Can you believe it? I started this the same day I updated. I was just so anxious. ;) And also, revamping is underway. A brand new chapter one has been posted. And also, a bit of Call of the Red Bird reference in this one. I provided a little background information for those of you who haven't read it so…yes. Enjoy.
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Chapter 46- A Fallen Angel
A great stirring erupted in the Muru's body, filling himself with ancient power just itching to burst forth. All was silent, yet a horrible throbbing pounded in their ears. A glow seemed to radiate from his body, illuminating the dark corridor, and those lying on the ground stared in awe and in fear as they waited for the feeling in their bodies to leave them. Some half wished that they would fall into unconsciousness but fought against it. They would accept their fate, not run from it so cowardly.
"You were foolish to believe you could defeat me!" Eruko bellowed, his voice booming and full of power, "I am invincible! You have failed your people and they will fall to my power." They could only gaze upon him as he spoke, their bodies limp. No one could find the strength to stand up against him again. His words fell on deaf ears yet he continued on.
And yet something made him stop and their eyes widened in shock, their jaws agape: the bloody tip of a sword had been thrust straight through his chest. No sound came from the dark haired Muru's lips and his eyes were transfixed upwards, though unseeing. A trickle of blood came from the corner of his mouth and down his chin. He made a final gasping breath, then fell face forward onto the ground. A quiver shot through his body and he fell still.
The small company stared in disbelief at the fallen Muru, their minds running rampant, and they looked sharply up at their savior. If it were possible, they fell into an even greater state of shock.
Struggling to support the weight of the great sword in her hands, the thin form of an golden haired elleth stood before them. Her dark eyes were wide and shimmered with fear and her body quaked from the adrenaline rush. Her face was pale as she gazed upon them, intimidation sweeping over her when their gazes did not waver from her. Silence reigned over them all, none able to find the correct words to use. The elleth swallowed hard, carefully lowering the sword to her side.
Finally, Legolas struggled to come to his feet yet never moved his eyes from those of the elleth. He wavered slightly but kept his balance, and he took careful steps towards her with his hand outstretched. When he came before her, he placed his hand lightly on her cheek, his eyes staring questioningly into her own. Tears brimmed in her eyes and he frowned. His lips opened as if he were to speak, but then rethought and closed his mouth. He sighed tiredly and offered her a warm smile.
"Are you alright, Jaimea?"
The sword slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor as she swung her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. The ellon held her protectively in his arms, whispering soothing words to her and rubbing her back in circular patterns as she let her tears fall.
"I should be the one asking you that." She said softly into his ear as her fingers twisted in his golden locks.
"I am fine." He replied just as quietly, "So why do you cry? Right now, all I want is to see you smile and be proud for you did something that none of us could do."
"You could have been killed, Legolas!" She cried, "I was so frightened…I cared not for what happened to me, but only for you." He held her tighter, ignoring the eyes of his friends upon his back.
"You defeated Eruko, Jaimea, and you saved us all. And I am alive."
"Legolas," Norui broke in softly. The golden haired prince turned to him and saw the painful look in his eyes, "We need to find the others and tell them what has happened. Uhako needs help as well." Both ellyn glanced over to see Elrohir already crouched beside the ailing Muru, prodding his extensive wounds despite his own injuries that he had acquired. Shakily, the Crown Prince came to his feet and looked down upon Eruko. His face held no emotion, his eyes never wavering, and then he looked away, "Come."
As he walked down the dark hall, Norui felt as if his heart had frozen over and nothing mattered anymore. He struggled to keep the tears from spilling yet one still managed to slip out and trail down his cheek. He wiped it away roughly with his sleeve and bit his bottom lip hard, wincing at the pain but not letting go. He had never felt so cold, so lost, and so alone.
The young prince watched his brother move slowly down the corridor and he could feel the anguish that radiated off of his body. He could see his muscles were tense and he walked stiffly, as though trying to mask the sorrow that he felt. Not for Eruko, he knew, nor for the fact that he had been saved by an elleth, but for the Muru's words to him. If he had indeed killed Glithiel, then he knew the Crown Prince would soon follow her to the Halls of Mandos. He could not let that happen, Legolas mused, if the elleth his brother loved so dearly had faded, he was prepared to help him fight through it.
A hand fell upon his shoulder and he glanced back to find Tarmikos smiling at him. Espenshade stood beside her brother, looking to the marble floor with a grimace and holding her wound. She tried to direct a smile at him but found she could not, and she closed her eyes tiredly. Legolas placed his hand upon the silver haired prince's shoulder, returning the smile.
The Muru then turned his attention on the golden haired elleth and placed his hand on her cheek softly. He placed a chaste kiss on the other side and said, "Thank you, my lady, for lending us your aide." Both elves started at the sound of his voice, but quickly shook it off. Jaimea said nothing, but replied with a small smile.
They were then left to themselves, with the exception of Elrohir though he paid no attention to them. Legolas smiled lovingly at her, brushing away an errant strand of hair from her face, then kissed her lightly on the lips.
"I'm going to help Elrohir." He said, "You may follow them, or wait for me." He seemed to stress the second option with his voice and she chuckled slightly, nodding.
"I will wait." A fleeting grin appeared on the ellon's lips, and then left her to kneel beside Elrohir. Both elves quickly dropped into hushed whispers, leaving Jaimea to herself.
