding over my arms and shivers shoot up my spine at the thought of his fingers' sweet caress. The years without him have been long." She swallowed back the lump in her throat, "I miss him."
He said nothing, only giving her a small squeeze. Only after a long moment did he speak.
"Why did you not bring him back? When he died, you could have returned him to the living but you did not. Why?" He questioned hesitantly. Espenshade took a shuddering breath, and then turned her head to face him quickly.
"It was so tempting, Legolas, to think only of myself and bring him back. But I did not because I knew my powers would be needed at another time. If I brought him back- or even my oldest brother or my mother- things would not unfold as they were meant to." She replied carefully and the ellon nodded.
"So that is the reason, as well, that you did not bring back my brother?" The Muru jolted slightly at the question and she glanced up at him, then down to the banister.
"Legolas, I-"
"No, forgive me. I should not have asked." She put a hand up to silence him.
"Legolas, please. Your brother…" She paused to chew on her lip, "He's-"
The door to the main chambers swung open and both snapped around to face the new person. A dark haired lady rushed in, a grin on her face, as she spotted the two on the balcony. Her grin growing ever wider, she hurried over to them.
"Come, my lord! You must see something!" She exclaimed, tugging on his hand.
"My lady Leneya, what is it?" The prince asked, frowning. Espenshade shot him a quick glance.
"You will see, just come!" And with that, she left the room just as quickly as she had come. Legolas glanced back to the lady and, with a shrug, hurried after the Muru.
IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI
The two did not stop running the halls until they entered one large room that was bare of anything except for a few placed chairs along the wall. The ceiling was made of glass, allowing the stars to cast their light inside, and the floors appeared black, as if gazing up into the heavens. At the opposite end of the room were two doors, leading out to a large balcony where faint lanterns were lit. The room seemed abandoned.
"Why did you bring me here?" The prince questioned, turning back to Leneya. The grin never left her lips as she motioned towards the door at the opposite end. With a furrowed brow, Legolas turned back to the doors and took careful steps forward.
Much to his confusion, the feeling that had been growing inside him began to pulsate and he paused in his steps. Grimacing, he placed his hand over his heart and felt it pounding rapidly against his chest. A spark seemed to ignite in him deep within in his soul and, suddenly, he wasn't sure if he wanted to go through those doors.
But one glance from the lady told him otherwise and he hurried forward.
The door creaked slightly as it shut behind him and the elf glanced around. Nearly concealed in the shadows stood a lone figure, clad in a dark cloak that touched the ground, hood drawn up. A pressure seemed to appear out of nowhere, rushing into his chest, and he suddenly recognized the presence of the one in the cloak.
His eyes widened, breath hitched, as the person came towards him, their own steps hesitant. Legolas stood rooted to the spot, his lips moving but no words coming out. The person slowly cast down their hood to allow dark, mahogany hair to cascade down their shoulders and emerald eyes to shimmer sadly at the golden haired ellon. A lone tear trailed down pale skin as the corners of his lips tilted up into a small smile.
"We meet again, dear brother."
IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI
The bell for the beginning of the meal would be sounding soon and Tarmikos had not yet arrived. His soft footsteps sounded down the hall as he hurried towards the door. If he was not there on time, no doubt there would be consequences to pay. The removal of the Muru powers would be undergone and that was something that could not be missed.
Suddenly, a throbbing on his throat caused the prince to stop abruptly and he placed his hand on his neck, grimacing. Another throb and he found himself collapsing to the floor in pain, gasping for air. Darkness clouded his vision as he was forced to watch for the second time the most horrifying moment in his life.
XOX
Screaming woke him from his slumber and he bolted upright in his bed, senses alert. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as another scream broke the silence. Quickly, he leapt from his bed and dashed out the door to find that his twin, Ricamros, was already in the hall. He strode over to him.
"Brother, what is going on?" He asked, his voice still laced with sleep. The older prince shook his head.
"I do not know, Tarmikos." He replied, walking in the direction the screams originated from. The other Muru hurried after him as a feeling of dread washed over him. The sounds seemed like they came from the King and Queen's chambers.
XOX
An unbearable heat began to form deep within his throat, and his eyes began to water. The feeling in his limbs began to fade and unconsciousness threatened to take him.
XOX
As the screams grew louder and crashing could be heard, the twins quickened their pace and were not surprised to see their oldest brother already heading in the same direction.
