Chapter 17: The first clue

Authors note: Sorry this is has taken so long. I have been home for a little while but I was working on a pirates of the Caribbean story once I finally got the internet up… but thank you all!

"What is that?" Inwë asked before the large burly man Jackal pulled her towards him. Legolas pushed the man in the wall harshly.

"Don't ever touch her like that!" Legolas yelled taking it a little far. Inwë backed up slightly.

"Get off me prince," Jack pushed the prince away, "I don't have time for words… Inwë come here."

"What?" Inwë asked as Legolas pulled her into his arms, "Legolas… it's alright."

"I need to lift you up, you look lightest and strongest, and I trust you better to not screw this up. I am going to lift you up, you need to pull the large rock down…" Jackal said extending his arm. Inwë kissed Legolas' cheek.

"Let me go I'll be fine," she said pulling away as she walked knee deep through the watery grave. Jackal picked her up lifting her high up so she could reach the large stone. She took a moment to look at it in aw. When she touched it the whole place began to shake. They all looked around trying to catch their balance as the floor began to rumble beneath them. Rocks fell from the ceiling Inwë tried pulling it out but it wouldn't come out.

"FORGET IT!" Celebriän yelled gripping her sword, "let's get out of here!"

"NO!" Inwë yelled pulling on the rock, the burley man lost his balance and fell over, Inwë held on for dear life. Legolas ran under her ready to catch her when she fell.

"Let go Inwë!" Legolas yelled, "we have to get out of here!"

"NO!" she yelled before the rock fell out of the wall. She came crashing into Legolas making them both fall into the water. Inwë stood up pushing her soaking wet hair out of her face before standing up. Legolas stood up and grabbed her hand, she held the light rock in her arm as Legolas grabbed the other leading them out of the place. They all screamed as they ran avoiding the rocks falling from the ceiling. Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin were all waiting for them. They lowered the well bucket and would pull them up one by one.

"What happened down there?" Frodo asked in aw. Everyone sat on the ground soaking wet and tired.

"The place collapsed… there was some kind of tomb or home. But we got this," Inwë said breathing heavily her heart racing so fast she thought it would burst.

"What is it?" Merry asked standing beside Éowyn. Inwë laid it flat so they could all read it.

"I think it is in Drow," Inwë said looking around at everyone. They all looked back at her, "does anyone know Drow?"

"I do," Celebriän said sitting down beside Inwë. She glanced over it looking at the symbols and dialect, "it's a riddle of some sort…"

"Hmmm read it," Éomer said scratching at his chin. Celebriän sighed before bending over and reading it out loud.

Tangi lu' isto, isto lu' tangi, gaer zhah folbol everyday.

Natha k'lar vel'klar tonashss thalran tonashss, natha egg orn lay...

l' vaen d' olt valyrin, ol orn xxizz dos ragar dosst i'dol.

"Day and night, night and day, there is something everyday. A place where rock meets rock, a egg will lay... the last of its kind, it will help you find your way," Celebriän recited. They all looked around curiously. Where in the world could the stone be talking about? They looked over to Olwë who was pulling off the rubies, sapphires, diamonds, and emeralds. When he pulled out the last one the rock went PUFF and smoke evaporated. When they looked down they saw a piece of parchment paper. Inwë picked it up and looked at them. She read the words they were in elvish.

"Those who watch their back, meet death from the back," she said looking at it curiously. Perhaps it was something important. They all looked at Olwë who just shrugged. He smiled big as he showed them all the jewels that came out of that stone. It bugged Inwë what that note said. Frodo and Sam led them to Frodo's house while Éowyn and Merry spent time talking about their lives. Every sat and talked about the old times, Legolas was silent though, he had his own worries. He got up and walked outside into the cold night. He let the crisp air pierce his skin. Inwë walked out of the house looking at Legolas who was pacing out on a hill. She walked to him placing a hand on his shoulder. He knew it was her by the softness, he slowly turned around.

"I wondered when you'd come," he said softly. She smiled up at him with gentle caring blue eyes. His hand found her face, just touching her soft skin made his finger tips tremble. He placed a brown curl behind her ear as he gazed down at her softly. She looked up at his eyes, so full of a pain locked away that he wouldn't share with her. The crickets buzzed their mating calls, while the grassy hills bristled together in a song… a song that sat deep within their hearts. She sighed wondering why he kept those things to himself.