The elleth's eyes traveled towards the Muru at her feet and she swallowed hard. She had been the one to end his life…her hands were now tainted with murder. At least, that was how she viewed it. Even if he had planned to kill her own friends and was responsible for many deaths in Mirkwood, he had emotions and feelings like any other. He had warmth to his body and was capable of loving another. And above all else, he had a heartbeat.
Wringing her fingers tentatively, she bent down and struggled to roll him onto his back, careful to not damage his golden wings that spread out beneath him. She glanced over at the ellyn and found they were still absorbed in their task. Biting her lip, she turned her attention back to Eruko.
His face was pale and the black markings contrasted against his skin. There was no expression there and yet he looked as though all of his cares and worries had vanished. His lips were set in a thin line and his forehead held no creases, a change from the constant glare that he had. Wisps of dark hair framed his face, accenting his features, and the elleth frowned. He looked…peaceful. Had it not been for the trickle of blood at his lips, one would think he was only sleeping.
Without thought, she let her fingers glide over his skin. It was soft to the touch and as her fingers touched the dark markings, she recoiled slightly while rubbing her fingertips together; it was not skin, but rather soft black fur. Furrowing her brow in curiosity, she touched them again, then turned her attention to the wings upon his back.
Despite what he had done, she found herself regretting her action. He could have been good, if given the chance. She knew not what had caused him to be the way he was but whatever the reason was, she knew it had to be something of great pain to him. She reached out to touch them next but a voice stopped her.
"Jaimea," Legolas called to her as he approached, crouching to her level. He let his cerulean eyes drift over the Muru momentarily before saying, "We must go." She did not say anything at first, only gazing upon Eruko intently and with sorrow.
"He is so beautiful." She whispered just loud enough for him to hear and he shot her a curious look.
"We must find Uhako aide." He said again, taking her hand.
"Look at this." She said softly, ignoring all that he said to her, and he pulled his fingers to brush against the markings along his face. He recoiled at the feeling just as she had originally done but found his interest piqued. He furrowed his brow in thought.
"We are all a part of one world and we can all share the same dream. And if we reach out to one another, we find that we are all the same deep inside." He frowned, "And yet the heart can become corrupted so easily. All of us can be turned down the path of evil yet not all do, for we have a reason that keeps us from doing so. I suppose his reason was not strong enough." A silence fell over them once again, and Legolas took the elleth's hand again.
"He is a fallen angel," Jaimea said after a moment, "One who has lost his way in life. But he now walks upon the path intended for him among the stars. He can live in peace."
The golden haired prince gazed into the elleth's eyes and a warm feeling spread through his body. He knew then that this was the one he wanted to spend his life with and, if it ever came to it, the one he wanted to mother his children. What sparked this sudden thought, he was not sure, but he knew it to be true. She gave him a questioning glance at the change of expression but he only smiled, shaking his head, and then stood up.
"It is time to go." He said and she came to her feet.
"What of Eruko?" She asked.
"I do not know what the Muruien will do with him." The prince replied.
"I wish him to have a proper funeral. He strayed from his true purpose with realizing it and so he is not at fault. A decision such as his cannot be made of one's own accord." He gaped at her request, his jaw hanging slightly, and he crossed his arms.
"Even so, he has threatened our people! My Ada could very well be dead right now! He is not deserving of an honorable burial."
"But he is not, Legolas!" She argued, "You would know if he had passed into the Halls of Waiting, for you would feel a cold and empty place in your heart."
"You know nothing of this matter." He scoffed and turned away from her, following after Elrohir who carried the limp body of Uhako in his arms.
"No! You are the one who knows nothing of what you say!" She cried. Legolas felt his heart leap into his throat- there were tears in her voice. Quickly, he turned back to her with a questioning gaze and she continued, "I know this because I have felt it! I was forced to watch my beloved gwador's body be consumed by the flames and yet I could do nothing about it. I know this because my heart has yet to heal from its wound, the empty hole that once was occupied by him!"
The golden haired prince frowned deeply and immediately wished he could take back his words. He found he could no longer gaze upon her and turned his attention to the floor.
"Forgive me, Jaimea. I did not know." He said softly and apologetically. He reached out to take her hand but she did not show any intentions of taking his. Frowning, Legolas curled his long fingers and let his hand drop to his side. He said nothing more, only turning away from her and continued down the hall.
The elleth wrapped her arms around herself, watching his fleeting back, and then glanced back down to the Muru lying on the floor. She gave a shuddering breath before looking back up to the two ellyn and following slowly after them. She shut her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek, "May you find peace on the other side, my lord Eruko."
IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI
Morning was welcomed with open arms in the Muruien palace. Bright light had already begun to filter in through the thin curtains, illuminating the winding corridors. Those who still slept would be awoken by the cheerful sounds of the birds outside, flitting here and there as if they had no care in the world. Not that there were many still in bed, of course, for the morning meal was well underway. It seemed most Muruien though decided to eat in their private chambers instead of together as they normally did. As they meandered back to their quarters, their steps had less bounce to it and they moved slowly as if they were about to collapse from exhaustion.
At least, this is how is appeared to Estel and Elladan as they strolled together towards the dining hall. Everyone appeared so sluggish and not all there, and the human found himself hiding his grin every time one would pass them. On one occasion, they had come across a tall male slumped against the wall with his eyes shut, his breathing shallow. He seemed to feel their presence for he instantly jerked awake, his blue eyes wide, and he righted himself quickly. He gave them a curt nod in greeting while smoothing out his robes, then striding past them with more speed than was necessary. They watched him leave with small smiles on their faces and Elladan later commented that the Muru was the same one he had previously threatened with a fork.
