Hey! Thank you for your wonderful reviews! I loved them!
Did anyone see the Avengers yet? Such a cool movie! I particulary loved Thor and Iron Man! Somebody else saw it? :P
Anyway, next chapter will take a couple of weeks, since the exams start next week. Hope I can keep writing during them though, so don't give up ;)
Arwenia: Thanks! Haha, I'm just following the book ;) They do die rather quickly ;) But don't worry, Aragorn and Legolas have to stay with us for some time still... however, perhaps one of them is enough... ;)
clavina: Thank you! I'm glad you like this style! :)
Dunedian: Speciaal voor jou, een snelle update ;) Ik heb me 'gehaast' ;) Nog twee maanden voor de zomervakantie? Dat is lang! Wanneer begint die bij jullie?
Falca: I love extra reviews! :) She's my favourite chapter too (if Legolas and Aragorn aren't around), but it had to remain realistic :) You know, Seneca was actually a quite sympathetic philosopher in the 1st century, but he was ordered to commit suicide by the emperor Nero. See the link with the book? ;)
FlyForever: We'll see about that ;) I won't give away the plot ;)
Flynn0110: Vind ik ook! Ik hoopte zo dat Rue toch nog zou leven!
jessie: Here's the answer to the first question ;)
Luka'sBlade: Well, this was a quick update wasn't it ;) Hope you like this one too!
TheButterflyCurse996: :) Nope, I think the story line itself is not good. It wouldn't change much if I just rewrote them ;) But I'll finish the tale of the forgotten angels, I promise ;)
None of them spoke that night. Why should they? There were no words to express their grief, no words for their anger, no words at all. They could only stare into the night, cursing the man who could let such a young, innocent girl die.
This could not be happening! Sure, Legolas had known death. He had faced it many times, and he had ever escaped, but he had also seen elves and men who hadn't been that lucky –friends, soldiers, farmers, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers. He had seen torture and pain and the greatest humiliations that were possible. He had seen great elves succumb to grieve and sail into the West and great men being carried to their tombs.
Oh yes, he had seen death. But all of them died for a greater purpose. They had died defending their homes or the ones they loved. They were not killed in a game, created with no other intention than to please the masses and show the president's power. Legolas felt as if he could become sick. Quickly he closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. He already felt tears stinging behind his eyelids, but he refused to give the Capitol the pleasure of seeing him weeping. Instead, he sighed deeply and looked up to the starlit sky.
Aï! Rue! How did you die? May the Valar forbid it had been painful! And where was Katniss? Would she be all right? Or will her photo appear tomorrow in the black sky? What could have gone wrong? It seems your foreboding had been right, Rue. If I had only listened to you!
Aï! Rue! Legolas bowed his head. With all his heart, he prayed to the Valar that they would have mercy upon her soul, and that she may find happiness, wherever she was now. For this night, she would not dwell in the Arena anymore, having dinner with Katniss and Aragorn and himself. This night, she would not tell about her home and the trees she loved so much. This night, she would not be dreaming of her return.
"Legolas." The elf didn't react, too absorbed he was in his silent lament.
"Legolas, mellon nin. Ath enni na?" (Are you still with me?) Aragorns worried tone made him return to the present. He looked up and tried to smile reassuringly, but according to his friend's expression, he wasn't doing a great job.
"Aya, Estel. Na thlinn." (I'm fine.) Aragorn didn't comment, but kept on looking at him. Then, he tenderly stretched his hand and wiped some tears away, that Legolas hadn't even noticed falling.
"Death must come, Legolas. It is an old friend to mankind." The elf bitterly shook his head.
"Nay, 't was not a friend that claimed her. Friendly though he can be for an old man or woman, one who has seen and experienced everything, he was cruel to take away Rue. Valar, Estel, do you think she has ever loved someone? Do you think she had ever been kissed, even once? Nay, death was cruel to take her away so young!" Aragorn sighed, but did not reply. And they sat there again, in mourning silence.
As Ithil continued her journey through the stars, Legolas thoughts become less clear. One foot upon the paths of the elven dreams, and one still in the waking world, life and dream started to merge, creating strange visions. Rue he saw, and a strange kind of bird, coming out of the dark. It was golden, and it seemed it was on fire. Then the bird spread its wings and pierced Rue's heart, and she fell down, but Legolas couldn't look at her anymore. His eyes were following the lithe animal, that was stretching the sun now, and spread its fiery wings to the beams, until the whole world was in ashes.
