Eternal Life, Eternal Pain
VII. Meet Anya
x o x o x
Dark is your future
Turn back, go away
Tiny grace, turn around
Do not continue your path
Do not continue your way
x o x o x
"Aragorn, there was absolutely no need to have been so rude toward Relennia," Arwen scolded him.
Aragorn looked at his wife. "You know what she said to me last night. I do not trust her well."
"But she sheltered us for a night. She fed us," Arwen said. "You owe her gratitude. Relennia took us into her home."
Their arguing continued. Legolas began to tune it out; he was getting used to this as Arwen and Aragorn had been married for a while now, and they often did bicker over small things. Grudges, silly fights... Legolas sighed. Aragorn and Arwen were two of his dearest friends, but sometimes, the two often almost angered him with their tiffs.
"All I'm trying to get across," Aragorn declared loudly, "is that... Hey! You! Stop!"
Hearing this, Legolas instantly took his bow, pulled out an arrow and setting it to his bow.
"Come back here!" Aragorn shouted loudly into the forest.
Out of the forest appeared a young elf girl. "Yes?" she asked a bit cooly and almost arrogantly.
Gimli narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?" he asked.
"I do not see how that is of your business," she answered.
Legolas measured her up. She was slender, pale, and had dark blue eyes. Her light brown hair was pulled back with a strip of cloth and hung freely beyond her waist. This girl, this elf - she seemed quite athletic too, Legolas noticed. Then he saw the bow she had in her hand. She had tried to hide it from them, but Legolas's keen eyes spotted them.
"Drop your bow," Legolas said.
The girl, who had not noticed Legolas before, turned to look at him. Surprised a bit at his request, she obliged and gently placed her bow onto the floor.
Arwen stepped forward. "We mean you no harm, young one." The girl's bright eyes looked at her. "Please," Arwen continued, "trust us. Here," she said, holding out her hand in a gesture of greeting. "I am Arwen Evenstar. That is my husband, Elessar - better known as Aragorn."
"And I," Gimli said rather loudly, "am Gimli."
Legolas bowed. "Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood."
Surprisingly, these names did not seem to register on the girl's face. Instead of showing awe or reverence at being in the presence of such royalty and heroes, she only blinked.
"Now who are you, dear girl?" Arwen asked softly.
The girl seemed torn for a while, as if she weren't sure if she should tell them her name. Slowly, she said, "Call me Anya."
"Anya," Arwen said, taking the girl's hand. "What a lovely name, dear. Anya," she continued. "where are you from? You are still young - you can't possibly be older than Legolas - where are your parents?"
Anya visibly stiffened. "Parents I have none," she said.
"So, what are you doing out here, alone?" asked Aragorn.
"What are you doing?" Anya asked.
"I believe I asked first," Aragorn said stiffly.
"Fine," Anya said. "I'm..." she paused. "I'm..."
"Fighting orcs, right?" Legolas cut in. "That's what your bow is for."
Anya looked at Legolas in surprise, but caught on. "Right!" she said, almost too quickly. "Orcs. Them." She closed her eyes and said, "Orcs..." Anya shuddered as she said that word.
"What a coincidence!" Gimli cried out, not suspecting anything. "So are we!"
Aragorn's eyes narrowed. Was something going on? He looked at Anya carefully. Her eyes reminded him so much of Arwen's - full of life and fire. She seemed safe enough.
"If you wish," Aragorn stated slowly, "you may join us."
"Yes?" Anya asked.
"Is that an answer, or are you asking me a question?"
"An answer?"
Aragorn rolled his eyes impatiently. "Right," Aragorn muttered.
Arwen smiled at Anya. She admired the girl's confidence and bravery. "Welcome," she said.
x o x o x
You have been warned, grace
Love is not your friend
Love is not on your side
Listen to our voices
This cannot come to a good end.
x o x o x
"Thank you," Anya whispered to Legolas that night. Gimli, Aragorn, and Arwen were already sleeping. Anya and Legolas stayed up to keep watch.