Upon arrival to the large dining hall, they found it nearly empty except for a few Muruien here and there, slumped over their meal with their heads resting in their palms. Even King Judeqir was absent, as was Leneya. Not wanting to stand out to anyone who may enter, they decided to gather all the food that they may need and returned to their rooms. They had all slept in the princes' room that night, talking quietly to one another about their victory though little was said by those who were there to experience it. Arwen and the twins had done all they could to help Uhako but felt there was little to be done. Espenshade attempted to heal him but soon felt her knees go weak, and she could not continue. The spell of the king had taken its toll on her as well.
"Why do you suppose they are all unusually slow today?" Elladan wondered aloud, "Even Ricamros, Tarmikos, and Espenshade are out of sorts."
Estel shrugged and said, "Considering the fact that they were wounded, they have every right to be as they are now." The ellon shifted the two serving dishes in his hands awkwardly before replying.
"Tarmikos was not wounded, only a little winded from what had happened."
"Yes, but so were Legolas, Elrohir, Norui, and Jaimea yet they are not Muruien."
"That would be the after effects of my father's spell. During and after such an event, we are all very mellow and groggy." A voice broke in behind them and they glanced over their shoulders at the newcomer, and smiled.
"Good morning, my lady Espenshade. I am surprised to see you out and about. What, with your shoulder wound and all." The human greeted, bowing slightly so as not to spill the food he carried. The woman smiled in return, shrugged her shoulders carefully. She was clad in a simple pale blue gown with sleeves the belled out at the elbow. Her hair had been unbraided and washed and now fell gently down her back in soft waves.
"Not all of the Muruien have regained their powers, and some have not even completely lost it yet. Those are the eldest individuals who have a strong grasp on their gift and find it difficult to let go. Therefore, they will be incapacitated for a good few days and will not be out much."
"And you, my lady?" Elladan questioned as they continued their walk.
"I am…tired, to say the least. And my greatest desire is to sleep the day away, yet I cannot. I feel compelled to stay awake and be with my people, even if most are hidden in their chambers." Both man and ellon quirked their brows.
"That is most unlike you." Estel commented, "Lately, you've been very withdrawn from everyone, including Legolas." A cheeky yet tired smile came upon her lips.
"That was not me." She replied, "Though this is my true home, I find great sorrow and remorse being here." The human opened his mouth to respond but she beat him to it, "I will not tell you why, so do not ask me. Just accept my words when I say I have very few fond memories of this place." They simply nodded and let the matter drop. Estel sighed heavily.
"Why do your people not seem affected by Eruko's defeat? Do they not even know of it?" He questioned curiously. In Rivendell, he was accustomed to great celebrations over any exciting occasion- including something as simple as a begetting day or the successful dispatch of the ever increasing numbers of orc parties.
"They are very well aware of it, and you will have your feast in time." She shot him a small grin as if she knew his thoughts, "But it does not affect them directly. As far as they were concerned, he had been defeated long ago and was only waiting for the finishing strike. Despite what he may have said, he was no match for us in the end."
"What exactly happened last night? No one seems willing to speak of it." The Noldo commented and she frowned slightly.
"It is not my place to say. Your friends will tell you in time, if they choose it."
"But what about you?" He continued, "Are you not our friend?" Espenshade swallowed hard at his words and felt tears brimming at her eyes, but she brushed them away quickly. Instead, she gave him a grateful smile and nodded.
"Yes, my lord Elladan, you are both very much my friends." The elf's lips turned up into a warm smile and she placed a quick kiss on his cheek. When she pulled away, she found a slight flush on his cheeks and she laughed softly, "Blushing over a small peck, hmm, Elladan? Wait until I tell Melyanna about this." He paled slightly which, in turn, pronounced his red cheeks even more.
"You wouldn't!"
"I would." She teased him, winking. This time, his whole face went alight with embarrassment. Judging by the mad laughter coming from Estel, he was very much enjoying his foster brother's reactions.
"I like this Espenshade much better." The man beamed, "Will you be traveling back with us or will you stay here?"
"I will return to Mirkwood." She answered without hesitation, "I made a promise long ago to stay with Legolas and protect him, and that is exactly what I intend to do."
"Will you not miss your brothers?" The Muru opened her mouth to reply but quickly closed it, rethinking her answer, then spoke.
"Forever will I miss my brothers and long to be with them, but my place is not here." A mischievous smile appeared slowly, "Besides, I do not think that once you leave, it will be the last time you see them. I have found over the years that they tend to turn up when it is most unexpected."
"Yes, I am very familiar with that." Estel muttered and she laughed. Once her outburst had subsided, she continued.
"Even when still in Mirkwood, they would turn up though it was very rare. Of course, this only happened at night and I would always return before anyone noticed that I was gone."
"How horrible." Elladan jested, "Disappearing into the night without a word to your master. Distrustful, that is what I call it." This only sparked her laughter once more.
Upon returning to the princes' chambers, they found that the majority had finally awoken though were still slumped over in their makeshift sleeping areas. Only Jaimea and Norui continued to sleep, with the young Muru curled up beside the elleth. Even Ricamros was sitting up in his bed, though one could tell that he was barely aware of his surroundings. Much to their curiosity, he would frequently glance at the elleth in the other bed with worried eyes.