"I've always been here Legolas… always," she said softly slipping her hands in his. He tried to smile but something in his heart out weighed the happiness. He knew, he knew something was coming… and he feared it, "so why won't you tell me what hurts? Why do you leave every time they start talking about the past? Why won't you share your secrets with me?"

"It's not that simple Inwë," he said sadly as he lifted her soft pale hands to his lips and kissed them.

"It might not be simple… but please don't leave me in the blue. Don't let me be the side dish to everything… don't let me be the substitute," Inwë said softly, "my prince share your pain… I am strong enough for the both of us."

"Inwë," he sighed placing on of her hands to his chest he breathed in the crips air of the cold night, "you shouldn't have to be strong enough for the both of us. I should be… My pain is my burden, my memories are my burden, you are my relief not my substitute, for nothing could substitute for you… or the things I've seen. You are my light, it is my darkness, and I must live with both."

"You don't have to Legolas Greenleaf, you don't have to," she said softly before stroking his gentle face, "you no longer have to carry the burden of your past… not into our future."

"I love it when you say our," he smiled at her. She smiled back trying not to blush, "but do not worry Inwë."

"I must worry Legolas, I must," she said sadly, "please share with me, please…"

"Don't, please don't…" he said trying to move away from her. She stood there waiting for him to come back but he wasn't moving. Inwë sat there looking out at the waving grass. Inwë slowly walked out into it with her arms wrapped around her waste. Legolas turned around a moment to see Inwë slowly walking in. Was she mad at him? He turned around and walked back and stood there watching her. She looked so beautiful underneath the nights sky. The wind caught to her lime green dress as she walked through the dark grass. She turned and saw him watching her. She sat in the grass and slowly laid down looking up at the stars. Legolas slowly made his way towards her. The grass swayed towards her as if in a magical moment. He saw her laying there on the ground plucking at a piece of grass, "Inwe…"

"Go away," she said sourly. He sighed before sitting down beside her. She just wouldn't move.

"Inwë please don't be mad," he said laying down beside her. He prompt his head on his hand as he looked at her. She wouldn't say anything at him. He just tickled her side she tried not to laugh but she couldn't help it. She just pulled away as he tickled her more and she couldn't control it she sat up pulling Legolas into a kiss. His hands flung to her face as they kissed sitting there in the sweet green grass. Her arm sat on his face as the other one wrapped around his neck. His hand stroked her face as they kissed. They both went back down still kissing. When they stopped her just looked down at her, "I still dream about it sometimes…"

"What?" she asked looking up at him biting her lip. One arm were planted on each side of Inwë on the ground. He kissed her gently on the lips again.

"Sometimes I dream about the things I saw, the women and children I couldn't save…" he said softly afraid the wind would catch his words. Her hand gently stroked his face when she realized he was telling her. He bit his lip and let out a deep sigh as he looked down at her face glowing under the moons light.

"It's alright Legolas… you've always tried to be a hero haven't you?" she smiled trying not to cry.

"I can't…" he said she could feel him trembling before he got up. She sat up watching him walk away. She sighed before standing up wiping the grass off her dress. She walked after Legolas.

"Legolas Greenleaf," she said walking to him he didn't stop so she jogged up to him and when he turned around she jumped on him. He fell over un expectedly. She fell foreword nearly flying off of him. She laughed before he rolled over rolling her over as well. He looked down at her.

"Why'd you do that? You could have hurt yourself?" he said before standing up and helping her up.

"Legolas… I didn't ask for your life's story, just what haunts you," she said still smiling he loved when she smiled. He grabbed her waist pulling her close.

"You don't want to know what happened, one day when I am ready… I'll tell you," he said stroking her face, "I'm just not ready to release my pain…"

"And I'm not asking you to release it… I'm asking you to help me understand you," she smiled at him as she wrapped her arms around his waist, he wrapped his arms over her arms and around her back.

"All you need to understand is I love you, forever and ever as long as I live this heart of mine I give to you, it is yours," Legolas said smiling at her. When he turned around she jumped on his back he laughed as he spun her around making her close her eyes and scream.

Authors note: I am sorry this is short, but hey I have three other people to share the computer with and it sucks believe me lmao!