"It was nothing," Legolas replied.
"But why did you do it?" Anya asked. "We are not acquaintances. We had barely met. Did you find me incapable of handling the situation myself? Is that it?" Anya was getting rather testy.
Legolas frowned. "I intended to help you, not insult you."
Anya looked at him a bit with scorn. "I could have handled it without your help, you know."
"You didn't seem like you were doing a very good job," Legolas retorted.
"Well, you didn't give me a chance!"
"What are you talking about? You were standing in front of Aragorn, stuttering like an idiot."
"An idiot! So is that what you think of me? The truth comes out now, huh?"
"Yes, idiot," mocked Legolas.
"Takes one to know one," Anya shot back.
Both elves were very stubborn and proud. The two glared at each other for a while before Anya broke the gaze and turned her back to him.
Legolas was now very insulted. How dare she! How dare she turn her back to me. He cleared his throat, perhaps to catch her attention. Anya ignored him. Legolas was beginning to feel deep contempt for this girl. This nasty, spoiled brat. Arrogant little...
"Legolas?" Arwen's sleepy voice called him. "Your and Anya's watch is over. You two may sleep now."
The elf prince shot one more glare at Anya, but she was walking away from him, toward a tree. Leaning against it, she sighed and closed her eyes for a brief moment, then opened them. She was asleep now... or so he thought. His eyes were about to leave hers when all of a sudden, Anya looked directly at him with a look of pure hatred.
How did we get from near friendship to this? Legolas wondered. Anya - it was Anya. Or was it him? No, how could it be him? She had accused him of insulting her. Yes, said a little voice in his head, but you then insulted her, didn't you? Legolas felt a bit guilty now, but when he remembered Anya's looks at him, that guilt ran right out of his head.
Cursing her, Legolas fell asleep.
x o x o x
Where it seems least likely
Love will bloom
Though joyous for a fleeting moment
No good shall come out of it
Future is nothing but doom.
x o x o x
Anya woke up before the sun rose as she had been doing for a few days now - it was a habit she had ever since she was a child. She looked at the fading stars in the sky and sighed. Long days were behind her... painful... she closed her eyes, as if she were afraid of something she saw. But the images Anya was afraid of merely played in her head. She couldn't run from it.
You can't hide from your past, little girl,a dark voice hissed in her head. Anywhere you go, I'll be there too. Anywhere you hide, there I hide too... Try and hide.
The young elf tried to stifle a sob. "No..." she whispered. Why was her life horrible?
Anya's eyes scanned the scene until her eyes rested on Legolas. Legolas, she thought. What a beautiful name for such a fair face. Too bad it comes with bad insides, she thought. Oh well. That was how her life was like anyway. Anytime it looked like something good was coming, poof - it went bad.
But still, her eyes couldn't leave Legolas's face. What was it about him that drew her attention? His light blue eyes? His sheer gold hair, so delicately braided and tucked behind his ears? His...
No. Don't think that. She reverted her gaze to Gimli who was up on watch. The dwarf was sharpening his ax on a stone. Clang clang clang! Eventually the sounds woke up Arwen and Aragorn. Legolas still slept.
"I'm never letting you have third watch again, Gimli," Aragorn muttered. "Must you sharpen that infernal ax?"
"Yes and no - I must sharpen but not infernal."
"Good morning, Anya," Arwen greeted her. "I hoped you slept well, dear."
"Thank you Lady Arwen," Anya replied. "I did."
"Please, just Arwen."
"Is everyone up?" Aragorn looked around. "Legolas? Hey, is he up yet?"
Arwen looked at Legolas's still form. "Doesn't seem so."
"So who wakes him up?" Anya asked.
"No, we'll just wait," Aragorn replied. "We don't want - "
"Why wait?" asked Anya. "If you don't want to do it, I will."