When the smell of warm food met their noses, those awake perked up and watched the visitors eagerly. Fresh bread and fruits were passed around until there was little left on the plate. Tarmikos had brought a small dish of food to his brother but he refused it, letting it set on the nightstand by his bed. They ate in comfortable silence, each mulling over their own thoughts and finding little to say that they felt was necessary. Sometime during this point, the younger of the silver haired twins managed to slide his way over to his sister and lay beside her on his stomach. She absently let her fingers trail through his long locks. Elladan stole a glance at this and smirked, their previous conversation coming to mind.
"My lady," He started, catching her attention, "I thought perhaps you should tell Legolas here about your little midnight adventures back in Mirkwood. I found it quite entertaining, and I see no reason why he should not know as well." Espenshade paused at his request, a piece of buttered bread half way to her mouth, and then glanced warily to Legolas who was watching her with curious eyes.
"Well," She began, casting an annoyed glare in the direction of the Noldo, "It is nothing that is of importance. It is simply that my brothers used to come to Mirkwood and we would be gone for quite a long time before anyone noticed." She looked to the golden haired elf once again and found a small grin upon his face. She heard Tarmikos snicker quietly.
"I remember that quite well." He mused, "I recall one occasion when we were almost found out by none other than your eldest brother, Legolas." The ellon's brows shot up.
"Nendir?"
Before Norui had become Crown Prince, there was one who stood before him. But the former Crown Prince had long since departed from Mirkwood due to a banishment of his own choosing. His wife soon followed him, allowing Lothron to claim the title of Crown Princess, and they had not been seen since.
"Yes, him." The Muru said, nodding, "But he nor you had met Espenshade yet and so it was of little concern to him when he saw us. Other than the fact that two falcons, a fox, and a shee- a ram," He corrected himself quickly, "were coexisting peacefully in front of the palace." The golden haired Muru had to stifle her giggles at his denial. In return, he smacked her playfully on the leg.
"I was never told this." The prince commented, his lips twitching with amusement, "If ever we meet again, I will have to ask him of this."
"You intend to seek him out?" Lothron broke in suddenly, taking her attention off the food in front of her. He seemed to contemplate this for a moment before shrugging.
"Perhaps one day, I will look for him. But I do not doubt that where ever he may be, he still blames himself for what happened all those years ago. It is unlikely he would return, afraid of what our people may say or think of him."
The elleth did not reply to this and so their conversation soon turned to other things, issues that did not matter to them though they spoke of them anyway. One thing that would not escape the minds of the elves was that the two Muruien who were awake seemed little affected by the previous night's activities. They acted as though nothing was out of the ordinary, and it was just a regular day. This baffled them to no end but they did not comment on it; perhaps it was wise to put it in the past rather than dwell on it as they seemed to be doing. They had achieved victory and now was their time to relax.
"I cannot help but wonder when father will hold the celebration." Tarmikos grinned, squirming anxiously on the floor like a child, "It will surely be of great magnitude and excitement."
Elrohir stuck out his bottom lip in a pout, "Is that really necessary? I have never been one for formal gatherings."
The prince furrowed his brow in confusion and frowned, "What do you mean?" The dark haired Peredhil sent him an equally confused look.
"You say a celebration, and I only assumed it would be a formal occasion." Elrohir grew uncomfortable under the stupefied stare of the Muru. How could he not know what a normal festival was? Espenshade placed a hand over her brother's and gave it a small squeeze.
"We clearly come from very different cultures." She laughed, then directed her attention at the silver haired prince beside her, "In their worlds, their festivities are sometimes very strict. The ellyth often dress in elaborate gowns and the ellyn will hearken to their every beck and call." She earned herself a few glares from those mentioned in the room and she grinned, "Their dances are slow and mostly uneventful. Wine is kept to a minimum and it lasts only a few hours."
With every word, the Muru prince's jaw seemed to drop further and further as if that sort of thing was unheard of. How could they live with that sort of 'celebration'? He stared questioningly at Elrohir, his mouth opening and closing.
"Yes, that is what we call a formal event. And what she said is mostly correct." The dark haired ellon muttered.
Shaking his head in disbelief, Tarmikos said innocently, "Why?"
For this, they found no answer. They glanced about at one another but no one could come up with the reasoning. It was just their custom and always had been.
The Muru then sat up with his legs crossed in front of him, then used his hands to support himself as he leaned back, "Well, that sounds awfully boring, if you ask me." He commented, "I think I prefer ours better."
"Oh?" Melyanna questioned and he nodded vigorously.
"At our celebrations," He started with an impish grin, "There is always much singing and laughter. Music is played all throughout the night and there is enough wine and food to feed the whole army. If you can believe it, fancy clothing is not encouraged because it would hinder all of the dancing that is done. None of this slow dancing, of course, but all fast paced and energetic. Most of it is focused on footwork and so it takes a long time for anyone to completely learn most of the steps. But even so, one can still join in and enjoy themselves. It is a joyous occasion for everyone and not many outsiders have the chance to experience it. If I were you, I would look forward to it and savor it."
Those in the room could not help but feel a twinge of envy. Why could they not have parties such as those? Suddenly, they could not wait until it was announced they would be celebrating.
"My brother," The golden haired Muru started, touching Tarmikos lightly on the shoulder, "Sing something for them so that they may have a taste of our music." Without even saying anything, they could all tell this idea excited him.
"That is a wonderful idea!" He then pursed his lips, tapping his chin thoughtfully before his face lit up again, "I know the perfect one."
He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. Long had he desired to sing once again, and to be filled with the joy of being able to create something beautiful with words only. He had been forced only to sing in his mind but now, he could share his music. A low hum sounded in his throat as he picked up his tune, and then his lips parted and a gentle sound reached their ears.
