Disclaimer: I do not own Lord Of the rings
Chapter 2:
Legolas told his father of his feelings, his father loving his son, understood the urge to leave again. His father helped prepare his leave; he offered his son money and his finest men to accompany his son on the journey back to Gondor. Legolas did take the money but reclined his fathers offer to having men to travel with him. He wanted no more of his people dead and he knew not how serious the matter really was. Only in his heart did he believe something was TRULY wrong.
Legolas packed his belongings including food, and his favorite bow, the one Galadriel gave him. Without this bow he would have gotten into quite a few terrible jams. He tucked his usual long knife inside its sheath as well packed a sword just in case. Thranduil waved by to his son gloomily. Mirkwood was not enough for him yet, something seemed to be tugging at his heart. The mighty prince of Mirkwood climbed onto the gray steed and galloped off towards Gondor. For a long and hard day and hours Legolas rode, never stopping until he saw a tiny village up ahead. It was nothing spectacular he had been to this town many times before.
He slowed his horse down as its hooves touched the stoned road. It was a rather large city but not as large as Gondor any of the other magnificent places he's been. Though Rivendel he always thought was the most beautiful place of ALL middle earth. He looked around at all the mortals hustling and bustling around to get done their days work so that they could go home and see their family or drink realizing that there isn't much going on in their lives.
He saw a small in and decided to let himself stay in some place comfy for a change. He climbed off of the gray horse and tied it to the railing before walking into the inn. A girl sat at the counter, she had obviously been working there all day for she looked warn. He pulled out his little bag of money as he walked to the counter. She smiled warmly though her eyes showed weary she hid it well, but not well enough.
"How are you today?" she asked folding her hands on the counter. He nodded not knowing what the answer should be.
"As well as I can be I s'pose," he said looking around the large wooden village. She smiled she obviously didn't feel like talking much.
"Inwë!" a voice from the back yelled. She let out a sigh and turned her head so that only deep brown curls were in place of her pale and dusted face.
"What I am with a customer!" she yelled back a little shyly.
"Don't talk to me like that girl! You will be punished! But go on and don't give him a discount, you always give discounts!" the grumpy voice yelled from the back. There were several men drinking booze at the tables as they watched the inn and bartenders daughter serve the blonde stranger who was obviously and elf.
"Well, I…" Legolas didn't know what to say to the girl. He just waited for her to hand him a key, "how much do I owe you?"
"Five gold pieces seven gold pieces if you want extra services such as maintenance, or food. The bar is open at all times," she said putting some brown curls behind her ear.
"Well I don't think I'll need extra service, but here is a silver coin for your hard work. So the bar is open all day?" he said looking at the frazzled she-elf.
"Yes everyday all day," she sighed looking to the group in front of her.
"That would explain why you look so tired," he said making her look down. She knew what he was thinking, a girl being the only one in the place… she must be more then just the waitress, with this many men around.
"I'm not… like that," she said thinking he was hinting something. He didn't understand until she turned away in obvious shame.
"Oh, no, no, no I didn't mean THAT, no never. I just meant you must have to stay up a lot, to serve the men their alcohol. I am so sorry that you thought what you thought," he said taking the key she was handing him.
"Don't worry I get it a lot. Enjoy your stay at the Weeping Willow," she said no longer smiling. A man came up to the bar and demanded a drink from her, he was obviously drunk. Legolas watched as he walked up the stairs to his room. Finally some peace, he thought as he lay on the cozy bed. He laid there closing his eyes trying to drift off into hopefully a dreamless sleep. But he remembered that girl and how unhappy she looked. He thanked the Valar that he got the life he did despite his duties as being a prince. He could see her eyes and how sad they were, is this what he fought for and people died for? Yes he fought for Middle Earth, but what point if no one was happy in the end? He rolled out trying to get the horrible images of the orcs and uruk-hai and the blood that they had shed.
Through his dreams they were reborn, he shifted around sweating horribly. He turned his head to the left swinging around as he saw orcs and uruk-hai running at him, he was unable to move and weaponless. He saw Merry and Pippin on their backs. He swung up realizing he was still in a bed. He turned his head to the door as he heard knocks upon the door.