Legolas shot up, and immediately sheltered his eyes with his hand. For a moment, he thought his dream had come true, and that the fire was already spreading. But when the last sleep deserted him, he saw that it was only Anor, half-way above the horizon. Slowly, he got up. Aragorn was sitting next to him, also fast asleep. Legolas mentally kicked himself for letting himself go like that. There had been no one on the guard tonight. It was luck that none of the tributes had found them.
Trembling, Legolas hugged his knees and pulled them to his breast, letting his chin rest upon them. The morning's chill crept into his flesh and bones. Normally, he wouldn't mind much, but now that grief had claimed his body, he needed more human cares. Shivering, he pulled his cloak a little closer and waited for Aragorn to wake up.
Luckily, his friend did, not much later. With faint amusement, Legolas watched how his eyes flew open, blinked for a second and were immediately alert. It seemed even the long years as king hadn't erased the Ranger's training. Not ten seconds after he had opened his eyes, the man sat up and nonchalantly put his hand through his hair with a great yawn. Then he turned to the elf.
"Good morning, my friend. Did you have a peaceful night?" So, Estel apparently thought he had stood watch. Legolas didn't even bother contemplating whether he should tell the truth or not. It would not happen again and he certainly didn't want Aragorn to be worried for him. They had enough troubles already. So he just smiled and shook his head.
"Good," Estel answered, and began rummaging through his pockets. After a few moments, he took some dried fruits out of them, the last they had. The rest had been lost when the river had brought them here. They should go hunting again soon. Aragorn carefully divided the pile in two and handed one over to Legolas.
"Here, eat."
"I'm not hungry," the elf silently rejected. Aragorn frowned.
"You have to eat something." Legolas didn't answer, but shrank a little more in his embrace with his legs. He didn't look at his friend. Worried, Aragorn put his arm around the elf's shoulders and pulled him closer. His voice was soft and compassionate.
"Legolas, mellon nin. Gar erusell pada." (You have to let her go.) The elf didn't react. Aragorn really started to worry now. Legolas was an elf, an immortal being. They could not cope with death, and certainly not with the death of a young girl.
"Gwador, gerin sîdh si." (She has peace now)
"How would you know? Have you ever died?" His voice was so bitter, so unlike his normal, melodic, friendly tone. Aragorn ignored the outburst and gently squeezed Legolas shoulder.
"Naye, ana evair istan guruthos meth. Hain al meth, Legolas." (No, but I refuse to believe death is the end. It is not the end, Legolas.) The elf merely shrugged, but a little bit of the despair in his eyes had lifted.
"Legolas. Tiro enni." (Look at me.) Slowly, his friend turned to him.
"U dartha naeth. Iuith nîd degi ai gwanna iell." (Do not linger in your grief. Use your tears to slay those who killed her.)
"Dagnir thand thar donn si." (The true murderers are beyond my reach now.)
"Gar brono. Arad feag rado ti dambeth an sen." (That's why we have to survive. Some day, we will make them answer for this.) Legolas let this sink in for a few moments, then he straightened and looked at Aragorn.
"You are right. Brono." (We will survive.) They clasped their arms in a warrior's meeting, silently promising each other not to give up. Then, Legolas stood up.
"Let us go now, Estel. We'll have to hunt the Carreers. Do you have any idea where they are?"
"They had a shelter near the Cornucopia, but I do not know whether Katniss succeeded in destroying it."
"Then we should go to the Cornucopia and search for tracks there." Legolas said and searched for the river.
"The water runs eastwards, so we'll have to go to the West again."
"Good. Now eat your fruits, than we can hunt something on our way." The elf scowled, but put his handful of fruits in one gesture in his mouth. Within five seconds, he had swallowed it.
"Happy? Can we leave now?"
"Why, are you in a hurry?"
"Aye. Anira telei sen eru sad." (I want to finish this so that we can leave this Arena.)
"Beren ù na." (Don't be rash.)
"Ù thelo. Let us go." (I won't.) He swung his bow over his shoulder and started to run, Aragorn immediately behind him. Swiftly and silently they sped through the forest, as if they were running again after the Uruk-Hai that had taken Merry and Pippin once –only this time, Gimli was not there, and they were not in Rohan, but in the Arena of a sick Game. A Game that had just killed a young girl. Legolas shook his head and ordered himself not to linger in these thoughts. He would avenge Rue. Until then, he needed to stay focused.
