Chapter 5: A bit of trouble
Morning rose, Legolas was swiftly up before the sun could rise. He quickly packed up while Inwë slept peacefully. She woke up when Legolas gently rocked her awake. It took her a moment but she opened her eyes so she was looking up at the elf who had rescued her the day before. She knew it was time to leave, so she packed up her stuff and followed Legolas to the gray horse. He climbed up swiftly, and then placed his hand down so she could grab it. He quickly pulled her up behind him, and when she had a grip around his waist he snapped the reigns so the horse would trot through the woods.
Inwë watched the golden leafs fall to the ground in the autumn breeze. The air was so fresh and crisp; this was her favorite time of year. Everything was bathed in golden light! For hours they had been riding getting no where. The horse was obviously getting annoyed and tired. The sun was finally hung in the sky watching down through the sea of trees. She sighed in delight as she thought of how free she was. Legolas' eyes caught glimpse of golden plains, they finally found a way out of these woods.
"So where are you going to go?" Inwë asked out of curiosity.
"WE… are going to Gondor," he said normally as he slowed the gray horse down to a fast walk.
"Wait how come I don't get a choice, I don't want to go to Gondor," she said angrily. She hated never having any say in her life.
"Because until we get to Gondor, you are my responsibility," he said not sure what to say. She obviously didn't want to argue, but it seemed to be in her nature.
"But you always run into some kind of trouble. I am scared," she admitted no longer trying to make up excuses.
"Do not worry Inwë, you will be alright I promise," he said nervously. What was he suppose to say to comfort her? He wasn't use to traveling with girls.
"Don't promise that," she said sadly looking to the ground.
"Why not?" he asked look back to see her sad face, "don't worry I keep my promises."
"How do you know that I will be safe?" she asked trying to be serious.
"Because I will protect you, I promise I will let nothing happen to you," he said swallowing as the clearing became closer and closer. A smile came to her face.
"Fine, then once we get to Gondor if I want to…" before she could finish someone jumped out of the trees and tackled them along with the horse to the ground. Legolas reached for his sword but by the time he got it the "things" had her and were gone. He heard her yelling for help. He hastily tried to get the horse to stand up; the gray horse just snorted as if Legolas was crazy and resumed lying on the ground. The horse was obviously getting tired of these dangerous adventures Legolas kept dragging him on. He sighed before running out into the forest as fast as he could. He finally stopped when he stumbled on a root and fell to his knees gasping for air.
"No," he breathed feeling tears come to his eyes, he had failed. How could he fail? He slowly stood up feeling his lungs work hard to catch the air he breathed into his body. Legolas slowly in pain walked to his horse that was NOW standing. Climbing up he began to think. Should he look for Inwë or should he leave cause his dreams were getting worst, just like the feeling in his stomach, "I promised her," he sighed turning the horse in the direction of where the girl's screams were. And she said he was trouble HA! Legolas spent hours following a trail that led to no where. He sighed in frustration as night began call, telling him soon he'd have to stop his search.
He heard a crack in the bushes beside him. Someone knew he was there, someone was watching him. Legolas ignored it knowing that he had to play it safe. He used his elf vision and hearing to keep track of his wild environment. His heart felt heavy as he thought of all the possible things happening to that poor girl. He couldn't take the suspense anymore and trotted to the bush making the person run as he trotted after the guy and grabbed the back of his shirt.
"Please don't hurt me! I can tell you where the girl is!" the man yelled hurriedly. He saw another person exit a different bush.
"That is none of our business Olwë," a woman's voice said walking out smoothly and unafraid. Legolas looked at her as he held the back of the half human mans shirt.
"Tell me where the girl is and I'll spare your lives," Legolas said pulling his sword out as he dismounted the gray horse.
"That is none of our business to answer you with; we barely made it away ourselves. Your problems are your own princes," the girl said obviously knowing who he was. She too was elven, but she was half human.
"Well you obviously have a death wish lady, take me to her, or I will spill his blood before you, and spill yours next," Legolas said threateningly.