"Um, Anya," Arwen stuttered. "We've had problems with waking each other up..."
Anya wasn't listening. "Hey, wake up elf-boy," she said, shaking Legolas roughly.
"Ow..." Legolas looked up to see who was intruding his sleep. "You!"
"Yes, me," Anya replied sweetly.
"And I thought it was just a bad dream..."
"Sorry, you thought wrong."
Aragorn, Arwen, and Gimli laughed, causing Legolas to glare at them - which in turn made them laugh even more. Sometimes, Legolas could be very immature as he had displayed several times throughout the course of the trip already.
"Legolas, when will you grow up?" Arwen laughed. "Someone of your years shouldn't be acting like Allianie."
"Allianie?" Anya inquired. "Who might that be?"
Aragorn smiled. "Our daughter. We also have a son."
Anya smiled, though it was stiff. "I see." She turned away.
Arwen looked at her strangely. This girl, this Anya. She hides something. But what? Perhaps time will tell...
x o x o x
Some day out of the blue
In a crowded street or a deserted square
I'll turn and I'll see you
As if our love were new
Some day we can start again, some day soon
x o x o x
"So," Aragorn said to Anya. "Where are you from?"
"Um," she stammered. "I... I..."
Here we go again. Legolas almost pitied her. Should he...? Naaah...
"... don't know."
"Don't know?" Aragorn repeated suspiciously.
Anya nodded. "My parents died when I was young," she added quickly. "I was left alone."
"Uh huh." Aragorn's tone showed he did not believe this. "And how did they die?"
"I don't know. I was too young to remember," Anya retorted.
"How old are you, Anya?" Arwen asked as she slashed at a branch in the way.
"Um... I'll be 75 in a few months... I think."
Arwen nodded. "The three-quarters mark. The sign an elf has reached maturity... though for some..." She eyed Legolas. "I'm not so sure maturity even comes at 2000..."
Legolas shot her a look. "What are you talking about?"
"Well, Legolas, you're nearing 2300, and still you can be so... so..."
"Impudent," suggested Anya. "Rude. Presumptuous. Disrespectful."
"I don't recall anyone asking you," Legolas snorted.
Anya gave the rest of the crew a look that clearly said, "See what I mean?"
That truly angered the prince. How could this stranger just pop in and act like she owns everything? We don't even know her!
Anya was about to make another cheeky remark when she went rigid. Her eyes shut into slits, and she held her hands at her head. Legolas looked at her peculiarly, stopping and staring. Gimli was now talking loudly about how dwarves could mine the most beautiful things - more beautiful than elves or man could, which drew a huge debate from both Arwen and Aragorn. They continued walking, not noticing that Legolas and Anya were no longer following them. Legolas continued to look at Anya until Anya looked at him. She said two words: "They're coming."
"You mean...?" Anya nodded.
"Warn the others!" Anya cried out. She turned around and ran in the direction from which they had just come.
"Anya, what are you doing?"
"I'm going first."
"But..." Anya disappeared.
Strange... Legolas thought. Shaking that off, he quickly ran ahead to tell the three.
x o x o x
Here comes the night
Here come the memories
Lost in your arms
Down in the foreign fields
x o x o x
Anya held up her bow, ready to fire. The orcs thought they were so clever, hiding in the trees. Anya smirked a bit; she could see them so clearly. Stupid things, she thought. At any sign of movement from them, she would shoot, but she wanted to wait until Legolas arrived with the others... She wondered how long the orcs would remain still.
She didn't need to wonder long. It seemed the orcs realized the party was not going in that direction; one by one they slipped out of the trees. Grunting, they pointed to where Anya had just come from. They still had no idea Anya was watching.
Seeing them begin to move made Anya tense. Mentally, she counted how many orcs there were. Twelve, she thought. Such a small party... but I can't take twelve alone. She looked around. There was no sign of Legolas or anybody. Well, maybe I can... uh oh. She had stood up to search for the sight of one of the four. Stupid as they were, the orcs had finally spotted the spy in the bushes.