Breathing heavily Legolas sat there a moment until he heard a knock on his door again. It was pitch dark out still, so he didn't over sleep his stay. Who could it have been? He stood up looking down at his traditional brown and green shirt it was soaked as if he stood out in the rain. He walked to the door and opened it looking at a brown haired girl standing before him. Did he do something wrong?
"Hello," he said rubbing his eyes.
"I am sorry for waking you sir," she said shyly she obviously had some low self esteem.
"Did you need something?" he asked shielding his eyes from the light. She looked down feeling a little bad...
"I heard you screaming and thrashing around, some people were complaining about a noise and it is you sir. Are you alright?" she asked fidgeting. She obviously didn't like her job to much.
"I am fine now, just a bad dream I guess," the girl said bowing her head slightly, she obviously knew who he was.
"Well if you like you can come down and have some warm milk, I have some plants that will help you go to sleep and have dreamless sleep," she said knowing how it felt to have bad dreams. He figured it wasn't a bad idea, he could give it a try, and how can he keep taking this journey with haunting dreams.
"Thank you that would be nice," he said shutting the door behind him and following the girl in the plain brown and white cotton dress. She went behind the counter and pulled out a glass, she then boiled some milk and pulled out some chocolate cake. She served it to him, the bar was silent not a soul in there except them two. She poured him some warmed milk before pulling some leaves off a plant that she had hidden under the counter, she then pulled some petals from a flower she had under there as well and mixed it in his milk.
"Now let this sit for a moment, ok?" she said dusting her hands off before leaving the room. He sat looking at the milk as the leafs and the petals danced around the swirling milk, the leafs and petals slowly began to fall to the bottom of the hot milk almost as it dissolved. The girl came back with a piece of something; she stuck it into the milk and with a spoon stirred it around.
"What is that?" he asked looking at it curiously. She smiled for these things were the things she loved the most.
"It is nothing but a piece of fruit," she laughed as he realized it was a peach piece.
"What is it for?" he said watching it bob around as she stirred the milk.
"For taste sir, these leafs don't exactly taste the greatest. Here it is ready, avoid drinking down the leafs, actually don't drink the petals either the leafs are bad to eat, and the petals… well I just wouldn't eat them," she said leaving him so she could clean some dishes. He looked at it and sighed.
"Well here it goes," he said before lifting it to his lips. He slowly let the milk that was now warm slide down his throat. It didn't taste bad… like creamy mint peaches. When she finally came back ten minutes later she was putting away cups. "So how did you know about this?"
"Well my mother was an elf, she told me my father was part human, but I never got to meet him…" before she could finish the blonde elf interrupted.
"So then who is the man who yells to you?" asked Legolas interestedly.
"My father died, my mother remarried this man for security, and she hadn't had me yet though. She was pregnant with me when she married him though; she was good with potions and other kind of crafts. She taught me most of it before she died, I guess I have just experimented, her spirit always guided me to figuring out different combinations and the right amounts, at least I believe she does," she said putting up the last cup.
"Inwë!" a large man yelled walking out looking at the blonde elf. He looked angry.
"Why have you not brought me my drink!" he bellowed angrily.
"Because papa, I am with a costumer right now," she said turning to look at the bear looking man. He was round in the belly and obviously a not very nice man.
"Well hurry it up. I want my drink! You're a thick headed…" he began as he stumbled off still saying profanities about her that the two could not hear.
"I am sorry, good night sir," she said before pouring the strong smelling alcohol and taking it to her stepfather. Legolas sat there before finishing up his drink and leaving for his room, he hated to see such good people treated like that, BUT there was nothing HE could do.
Legolas woke up in the morning not dripping with sweat or tired. He was shocked! The first time since the ring had been destroyed had he not had a terrifying dream. Legolas packed his stuff and headed down towards the staircase. He heard a glass crash to the floor and lots of yells. He ran down the stairs quickly and saw the whole bar was in a fight. He looked at the girl who stood in shock as a man behind the counter was breaking glasses. She tried to push him out but he grabbed her by the arm and threw her aside. She caught herself before tripping on a passed out man. She looked around almost ready to be in tears as another man tried to get behind the counter, he was heading for the money. She got in the way but he tried to push her away, she didn't move. When he tried pushing her away her fist met his face, he stumbled back a little taken back… but he was drunk so quickly he jumped at her.