Chi mi na sgoran fo cheo.
Chi mi gun dail an t-aite 's an d'rugadh mi
Cuirear orm failt' 's a' chanain a thuigeas mi
Gheibh mi ann aoidh agus gradh 'n uair ruigeam
Nach reicinn air thunnaichean oir.
Chi mi ann coilltean, chi mi ann doireachan
Chi mi ann maghan bana is toraiche
Chi mi na feidh air lar nan coireachan
Falaicht' an trusgan de cheo.
Beanntaichean arda is aillidh leacainnean
Sluagh ann an comhnuidh is coire cleachdainnean
'S aotrom mo cheum a' leum g'am faicinn
Is fanaidh mi tacan le deoin.
His voice was soft yet rich, and it filled the quiet room with melodious sound. The words were foreign to those who listened- excluding the Muru princess- and yet they felt as if they knew what he sang of. Each word rolled pleasantly off his tongue in a gentle yet upbeat air. Images of their homelands sprung up in their minds as they listened, and they wondered if it was only the song or if the prince was putting those pictures into their thoughts. They found themselves enraptured by the sound and when it suddenly ended, they felt as if the world had been pulled out from underneath of them and reality came crashing back.
A contented smile was upon Tarmikos's lips when they looked upon him, and he said, "That is but a taste of what you will hear. Of course, that particular song would be danced to in pairs unlike the normal three or four."
"What was it that you sang of?" Arwen asked softly, "When you sang, I could not help but think of my home in Imladris."
"Now, my lady, where would the mystery be if I told you what it was?" The Muru gave her a playful grin.
A stirring on the bed caught their attention and they looked over expectantly, waiting to see if they had finally awoken. Sure enough, a groggy Ricamros sat up slowly, rubbing his bleary eyes with the balls of his palms. They watched in amusement as he blinked tiredly, trying to focus on those in the room. His skin was still deathly pale and they could tell he was not near ready to be active. Placing a quick kiss on her brother's cheek, Espenshade stood and moved to sit beside the other Muru upon the bed. She touched his forehead with the back of her hand and frowned slightly, then slowly eased him back onto the bed.
"You still need to rest, Ricamros." She said softly but he struggled weakly against her, shaking his head.
"No, I'm fine." He insisted with a slur to his words, "Besides, I'm starving."
"That's not what you told me." Tarmikos muttered. The golden haired Muru glared at him, then took the small platter of food from the nightstand.
"I trust you can feed yourself." She said, quirking her brow. He narrowed his eyes.
"I'm not an invalid."
"Alright, suit yourself." The Muru placed the platter upon his lap, then rejoined the others on the floor. Silence then reigned over the large expanse of the room and only the quiet sound of the prince chewing slowly filled the air. They glanced between one another as if the awakening of Ricamros had made them hesitant to speak, and this did not go unnoticed by the silver haired Muru. Frowning slightly, he swallowed a small piece of bread and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.
"Just because I am awake does not mean that you have to be quiet." He scoffed, "I am not an infant."
"We did not say you were." Tarmikos replied, "Perhaps we do not have anything to say."
"Well, then that makes you boring and unexciting." He took another bite of the sweet bread, and then continued with a full mouth, "And I can hardly believe that. Tell them about your arts, Tarmikos!"
Suddenly, the younger prince found himself the center of attention and he sent his brother an irritated glare. Grunting under his breath, he responded, "They know plenty about me. I think it is time that they learned about you." Ricamros seemed to ponder this for a moment before shrugging.
"I don't see why not." He said. He fell silent for a moment, searching his mind for anything that might be of interest though he found very little. At least, nothing that would interest them, probably. Sighing, he thought up the first thing that came to mind, "I serve as second-in-command of the Banemera armies though I am more well-known for my stealth. Frequently, I am sent into enemy camps to act as a spy. I am told that this is because my dominant form is the fox, the master of cunning and trickery, and it rubs off on me." He shrugged, then grinned as well as he could, "And that is the story of my life."
His twin scoffed and his sister rolled her eyes. He shrugged and muttered, "Well, you asked."
"I think you need more sleep." Espenshade commented, "You still need to recover." He gasped in indignation.
"I do not! I am perfectly fine!"
"Then how many fingers am I holding up?" Three fingers came up, then was replaced with two others, and then four disappeared. The elves could not help but chuckle at the strained look upon the prince's face. He bit his lip tentatively, blinking rapidly.
"Um…one?" He tried pathetically.
"No, I held up a total of nine." She returned to his side and pushed him back onto the pillow, then replaced the tray of food on the nightstand, "Now sleep."
The Muru prince showed no resistance and happily slipped back into oblivion. Sighing tiredly, the princess glanced over her shoulder at the small group gazing upon her. She ran her long fingers through her golden locks, then focused her attention on her brother.
"I want you to show them around the city, and take them to the marketplace. They will need something to do while our people recover." She instructed and Tarmikos nodded, coming to his feet, "And also, make sure no one tries to cheat them out of their money, as you know they will." At this, the prince grinned and nodded again.
"Anything else?"
"Other then that I am going to get some much needed rest? No, there is nothing. You may go now."
"Alright. Farewell, sister." He bowed his head to her, then motioned with his hand for everyone to follow them. They left quickly yet quietly so as not to awake the still sleeping inhabitants of the room.