"Birih!" Ricamros called quietly, catching the other Muru's attention. The golden haired prince looked back quickly, fear in his deep blue eyes.
"It is Mother and Father, Ricamros. Someone is in their room, I can sense it." He explained hurriedly, and then resumed his run. The twins exchanged looks between each other before following. And, not to their surprise, they found their sister was close behind them.
XOX
Death flashed before Tarmikos's eyes as he saw it all play out. His heart and mind screamed for release from this torture but the pain only grew worse.
XOX
Just as Birih had said, the sounds were coming from the room of their parents. Fear took hold of the siblings' hearts as they neared. Without hesitation, the Crown Prince swung open the door so that it crashed loudly against the wall. They froze at the sight within.
A female lay mangled on the bed, blood staining the crisp sheets. Her golden hair was twisted around her face and her face was contorted into the expression of absolute terror. Navy eyes shimmered no longer.
And over in the center of the room stood a lone, dark figure. Wavy brown hair fell across his cold blue eyes, his face twisted into a malicious smirk. He was clothed in a dark tunic with a long cloak that almost touched the bloodstained carpet. Had it not been for the blood splattered on his face and clothes, he would have been handsome.
But at his feet was the silver haired King of Banemera, bleeding heavily from a chest wound. His fading eyes glanced over to his children, lips moving but no words being said.
The person seemed to notice this and looked to the doorway, only to have the smirk twist into a dangerous grin. A sickening noise sounded as he drew his sword from his belt.
"Ah, I see the royal brats have decided to join our little game. How wonderful." He hissed, licking his lips. The four young Muruien barely had time to dodge him as he swung the blade wildly yet expertly at their heads.
XOX
The feeling of his hands squeezing his neck shook the very core of the ailing Muru. His body pitched forward, throat constricted. Beads of perspiration formed on his forehead and the color left his face. He could still feel it…
XOX
He could do nothing as he watched his twin be cast to the ground, bleeding from the leg and crying out in agony with the ball of his palm pressed against his right eye. Espenshade was roughly tossed aside like a rag doll, her temple catching the edge of the night table. Birih already lay dead on the bed, still laying over his mother's body to protect her, even in death. Now all that was left was him and this creature.
The person's eyes narrowed to slits, the smirk appearing on his lips once again. Tarmikos swallowed hard, eyes wide, as the person drew his tongue across the side of the blade, licking up the crimson liquid of his family.
"What a nice taste." He commented cruelly, "But it is not complete until I add yours to the mixture, princeling." Before he knew it, the prince found himself gasping for air as fingers clasped around his neck, slowly destroying his throat. Despite himself, he could not draw his eyes away from the person's.
"Who…who are you?" He rasped, his eyes hazy.
"Glad you asked." He replied, grinning, "I am called Eruko. Always remember that name, princeling, and know that it caused your death." He brought the point of his blade to his heart, "Any last words, my prince?"
"Catch this."
Eruko let out an agonized scream as a long blade was thrust into his back, narrowly missing his heart and lungs. He dropped to the floor, releasing Tarmikos from his hold. All he could do was sit there in shock and pain, wheezing.
The lightheaded Muru prince glanced up to see his father kneeling on the floor before losing consciousness.
XOX
Almost as quickly as it had come, the pain dispersed and Tarmikos took in a large breath of air. Oxygen quickly rushed back into his body as he slumped against the wall, eyelids drooping. What was all that about? What had caused this? His body quivered under the stress.
He was quickly brought to attention, though, as a cold feeling washed over his tired body. He stiffened, sitting up and leaping to his unsteady feet. He held his breath.
A dark shadow appeared along the far wall, moving slowly towards him. Anger, malice, and hate radiated off the approaching form and the silver haired Muru found himself quivering with terror. In his heart, he knew who this was and was not at all prepared to face it alone.
I cannot believe this, he thought to himself as he fled towards the dining hall, How could he be here? Why would he come here?
The doors to the hall approached and he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He did not stop to open the doors, only busting through them instead. The chatter of the people died abruptly and he saw Judeqir stand up from his seat. Pure fear welled itself up in his heart and he cried out:
"Father, he's back! He's back! Eruko has returned!"
XXXXX
Dun dun dun. Yup, that was an interesting chapter, was it not? A lot of year old plans have been changed drastically. Bwahaha. I think that was the first cliffy I've had in a long time, too. Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Please review! And thank you again, Ty, for betaing!
Until Next Time,
Manwathiel
