For Disclaimer please see Chapter 1.
Author's Note: Read and Enjoy! Sorry for the delay…last term of school and wedding planning has taken over my brain. Will try my best to update more often.
Kersi
Chapter 8: Ada
As he had been instructed to do from the very beginning, the young soldier rode for only a short while before stopping and settling in between the shards of rocks. He helped Aurel down and motioned for her to take cover. In the distance the sounds of horses galloping faintly by could be heard, along with some voices that spoke Rohirrim. He peeked over the edge of rocks to try and make out what was happening.
"They will not be out for long in the dark." Whispered the young soldier.
Aurel only sat there, trying to return her breathing back to normal. "Do not underestimate the Rohirrim, they are well trained." She remembered how well they fought in the dark days of the war of the ring.
"Yes…but their fragile human nature instils in them a fear of the dark…they will not hunt for the others until daybreak."
"Are we to wait here until daybreak?" asked Aurel.
The soldier retreated from his look out and sat himself down next to her. "When I think it best, we are to keep moving."
"I cannot ride." Her voice almost panicked and she cursed herself for it.
The soldier nodded. "We will walk, if you can, or I will carry you."
Aurel said nothing, she did not care anymore how it was they were to get back to Eryn Lasgalen, her thoughts were now focused on Legolas and what was to become of his fate. The young guard felt the uneasiness come from Aurel and he tried to qualm it.
"It is all carefully planned my lady, you have nothing to worry about."
"What about the prince?"
The guard looked towards the ground, and then at his hands and said nothing.
"Answer me." Demanded Aurel.
"I cannot."
"We cannot leave him there." She said as if she had any control over the situation.
Again the guard said nothing, and only propped himself back up to peer over the rocks. He saw nothing and the sounds of horses were now even further away, a faint whisper of an echo. He extended his hand out for Aurel, "We must be on our way."
For a moment she thought of refusing and demanding that they go back to help Legolas, but she realized quickly how foolish her thinking had turned and accepted the help of the guard in front of her.
"I will ask that you let me know when you feel you can walk no further and we will take a rest." He said proudly.
Aurel nodded. "Do I get a weapon?"
"What?" responded the guard almost as if she had asked the most ridiculous of things.
"If we are ambushed then I will need a weapon to defend myself."
"If we are ambushed I will protect you." Replied the guard as he began to walk.
Aurel followed diligently. "Yes, but what if you are wounded and cannot, what then do I do?"
"I will not be wounded."
"That is very astute of you to say such a thing, do you have foreknowledge that I do not?"
The guard was getting annoyed and his tone of voice betrayed him, "My lady, you do not need a weapon."
Aurel stopped. "I order it. I tire of asking questions, please hand me your bow."
The guard almost did not believe her, "We cannot just stand here, the Rohirrim are far, but we must make haste."
"I understand that, now hand me your bow."
Sensing that she would not relent he took the bow of his shoulder and handed it over to her. "As well as the arrows, please." Asked Aurel politely.
The guard could not possibly be more annoyed or insulted, even in the situation that they were in and quickly handed over the arrows to her, then sharply turned to continue. Aurel was not proud of what she had done or the way that she had spoken to the guard, but she had never been without a weapon when out in the open. It was her own way of reassuring herself that in the end she could defend herself, she knew that even in her state her skills outmatched that of the guard's. She wanted to say something else to the guard knowing she had wounded his pride, to somehow remove some of her guilt, but saying anything else would have probably aggravated the situation even more.
"What happened, Eomer?" asked the voice, almost sarcastically.
"Aurel is gone."
Silence engulfed them both. "How was that possible?" The voice now seemed to almost swirl around Eomer. Anger and disdain could be clearly noted, but also sarcasm, as if the voice already knew how Aurel had escaped.
"I have sent my guards after her."
The voice only gave out a hiss. "Elves are cunning, your soldiers are no match. You realize what this means, if she is not brought back, then everything is ruined. Do you realize what this implies for you?"
"Legolas is still in his cell." Said Eomer, avoiding what he knew was coming.
"He does not matter!" screamed the voice so loudly, Eomer winced. "Bring Elfwine in here!" Shouted the voice, and the door opened slowly.
Eomer's eyes widened, as two guards brought Elfwine in front of Eomer. Eomer said nothing, but his eyes filled with tears. He had not seen his son for months, and even in those months he had grown. Elfwine was less than twenty, but looked every bit a man.
"Your mother?" asked Eomer.
Elfwine nodded to mean that she was fine. He did not speak a word.
"This is not a family reunion.." said the voice. "This is what happens when you do foolish things Eomer."
Eomer shook his head. "I had nothing to do with Aurel's escape."
"Did you not? Did. You. not!?" screamed the voice once more.
"Please leave my son be."
"Do not relent to them father. Do what you have to remove this filth from our land." Said Elfwine.