When the door clicked closed, Espenshade sighed heavily and let herself sink into her brother's bed. He stirred slightly but did not awake, for his body needed to regain its lost strength. Not because of his wounds, of course. They were minor and would be healed quickly. But he was one of those Muruien who would be in bed for a very long time, for his power was anything but minor.
Yawning, the Muru princess stroked the male's cheek with her knuckles, then strode to a long couch on the opposite side of the room. She laid down upon it, using her hands as her pillow, and let sleep claim her.
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There were considerably less people about this morning, everyone noticed. When they had arrived to the city, the market was alive with the hustle and bustle of the Muruien people and bubbling with energy. The chattering and shouting had cut through the peaceful sounds of the forests and everywhere, people were trading and buying.
But now, it appeared more as a deserted alley way. The only Muruien walking about were either very young or out only because it was necessary. Unfortunately for the shopkeepers, it would be an ordinary day for them and it was required that they still run the shops. So instead of the usual attentive and overly perky merchants shouting about their rare and valuable goods, they found tired Muruien slumped over in their shops, struggling to keep their eyes open. Really, it was an amusing sight.
Tarmikos placed his hands on his hips and glanced around at the shops, then looked over his shoulder at his followers, "This is it." He said, "Normally, it is much more exciting but most are still recovering. Feel free to brighten up someone's day and take a look at their merchandise. A few actually have something decent worth bartering for."
Looking around, they noticed that a few of the shopkeepers had actually perked up at the sound of their prince's voice. They stared in shock at him as he stood in the center of the street, glancing every which way as if to determine where he would strike first. Not one said a word, though, and they hurriedly glanced away from him as if they were suddenly frightened. Tarmikos paid no attention to this as he strode away from his companions towards a shop lavished with rich fabrics of silk and suede.
Without a word, the company parted ways to do their own bidding, some wandering alone while some went in pairs. The golden haired prince watched as Melyanna latched herself to Elladan's arm and they disappeared around the corner, and then Elrohir, Estel, and Arwen follow shortly after. Lothron stood beside him, watching as their friends left them, and she sighed heavily.
"What a night that was." She said softly, hooking her arm around her brother's, "I only wish we could know if Ada is alright."
"He is." The prince replied, tugging her down the center of the street, "We would know it if he wasn't."
"I suppose so." She whispered to herself, tightening her hold as her eyes scanned the gold jewelry on display, "Legolas, what did happen last night? And what is wrong with Norui? He has not awoken since you both came back to the princes' chambers."
The ellon hesitated for a long moment. It did not seem right for him to be the one to tell her this, though he doubted his brother would ever be able to speak of it. But then again, they could not be sure it was even true; Legolas sure wasn't too keen on believing the Muru who tried to destroy his home and his people. Sensing his sister's awaiting eyes upon him, he stared out straight ahead of them, avoiding her gaze.
"There is very little to tell, other than that Eruko is dead and we need not worry about him anymore. He was slain by Jaimea from behind." Lothron did not react to this, though the prince could sense that she was shocked and surprised. That certainly was not expected of the normally meek elleth who had traveled with them.
"And of Norui?"
"Eruko told him that Glithiel was already dead."
"But surely that cannot be true! He would have known it by now."
"Exactly." He said quickly before the princess had a chance to rant, "But he has not realized this yet. When the news struck him, he did not bother to look for the bond that she and him shared, only assumed what he had been told was the truth." Lothron opened her mouth to speak but rethought it, then glanced down to her feet. She let her brother guide her for a long while before she spoke again.
"Do you think that is why he did not wake up? He is letting his grief rule him?"
"It is possible."
"He could fade from this world, Legolas, if we do not help him."
"We cannot do anything." The ellon retorted more bitterly than he intended, but ignored the hurt look on the elleth's face, "It is up to him to realize it."
"So you condemn him to a second death?"
This made the golden haired elf pause in his steps and a cold shiver went up his spine. She was right- that was exactly what he was doing to his brother. A dark feeling crept over him and he could not help but feel as if he had betrayed the ellon, and he bit his lip tentatively. The piercing gaze of his sister unnerved him and he shook his head, glancing back up to her cautiously.
"No, I will not." He answered softly, walking beside her once again, "But you know what I say is the truth. It will be up to him whether he accepts what we tell him or not."
Although reluctantly, the elleth nodded then quickly switched to a new topic, for she found speaking of her brother in such a way unsettling, "How is Jaimea? It is most surprising that she was able to kill him." Lothron furrowed her brow when the ellon's face darkened, and he looked to the ground.
"I do not know." He replied with a tinge of guilt in his voice, "I haven't spoken with her since last night." She quirked her brow when he did not meet her gaze, then sighed in exasperation.
"What did you say to her this time?"
He gaped at her, his jaw hanging in shock, "What makes you think I said something!"
"Because it is always you that causes trouble."
Lothron smirked in satisfaction at the flabbergasted look on the ellon's face. She could not help but chuckle at the childish display he put on, crossing his arms and sticking his bottom lip out in a pout. The elleth shook her eyes, rolling her eyes heavenward.
"Now, just make this easy and tell me." She said laughingly, "I want to help you."
For a moment, she thought that he was going to continue his silence but he suddenly groaned softly, and let his arms drop to his sides, Softly, he spoke, "I told her that Eruko did not deserve a proper burial because of what he did to our people, and that I feared Ada might be dead. I became angry with her, telling her that she knew nothing of the dark feeling death leaves you with." He paused to be sure that he still held his sister's attention, then continued, "But then she told me that her only brother had been killed, and that she felt the same thing that you and I had felt when Norui had died. She would not listen to me when I tried to apologize."