They did not rest that day. Around the noon, Legolas advanced a mile and shot a careless rabbit, that hadn't heard the light elven footsteps. Almost without stopping, he picked it up, but slowed his pace, so that Aragorn could catch up with him again. To his surprise and relief, the man turned up with a shot bird, and a pouch filled with edible fruits. It seemed they had their dinner already.
Anor was already saying good-bye as the two friends came to a halt in a sheltered place of the forest. The trees were standing close upon each other, and there were many bushes. It should be safe to make a fire here.
Legolas disappeared in the forest and quickly emerged again with his arms full of firewood. He threw it all on a staple, close to Aragorn, who was cleaning the rabbit and the bird.
"What do you think? Should we keep the bird for an emergency case?" the man asked without looking up. Legolas shook his head.
"You have to eat, human. You won't be of much use if you faint." The man snorted.
"I never faint."
"Off course," Legolas grinned. "Except for those times you hid an injury and almost died of blood loss –which would be almost every time you got hurt. And when you got all smashed over by a troll. Oh, and that winter you decided to see me and got captured by spiders. And the next winter, when your horse was killed and you had the walk all the way to Eryn Lasgalen –with no food or rest. And –"
"I got your point, thank you. And you may not have noticed, elf, but I'm already cleaning the bird. Is that all of firewood you have found?" Legolas raised his hands smiling.
"No, there are loads more." His voice was light-hearted.
"Then why don't you get it?"
"I know when I'm not welcome anymore. Make sure you don't cut all the flesh away, annoying human. You need to eat it." Before Aragorn could comment, Legolas had vanished in the forest already, leaving the man to snort.
"There's hardly any flesh on it." But he was more careful while he was removing the intestines, and in the end, there was quite a lot of flesh he could put into the stew. Just when he was adding some herbs, Legolas appeared again. He looked worried.
"Estel, ù erui na." (We are not alone.) Immediately, the man searched for his sword, and felt a pang of regret and vulnerability when he remembered he had it not with him. Instead, he discretely put his hand upon the knife Legolas had given to him.
"Man dôr?" (Where?)
"Dartha. Here's your wood. Do you want me to amplify the herbs?" (Wait.) While he was talking, his eyes quickly shot to the right, before looking at the man again. Aragorn smiled and nodded.
"If you want to have a nice diner, you should do that. Go quickly! I would like to eat before the morning comes."
"I'm gone already!" Legolas laughed, but in his eyes, steel was dancing with the fire of his rage. Aragorn wouldn't want to switch places with the unfortunate tribute in the forest. If Legolas was in this mood, he was dangerous and deadly.
As his friend merged for the third time with the woods, the Ranger focused upon the fire, making it seem as if he had not idea there was someone out there. It would give Legolas a chance to sneak up if the tribute was busy spying upon an unprepared prey. Meanwhile, he pricked up his ears.
The tribute was good.
Very good, actually. Only because the elf had warned him, he was able to detect the slightest shift of living branches, the soft rustling of the fallen leaves. It could have been easily confused with the steps of a deer, or a fox. Even know, the man sometimes lost the sound for a moment, before the tribute made a hasty move again.
The steps came closer.
Aragorn tensed his muscles.
The intruder had reached the last tree before the open place where there little camp was settled.
His hand strayed to his hidden knife.
All of a sudden, a shriek ripped the tense atmosphere apart, before Legolas stumbled upon the open place, a girl firmly caught between his arms. With one hand, he tried to prevent her from screaming.
Not a good idea though. The elf could handle orcs and Uruk-Hai. He killed them instantly, since he never had a reason to capture them. Trolls were a bit more difficult to take down, but usually he managed that. Even a mumakîl was feasible. But he never had tried to capture a girl before. And therefore, he was not prepared upon her next assault.
It came low. And painful. Groaning, Legolas bent double, loosening his grip. That was all the girl needed. She put her elbow in his face and wrestled herself free. Then, she started to run, one second, before a knife appeared at her throat. Aragorn smiled grimly. This was a problem. He had recognised the girl. She was not a Carreer.
"Foxface."
Please review! :)
xXx Archiril