"I will take you I will take you!" the brown haired man known as Olwë said frantically.
"uh, you are despicable disgrace of a man," the woman said rolling her eyes. She was obviously not a fair elf maiden like most she-elves.
"Sorry that I don't want to die Celebriän. This way," Olwë said pointing in the direction. The girl followed them as Legolas pulled his horse after the half elf half human. They were obviously related. After half an hour of walking the man Olwë put a finger to his mouth saying to be quiet. It was now extremely dark out. The rain was slightly beginning to sprinkle. Olwë pointed to a tiny camp full of orcs, humans, Uruk-hai, and other monstrous looking creatures. But what were they doing with men? And what did they want with Inwë? He looked at Inwë who sat in the middle of the group looking around terrified. She was tied to a post, and had something tied around her mouth so she couldn't scream. She looked over to where the blonde elf was hiding besides a brown haired man and woman.
"I have to get her out of there," he said swallowing nervously. The others looked at him then to her.
"She is just a regular girl, what is so special about her? Common let us go, we'll find you a prettier elf," Olwë said getting up to leave. Legolas grabbed his arm pulling him down.
"You do not have to go in there but I do have a job for you, watch my horse, I will send her…" before she could finish they heard movements in the trees on the other side of the camp. That was when men ran from outside of the bushes with hammers, and swords. The men from the village, there was one creature was walking towards Inwë who pretended to be asleep. Some men ran towards the girl cut her ropes and picked her up, Legolas stood up to run out there but the man looked at Legolas as wicked black wings spread from out of his back, with a wicked paw he sliced through the three men so they dropped the girl. She screamed as he grabbed her vest and took off into the air. She screamed for help, but nobody helped her. Legolas took out his bow and special arrows and one after the other hit the creature. It squealed and swerved but that was it, it did not die, it did not cry in pain, it barely bled. What did happen was when it swerved, Inwë's arm came out of her vest and she plunged towards the ground. Birds squealed angry as the girl fell through the top of the trees. She grabbed a branch bracing herself as the branch broke. She screamed before she plunged into a lake.
The monsters scattered as their master retreated. The monster just smiled at Legolas, smiled and that was it! It showed no fear, just laughter and amusement. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. Legolas threw the image from his mind, grabbed his horse, and rode over to the lake. Some men were already pulling the dripping girl out from the water as she coughed and sputtered shakily. They tied her hands up making Legolas and her both have a shocked look on their face.
"What are you doing!" Legolas yelled as he trotted up. They all looked up at the elf that shot the beast in the sky.
"She killed a man; we are taking her to Gondor for trial to see what her punishment is," the man said walking out of the water holding Inwë in front of him. Inwë looked at Legolas terrified of what would happen.
"Inwë," he said walking up to her before the man jerked her back slightly, "it isn't her fault!"
"There were witnesses of what she did," the man said obviously not going to let her go without a fight.
"Let me at least talk to her a moment," he said anger filling up inside him; there were no witnesses at all! The only three there were him, her, and the step father… but the step father was no longer alive… so there was no one to have seen the murder!
"Fine," the man said standing behind her, he backed up a little with an arrow and his bow ready if the two tried to escape.
"Why didn't you tell him it was you!" she yelled a whisper not wanting anyone to hear her.
"I was going to until they told me they were taking you to Gondor," he said with a slight smile.
"And?" she asked obviously getting scared and annoyed all at once.
"My friend is the king of Gondor, I will talk him out of the charges, they will never know," Legolas said with a smile. This wasn't turning out TOO bad.
"Times up," the man said walking up and nudging the girl slightly.
"Hey be nice," Legolas said angrily, "I'll be seeing you," he said looking to Inwë.
"Promise?" Inwë asked looking to him as she walked passed him.
"I promise," he said swallowing as he watched the man pull her to a scruffy looking brown horse. She looked to him as they group of men rode off passed him.
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The pair of half elves finally showed the elven prince the way out of the forest, and the direction to take to get to Gondor. The man thought about it a moment as Legolas went through his money bag. He handed the two of them three gold pieces a piece.