The princess seemed to ponder this for a moment, pursing her lips, then glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, "Did you know of this before you said it?"
"No, of course not." He answered quickly, "I would never had said such a thing if I did."
"Then I believe that she will come around eventually. You are not at fault, if you had no idea."
"Lady problems, eh?" A low voice called from one of the shops, and they glanced over quickly. A golden haired male was hunched over the wooden counter, his chin supported in his hands, with a grin on his face. A single beaded braid hung down before his ear, and dark blue eyes shimmered tiredly. Just by looking at him, they could tell he was barely aware of his surroundings and they would have found it amusing, had it not been under the same circumstances. Legolas quirked his brow when the Muru sat up quickly, nearly stumbling over backwards.
"Perhaps." He answered cautiously.
"Legolas, we should go…" The elleth suggested, pushing lightly against his shoulder but he ignored her.
"What is it to you?" The prince continued and the grin on the male's lips widened.
"I can give you something that will steal her heart forever, if you will only give me a chance." His interest piqued, the ellon brushed past his sister and came before the Muru, crossing his arms.
"Alright, what do you suggest?" Lothron rolled her eyes in a very un-elflike way and shook her head in exasperation.
"Gifts will not work, Gwador. You must gain her forgiveness by yourself." She chastised, and he glanced over his shoulder at her with a small smile. (Brother)
"At least, let me see what he has to offer."
Feeling as if he had won the attention of the elves, he shot a confident glance towards the elleth and leaned back onto a rickety stool, balancing precariously on two legs, "It is a myth of the Muruien that if any female sets eyes upon it, they will fall instantly in love with the one who possesses it. No maiden has ever been able to resist it- at least, not to my knowledge." He felt a sense of pride well up in his chest when even the princess seemed to be listening intently, "Will you have it?"
"It sounds more like trickery." She muttered. He shrugged.
"Call it what you will." He replied, shrugging, "But I guarantee it to capture the heart of any lady you desire." Without waiting for an answer, he disappeared behind two tattered curtains into a back room. Both elves watched with curiosity when the sounds of crashing and struggling met their ears and they suddenly wondered what they had gotten themselves into. Lothron sent the ellon an accusing glare and he smiled sheepishly.
A few moments passed and the noises ceased. The curtains parted and the male made his appearance, his hair tousled and beaming from ear to ear. He stretched out his arm with the item held tightly in his hand. Legolas's brow shot up in surprise and wonder while the elleth's face melted into a loving grin, and she rushed forward to take it in her hands.
"It is absolutely beautiful!" She exclaimed, stroking it gently, "I have never seen anything like it before."
The Muru snickered under his breath, sending the prince a wink, and then said to her, "For only ten gold pieces, it is all yours."
"I don't know…" Legolas mumbled, wrinkling his nose. Lothron looked to him with wide eyes.
"She would love it, Legolas." She said anxiously, "You must get it for her." The golden haired elf smirked.
"Do you mean that she would love it, or that you love it?" She gave him a mock glare, then turned her attention back to the Muru.
"Of course, we will take it." She promptly shoved it into her brother's arms who looked down at it with uncertainty.
"I think you are being brash, Lothron." He said as the elleth fumbled around in her leather pouch. She pulled out ten small coins and dropped them into the Muru's hand. He seemed to stare at them in surprise, as though he was not expecting to get that sort of money out of any one, but grinned and slipped them in his own pouch.
"Thank you very much." He said and bowed his head to them, "And good luck with your lady friend!"
As they left, they could hear him chuckling softly and the creaking of his stool. Suddenly, there was a crash and they looked back quickly to find him pulling himself up onto the counter with his elbows painfully, rubbing his head and groaning. The princess stifled her laughter before continuing on her way, Legolas following quickly behind her.
"Lothron!" He called, "What makes you think this will do any good?"
"Because I know she will love it," She started, not even bothering to wait for him to catch up, "You must have faith in me."
"But what are we going to do with it when we bring it back to Mirkwood?" The ellon questioned, "Where can we keep it?"
"In the palace, of course. Where else?"
The golden haired elf stopped in his tracks, sighing softly in annoyance. Lothron glanced back at him curiously, quirking her brow. Her emerald eyes could not help but wander back to the extraordinary item held in her brother's arms and she smiled.
"Lothron, you know we cannot keep it."
"Why not?"
"Because it will get bigger."
"Well, then what do you suppose we do?"
"Return it!" He exclaimed, already turning back to follow his own command, but was abruptly stopped when a familiar voice called to them. Much to the ellon's dismay, they saw a very interested silver haired prince approaching them hurriedly. Lothron smiled in greeting while Legolas only groaned. So much for returning it.
Tarmikos did not bother to greet them, only snatching the item away from the elf and examining it thoroughly with scrutinizing eyes. His face flickered with emotions, and they were not sure whether he was elated to see it or angered. They wondered what it was exactly that he was searching for, though they were not so curious as to ask. A frown appeared upon his lips and he glanced back to the elves.
"Where did you find this?" He asked hurriedly.
"At one of the shops." The princess answered, nodding back in the direction they had just come, "Why? What is it?"
"It is called a Komuned in our tongue." He answered, "Which translates into 'painted shadow' in your own language, or more simply an ocelot. They have grown increasingly scarce in our forests, for many have taken them up as companions, though more hunt them for their furs."