Eomer looked at his soon, but swiftly returned his attention to the voice.
The voice hissed. "Brave for one who knows not his fate, but your father does, doesn't he?" asked the voice rhetorically. "Eomer, is it true that you allowed the princess to be visited, and by one of her Elven guards, no less?"
Eomer almost did not want to answer. "Yes, but we took every precaution…"
"Every precaution? Obviously not, as she is gone, along with most of the Elven guard." The voice unsheathed a sword from its hilt. It looked at Eomer's son. "Now you will pay the price for your father's foolishness." It lifted the sword up to Elfwine's neck.
"No! Do not slay my son!" exclaimed Eomer.
The voice gave a kind of laugh not heard before. "Now why would I go and do something like that?" The voice tsked. "No no…" and with a speed Eomer had never seen before, the voice swung its sword in front of Elfwine's face. Barely touching Elfwine, at first not noticing, that indeed the sword had made contact with the fresh young skin on his face. The voice had marked the face of Elfwine, ever so slightly, enough to make it bleed and leave a scar permanently. "It is not your time yet, young one." Said the voice as it turned to look at Eomer
"Tempt me and I will kill him in front of your Queen, then I will slowly kill her in front of you. Do you understand me?"
Eomer said and did nothing.
"Now what to do with you? You have cost me a precious lot. I will have to do something drastic."
Eomer could only guess at what the voice was thinking.
"I want you to announce the public execution of Prince Legolas."
Eomer did not believe the words that came forth from the voice. He only shook his head. "What? I cannot kill Prince Legolas! There is no justification for it! Even if his brother has committed the crimes you speak of, it is his brother not he that should be punished! There is no way I can conceal why I would defer to this behaviour…people are beginning to question my rule…"
"You are King, and you do what you wish in your kingdom. In this case you do what I wish, or your family dies. The decision is yours really."
"My family dies either way. If we execute the prince they will retaliate, and not only them."
"Except they may spare mercy on your family, whereas I will not."
"They will know this is not done by my will."
"What does that matter at this point? Are you not King!?"
Eomer shook his head. "I cannot kill the Prince…"
"You cannot or you will not?"
"If you want him dead, then you kill him!" shouted Eomer. "I will not have any more blood on my hands!"
Surprised the voice responded. "You chose an Elf, over your family?" The voice turned to look at Elfwine. "You are not as precious to your father as I thought you were." It unsheathed its sword and shouted. "Bring Lothiriel!" The voice prowled around the room, looking as if it didn't know what it was going to do, then it began to laugh. "You have surprised me Eomer, you really really have…"
"Do your own dirty deeds, filth!" exclaimed Eomer
"Do you really think that your insults hurt me at all? Now that I think of it…Bring the Elf here as well!!" He shouted.
The guards had already brought Lothiriel in; she struggled against their harsh treatment.
"Welcome my lady, how good to see you. Now, both of you get down on your knees and face the man you call husband and father." Said the voice to Elfwine and Lothiriel.
Lothiriel and Elfwine looked at Eomer and did nothing else.
"GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES OR I WILL CUT THE LEGS FROM UNDER YOU!"
Lothiriel and Elfwine slowly kneeled down still looking at Eomer, but none spoke.
A moment later Legolas was pushed into the room. His hands were bound. "Ah and welcome Legolas! AT last, how very good to see you again."
Legolas felt a familiar feeling in the room coming from the dark cloaked figure that spoke to him. He said nothing as he was pushed next to Eomer. He tried to view the dark figure but could not see the face under the hood, as it was well covered. The voice was not one he recognized, but its presence was so familiar.
"You may all be wondering why I have put you all in the same room."
Legolas eyed the sword the cloaked figure was holding, it looked Elven made almost, but how could it be? Legolas realized that it was Eomer's wife and son that were kneeling on the floor before them. They too, were bound by their hands.
Legolas looked at Eomer, "They have threatened your family?" asked Legolas, it was more of a statement than a question. Eomer did not even look at Legolas; he only looked at his wife and son.
"Do not speak!" shouted the voice at Legolas. "Now Elfwine, look at this Elf very closely, for your father has chosen his life over yours."
Elfwine looked at his father in surprise. Lothiriel gave out a small cry.
Legolas looked at Eomer. "Eomer?"
Eomer frowned and looked at Legolas.
"Did I not command you to stay silent?" said the voice at Legolas.
"I do not take commands from a coward hidden under a cloak." Responded Legolas.
Eomer looked at Legolas. "Aurel has escaped, your family is safe, forgive me."
The cloaked figure screamed at Eomer. "Keep your mouth shut, fool!"
At the sound of Aurel's escape, Legolas's eyes filled with tears and with the last bit of strength he broke free from his bonds. He immediately went over to the dark cloaked figure, throwing himself upon him. Taking advantage of the moment, Eomer who had never been restrained rushed over to the guards, stealing the sword from one and killing them all. At last, they were in the room, only the dark cloaked figure now stood alone, with sword still at hand. Legolas took steps back, as he now suffered from wounds to his leg and arm.