"Wait I'd like to come with you," the brown haired man said looking to Legolas. Legolas looked at him in shock
"What?" both the girl and Legolas asked at the same time. He looked at her with a not so surprised look; she was the kind of person who lived for herself and herself alone.
"I think we should help big sister," he said bowing his head as honorably as possible to the blonde elf.
"You are being a baboon again little brother, we are going home so I can drop you off," she said obviously agitated. She was beautiful for being so barbaric looking. Something must have happened to her to make her so vicious and self-absorbed.
"I am only a little younger then you sister," the brown haired boy said anxiously. She just sighed in irritation, "I am going with or without you."
"I don't know if it would be wise if you came," Legolas said not wanting to have to protect more people.
"I will follow you anyways," he said seriously, "I use to be a little scoundrel, a little monster, always causing mischief. Now it is my time to show that I can change, I would like to help you get your girl back…"
"Whoa! She is NOT my girl," Legolas said making sure that was clear.
"That is not the point," the brown haired man said sighing, "I am coming and whether my sister wishes to come or not, I cannot say."
"I will come as well," she sighed obviously getting tired of trailing after her brother and his STUPID ideas.
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The group had gone back to the city so they could gather some horses. After that they were off. For days and night they rode, they would rest and eat as usual, but it was only for moments. They had finally reached Gondor, the miraculous city seemed to be awaiting him. People stopped doing what they were doing to go and see the prince and his new friends. Aragorn had run down the steps of his castle in Minas Tirith to greet the blonde elven prince.
"Legolas Greenleaf, my old pal," Aragorn said with a smile. He still looked so youthful. Arwen walked down the steps slowly smiling at the prince of Mirkwood and her husband. They had married before Legolas and the rest of the Fellowship had left to go back to their homes.
"Aragorn you look as youthful as ever," Legolas said, though it hadn't been that long since the Fellowship had set off back home.
"What do I owe this pleasure," Aragorn said placing a hand on the prince's shoulder.
"Well this meeting is probably not going to be a pleasure," Legolas said bowing his head in respect to the king.
"I had feared that was why you visited prince of Mirkwood," a lovely voice said stepping down from the steps. Legolas looked up to see Arwen queen of Gondor.
"Hello my lady Arwen ever is thy sight a joy," he said bowing his head in respect. She laughed slightly; she was indeed a BEAUTIFUL elf.
"Same here Legolas," Arwen said bowing to the prince of Mirkwood.
"Well we have been friends for a long time Legolas, I trust whatever it is you have come to tell me will be very important, come let us go inside," Aragorn said taking his hand from Legolas' shoulder and walking up to his wife who smiled as he went to kiss her. Arwen then took her husbands hand as they walked up the stairs. Legolas and the other two who had gone unnoticed followed them.
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"She got away sir," the man with black wings said placing his head down. An older man with pointy teeth sat in a chair looking at his most faithful servant.
"She got away did she? And how was this?" the man said with a soft but loud and angry voice.
"That pigheaded prince of Mirkwood got in the way again," the man said bowing his head to the monstrous man.
"Well then, what is your plan on getting her back?" the man said with a sigh.
"Well why do we need her sir?" the man said angry but also with respect.
"How dare you question my motives!" he yelled jumping up and looking at the black winged creature, "but… I shall answer your question. I did not come from the future, to raise you for no reason. She happens to be someone's weakness, I had been haunting her mother for ages trying to use her as the weakness, but the woman was powerful, she then killed herself giving her gifts to her only daughter, to his only daughter."
"Who's only daughter?" the creature asked curiously, his black wings withering into his back.
"Jack Bringer," the monstrous man said smiling with all sharp fang like teeth.
"Who is he master?" the man said bowing his head down.