When the Muru gazed into the eyes of the creature, it made a soft squeak and swiped at his face with its paw. Tarmikos recoiled quickly, then smiled, "It relieves me to know that they still exist."
"The one we bought it from told us that there is a legend that surrounds them." Lothron commented, taking the creature in her arms delicately and stroking its spotted coat. The Muru laughed at this.
"You can call it a legend, if you like. Though it is not really true." He replied, his eyes sparkling with mirth, "It is more of a knowledge that all females will flock to its beauty, and desire one for themselves."
"Every female?" Legolas asked doubtfully. Tarmikos nodded.
"Every one." He replied, then cast him a curious glance, "Is that why you bought it? To soothe the ruffled feathers of your lady friend?"
"It was more of Lothron's decision." He muttered, narrowing his eyes at his sister.
The prince shrugged and said, "It was a good idea. But I suggest you keep it entertained before it decides to have you for its next meal."
And with that, the Muru bowed his head and hurried off in the direction the two elves had come from, leaving them both in a state of surprise and worry. Suddenly, Lothron wasn't too sure she wanted to hold the Komuned any longer so she passed it off to the ellon.
"Come, you should give it to her now." She said, then started off towards the palace.
Legolas glanced down to the creature in his arms and swallowed hard when its jaws opened wide in a snarl, baring its long fangs.
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Even when everyone had left and his sister had fallen into sleep, Ricamros could find no rest. Dark thoughts ran rampant through his mind and a splitting headache had developed in his forehead. He knew that his temperature had soared though he did not speak of it to his sister, lest he cause her to worry. That was not something that she needed at the moment.
The fever had caused a low humming in his ears and his vision to haze over, and his eyes darted all over the room. He tried to concentrate on the Muru laying at the foot of the bed, but found it only caused his headache to worsen. He briefly wondered what exactly was causing this feeling, but found his thoughts drifting elsewhere.
Ricamros sighed heavily and glanced over at the elleth in the other bed who had yet to waken. Her chest rose and fell steadily with each breath she took, and her eyes were closed in sleep. The Muru prince did not know much about elves, but knew enough to know that sleeping with one's eyes closed was not always a good thing. He chewed on his bottom lip tentatively.
"Iaurtondariel?" He whispered with a hoarse voice. When she made no response, he cleared his throat and tried again, "Iaurtondariel, are you awake?"
A deep from settled upon his lips when still she did not answer, and he looked back up to the ceiling. He sat there for what seemed like hours, silently brooding, until he noticed a stirring out of the corner of his eye. He glanced over at the lady hopefully and when her eyes fluttered open, he felt a great happiness well up in his chest.
He called her name once again and she furrowed her brow slightly, then looked over at him. She gave him an odd look, as if trying to register who he was exactly, and he asked her, "How are you feeling?"
She did not speak for a long moment, then answered softly, "How long have I been sleeping?"
"Not long," He answered, "Only for the night. Elladan and Estel found us, and brought us back here. But you didn't answer my question." The Muru could not help but smile when she laughed softly.
"Well, I can say that I have been better. You?"
For a moment, Ricamros considered telling her of all the pains and aches that he had, but decided against it, "I am fine, I suppose."
"That is a lie." She scolded playfully, fixing her eyes back on the ceiling. He scoffed and crossed his arms.
"Alright, fine. I feel like I have been trampled by a horse." He muttered. The prince perked up when she laughed and he suddenly wished that the smile on her face would never leave. She was beautiful, he thought to himself, even when in a state such as this.
Comfortable silence took over and they were content to just relax, knowing that the other was there. But then he remembered something, and a light dusting of pink covered his cheeks. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and chewed thoughtfully on his lips. Should he bring it up, or not?
"Iaurtondariel, may I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Why did you," He hesitated, and she looked over at him curiously. He steeled his resolve and continued, "Why did you kiss me last night? I thought that you wanted nothing to do with me."
The elleth opened her mouth to reply, closed it quickly, but opened it again, "I do not know. It could have been a spur of the moment idea that I had." Ricamros's face fell in dejection.
"Oh."
"But I don't think that was it." She amended quickly, sending him a smile, "I think it was because I was tired of running from you, and from the truth. We were always destined to be together, and nothing could ever change that. So, I just accepted it."
A surge of confidence rose up in the silver haired prince and she seemed to notice it, laughing at the wide grin upon his face. She rolled onto her side, biting back the discomfort it brought her, and gazed upon him with bright eyes, "Though I do not recall you returning that kiss."
"I was shocked, to say the least." He said, grinning happily, "It was certainly not what I was expecting from you at that moment."
"Do you plan on courting me?"
That question took the Muru prince off guard and he stuttered slightly, his pale face turning a bright red. Her laughter rang throughout the room, and her eyes shined.
"You certainly are a bold one."
This only served to increase her laughter.
XX
Well. This is a long chapter, but I'm not entirely happy with it. I like the beginning, and the ending, but not the stuff in between. This chapter was more of a very long filler- next one should be better. They may even head home next time! It's coming to an end! JOY! By the way, that song Tarmikos sang isn't mine. So if you want the translation to it, tell me in a review and I'll send it along with the incentive. And to anyone who can tell me which language it is, I'll let you borrow Legolas for the day.
Alright, incentive time. Review, and you get the first of two parts of a new story. This one features just about every character, lol. So if you want to read it, you must review! Oh, and if you still want the last chapter's incentive, you can just go back and review that one, too. Thanks for reading!
Until Next Time,
Manwathiel