"There is no escape! Surrender to us!" shouted Eomer to the figure.
Lothiriel stood in the corner, fazed by the brutality in front of her.
Elfwine also equipped himself with a sword. "You are outnumbered."
"So I see." Said the figure, "It does not mean I will surrender."
"Why did you do this?" asked Legolas, he spoke to the figure as if he knew him. "Why do all of this, for what purpose?"
"I will not give you the answers you seek, you do not deserve them." The cloaked figure removed the hood from atop his head.
Lothiriel gasped, while Eomer and Elfwine only tightened their grip on their swords. Legolas stood there; his pupils dilating at the sight of the figure's face, no emotion came forth.
"Ethaen?" whispered Eomer.
Ethaen only laughed a crazy fool's laugh. "Surprised?"
"No." replied Legolas.
Ethaen stopped laughing and gave Legolas a look that would kill. "You are arrogant…as always. Ada."
"You finally reveal your true self. You are no better than your sister. You have brought much destruction with your actions, as you wished I presume, but all can be repaired. Your feeble attempts mean nothing."
Ethaen shook his head. "Oh no, they mean everything. I was almost able to destroy everything you loved with my so called feeble attempts…there are those still out there who follow me and are willing to sacrifice everything to see you fall. You will have wished you could…"
Legolas snatched the sword from Elfwine's weak grip and immediately swung it towards Ethaen's head. But Ethaen swiftly blocked it. "You will have to do better than that." Said Ethaen taunting Legolas.
"So will you." He responded
Eomer and Elfwine both stepped back as Legolas and Ethaen began to clash their swords. Ethaen had the better weapon, but Legolas had the skill and he used it to his advantage. The metal from their swords almost made a melody as they clanged together from the strikes. Even though Legolas was wounded, it did not affect the accuracy of his swordplay and his aims were very much intended to cause fatal wounds. On the other hand, Ethaen seemed to be lacking and getting tired quickly, but one could not tell if he was feigning this apparent tiredness. Ethaen swung his sword about him looking to give a final blow, but it was thwarted when Legolas managed to cause Ethaen to drop his sword. Instead of striking him, Legolas stood there waiting for Ethaen to pick up his sword.
"Pick it up."
"Just kill me." Replied Ethaen.
"Will you be a coward in death also?"
"If I am a coward it was only because you made me so."
It looked as if Legolas was going to strike him but he only picked up Ethaen's sword. "You have chosen your own path." Legolas raised both swords in the air to strike him, but Eomer stopped him.
"No Legolas, this is not our way." Said Eomer, noting the hatred in Legolas's eyes. "It is not your way. This is what he wants."
Legolas contemplated what Eomer said while looking at Ethaen. Ethaen only smiled, taking pleasure in the conflict. Legolas lowered his arms and forcefully pushed Ethaen's sword against Ethaen. "Be the coward you are and end it yourself." Said Legolas.
It was then Ethaen stopped smiling; his mouth opened a little bit, not knowing what to do with the sword in his hands. He knew what Legolas has asked him to do; it was either fight Legolas and die, or die by his own hand. He grunted as he gripped his sword and went to strike Legolas, but it did not last long as Legolas noticed Ethaen had left his middle unguarded and without a second thought Legolas sliced through him. It was over with the clang of Ethaen's sword on the stone floor, but Ethaen did not die instantly, he fell on his knees and held his wound, almost cradling himself. Blood seeped from his hands. Legolas only watched as Ethaen was slowly bleeding to death.
"You see, you are not the only one who knows where to wound for a slow death." Said Legolas.
Ethaen opened his mouth to say something, but it was only gurgling sounds coming forth.
"End it Legolas." Asked Eomer.
Legolas looked at Eomer. "Be a King and end it yourself if you wish."
Eomer looked at Ethaen, sitting on his legs bleeding painfully to death, and then looked back at Legolas and shook his head. "Spare mercy on the man that was once a boy under your guardianship. Who was once like a son to you."
"He never existed. It was always a farce." Legolas looked at Ethaen without pity. "He died as a young boy on that rocky field where I found him, this thing in front of me is a mere parasite. Mercy, Eomer, is the only thing that has spared him his entire life, except for now."
Eomer shook his head. "I cannot stand by and watch this." He walked up to Ethaen, took his sword and ended it.
"Finally, you understand what being King means." Said Legolas beginning to walk away without a second thought on what had happened with Ethaen.
"No, these are not the actions of a King." Said Eomer sadly. "Where do you go?"
"To find my wife." Said Legolas passing through the doorway and disappearing down the winding steps.
Eomer thought of going with him, but his thoughts went back to his family, his wife, his son, and his kingdom.