"I came back five thousand years, back in that time elf's are a dieing breed, they protect the lands with their magic, but the mortals begin to over populate you see, taking over all the lands and driving the elf's out. This was a good time for me, for I planned on taking over the world. Well the elf's create a magical realm of their own that no mortal can get into… where they protect the lands, I had a plan to destroy the world and recreate it in my own vision of what it should be… but that elf man who was only half elf mind you that, had a glimpse of my plan, he found a way into the future awhile ago, and came up with the name Jack Bringer, ever since he has been destructing my plans! Now I can change the future, so that my plans will work. In order to have things my way, I must find a way to kill off ALL elvish races. Starting with Jack Bringers," the man said still standing as he saw his vision in his head, "the world will be bathed in blood, I will be the king of all! If I can get that girl on my side, she could be the ultimate weapon."
"I understand master, I will search for her," the thing said bowing his head, letting wings spread from his back as he ran and took off flying high into the air.
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"Legolas I really don't know what to say to that, she is down in the dungeons, her trial is tomorrow," Aragorn said with a sigh. Arwen sat smiling at Legolas, was he finally in love? She had always seen him as family, he had always been apart of her and Aragorn's life.
"Please you must help me Aragorn I promised this girl I would protect her," Legolas said begging his friend.
"Legolas she killed a man!" Aragorn said pacing with his arms crossed, "I cannot let this go unpunished because of a promise you made!"
"Aragorn… that is where you were wrong, it was her step father… and I was the one to kill her," Legolas said sitting in a chair with his eyes looking at the floor.
"Do not lie like that Legolas," Aragorn said his head snapping towards where his friend sat.
"I am not telling you a lie my friend! I am serious," Legolas said knowing that his friend could not get Legolas into trouble with this, and would not even if he could.
"What were you thinking Legolas Greenleaf?" Aragorn said frantically looking to his closest friend.
"I was thinking he was going to kill her!" Legolas yelled not understanding why everyone was looking at him that way.
"You love her don't you?" Arwen laughed catching both Aragorn and Legolas off guard.
"I am not in love queen Arwen," Legolas said looking down, "I barely consider her my friend."
"Then why is there a slight smile on your face, and why are you here? If you barely consider her a friend, why do you want to save her?" Arwen asked crossing her arms.
"I do not… ok I kind of like her, but not really. The only thing pleasant about her, is the fact I get to rescue her all the time," Legolas laughed, "in all honestly she isn't that bad looking, but she is annoying and there were several times I wanted to leave her there…"
"But you didn't," Aragorn said with a smile. Legolas rolled his eyes.
"Now I wish I had, she says that trouble follows ME I have never had trouble until I found her," he said with a sigh, "can I see her?"
"Yes Legolas, she is in the prison down on the sixth level of the city," Aragorn said looking at his old friend, "her trial starts tomorrow so you know.
"Ok thank you my friend," Legolas said walking towards the door, "by the way, I promised her I'd protect her, which is why I have come for her. Besides there is more to the story Aragorn, we must talk when I return."
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Legolas walked through the damp prison. He looked at all the inmates who looked vicious and mean. She may be annoying, and talks too much… but she… doesn't belong in a place like this, he said in his mind as he looked at the black chipping bars on the cells. Legolas didn't stop walking until he saw a brown haired girl sitting on the floor looking at the ceiling as water dripping onto her out stretched hand.
"Inwë?" Legolas asked looking at the brown curls in a tangled mess. She looked at him for a moment then looked down.
"You came," she said softly, unlike herself.
"I came," he said his hands wrapping around the bar. He looked at her; he didn't love her, did he? No he couldn't have, she was too snotty for him, and she wasn't even silvery and beautiful like the woman folk back in Mirkwood. But her brown curls matched her candy pink lips, and her deep blue eyes. Through her eyes he could see a heart, a soul, something very rare. But why did she cover up? Why was she so cold on the outside?
"Why?" she asked leaning her head against the stone wall.
"Because I promised I would," he said seeing a tear fall down her face.
"Well isn't that valiant of you," she said tucking her lips between her teeth as she tried to bite back her tears.
"No, I've done greater things with my time," he tried to joke but she just turned her head and nodded.
"So, this is what you mean when you said I'd be ok?" she asked looking at him tears filling her eyes, it pained him to see someone with such potential so sad. But couldn't she see he wasn't trying to put her there.