Legolas tried to run to her in time but he already had the poor helpless girl by the throat. Legolas wrapped his arm around the man's throat choking the man. The man dropped the fragile girl so she fell to the floor. The whole bar was in an uproar everyone was fighting someone. She stood up watching the big man grabbing the blonde elf's arms trying to pull him off. Eventually the man went to sleep and Legolas watched as a mug flew by the girls head towards the wall, he grabbed her turning her around so that when the glass shattered it didn't hit her. She closed her eyes until she thought it was safe. Legolas pulled his bow and arrows out and stood on a chair so everyone could see him.
"ENOUGH!" he yelled shooting the arrow by some men who were fighting. They all stopped and looked at him, "everyone out!"
Everyone slowly one by one left the bar in a fit. The fighting didn't stop it continued in the streets but eventually moved away. The girl looked used to small bar fights; she was a little in shock as she looked around. He looked at her a little worried; this was no place for a woman to be working out, at least not without a suitable man around to take her place when needed. The large burly bear like man walked out obviously drunk, he saw the mess and looked to the girl. Her eyes fell to the floor and her heart began to race.
"Inwë!" he yelled angrily looking at the mess, "what have you done!"
"Sir it wasn't her fault," Legolas said trying to defend her.
"Nonsense! I do not want liars in my home," the man said walking to Inwë and grabbing her arm harshly making her wince in pain, "you will be cleaning this up! Do you not know how to do anything right!"
"Let her go it wasn't her fault," Legolas yelled walking to her the man shook her so she was standing in front of him.
"You do not know her; she has been the biggest screw up since she was a child. So you stay out of this, this is none of your business!" he yelled at Legolas, Legolas wasn't use to being yelled at… it made him a little angry.
"Well look who she had raising her," Legolas said not being able to control his tongue. The man glared at Legolas before throwing his step daughter down to the ground and leaving. She sat there on the broken glass and broken wood from broken chairs. She sat there a moment holding her arm to her mouth not wanting to show her glossy eyes. Legolas went to go and help her up but she pulled away from him.
"Don't," she said getting up on her own and looking around at the place feeling a lump well in her throat and heart.
"Why do you let him talk to you like that?" Legolas asked looking at the girl who bit her lip and looked up at him.
"Why are you here?" she asked looking at tears filling her eyes. He thought about it a moment and he didn't know. He then remembered, when he had nightmares things that scared him she helped scare them away… he wanted to return the favor.
"Because its my turn to help you," he said his long blonde hair falling down to his chest.
"I don't need your help," she said trying to control her bottom lip as she placed one hand to her mouth to catch her sigh. He stood there looking at her, he felt pity for the poor girl.
"But…" he wanted to try and be the hero, he was so use to being the hero, why was this different.
"Just go," she said looking down biting her lip, she could feel herself begin to shake she wanted to cry and she couldn't with him there, "go!"
"Fine," he said slowly turning around and walking to the door he had things he had to get done anyways. So he couldn't be the hero here, he'd be the hero some where else. He then stopped a moment and silently but loud enough for to hear said, "thank you," and then he left.
Authros note: So what should I have happen? What should be the next problem for Legolas to try and solve. I have some ideas but you never know right? Lollo! Please comment and give me ideas or just give me courage!
Theme song for story:
"Last one standing," by Emerson Drive
Queen of the night
Life of the party
It's all an illusion
You
can't hide that big a heart ache
So stop the delusion
Waitin'
for someone's rescue
My arms are right here for
you
Chorus
Through the wind and the rain
Through the
laughter and pain
Count on me
And when life isn't fair and
there's nobody there
I will be
In a world of pretenders
I
am your defender
And when it all comes down
I'll be the last
one standing
This is for life don't ever doubt it
You've
already fallen
Love is alive so stand up and shout it
'Cause
destiny's callin'
The others who stand behind me
They don't
look nothin' like me
Chorus
Waitin' for someone's
rescue
My arms are right here for you
Chorus
Yeah
yeah
I'll be the last one standing
Through the wind and the
rain
Through the laughter and pain
I'll be the last one
standing