With lightning reflexes and rushing adrenaline, Anya shot off five consecutive shots with her bow, slaying three. When she stopped to snatch more arrows, one of the orcs shot his own, hitting her shoulder. Grimacing, Anya shot off three more arrows. Though her aim was off mark, she managed to kill one and seriously injure another before another arrow found her arm.
She wasn't going to make it. There were still eight orcs. Legolas was still nowhere in sight with the rest. Sighing, she took out her long blade. Well, if I'm going to die at least I'll take a few with me. Poised and ready to fight she stood.
The orcs seemed to mock her movements. Anya collapsed; the pain in her left arm was too much to bear. Struggling, she rose back up. Where is that stupid Legolas anyway? Does he want me to die?!
"I'm not afraid of you!" Anya said. "Come give me your worse." She jerked the arrow out of her shoulder, grimacing. Quickly regaining her composure, she glared at each of the remaining eight orcs.
One laughed - or so it seemed - and took out its sword. Anya expertly slashed at its hand, making the orc drop it almost as soon as it touched it. Then with one quick thrust, she slammed her sharp blade into his chest and pulled it back out.
"Who's next?" she asked smugly.
Apparently, the orcs were too stupid to attempt to surround her. One by one they fell at the touch of her sword; however, each one, before falling, managed to injure Anya at least a bit. When the last orc fell into shadow, Anya crumpled. Blood was flowing freely from her wounds.
"Stupid Legolas," she managed to mutter.
"What is it... Ai!" Legolas gasped.
"So you finally found me?" she whispered.
"I couldn't find you..."
"We already established that fact."
"How can she be so cheeky when she's injured like that?" Gimli wondered.
Arwen, who had been attending to Anya's wounds, laughed a bit. "Anya will be fine. She's strong."
"Stupid Legolas," Anya kept muttering.
"She's delusional. Completely losing it." Legolas stared at her.
Anya kept whispering those two words over and over again. They seemed to latch her to consciousness.
"How can she manage to do that?"
Aragorn laughed. "Well, Legolas, women... they're strange."
Arwen glared at him. "If so," she retorted, "then men... men have no hope at all."
x o x o x
Not so long ago
Seems like eternity
Those sweet afternoons
Still capture me
x o x o x
Anya sat by the fire Arwen had coaxed Aragorn to allow her to make. At first, Aragorn was hesitant, but when he saw the extent of Anya's injuries and his wife's pleading face, he relented. They were so kind to her. Anya closed her eyes. If only everyone had been so kind to her, perhaps she had no need to...
No, she thought. Stop.
Moaning in pain, Anya tried to shift into a more comfortable position. Impossible. Damned orcs hit me everywhere. I can't even sit. Anya sighed. At least they wouldn't be moving for a few days. Aragorn had decided they would stay put for a while.
Anya truly didn't understand how understanding they were of her. Merely strangers, and they were willing to stop for her injury?
"Ahem." Anya spun around to see who was addressing her.
"How dare you address me..." Anya stopped.. Don't give it away, she mentally chastised herself. "Who is it?" she asked after a pause.
"Me." The owner of the voice came closer, and by firelight, Anya could see it was Legolas.
"What do you want?" she asked a bit harsly.
"I apologize."
This was the last thing Anya had been expecting. "What?"
"I am sorry I couldn't find you earlier and put you in mortal peril." Legolas sounded like he was reciting lines.
"It's not your fault," Anya said softly. Then she added, "You can't help being an idiot."
Legolas stared at her. "I come to apologize and you give me that... that?!"
Anya smiled sweetly. "Yes? Your problem with it?"
"Well, just to let you know, I had no intention of apologizing!" Legolas turned around and stormed away.
"Well, I had no intention of accepting!" Anya called out, but Legolas gave her no reply.
"Why did I do that?" Anya whispered insecurely to herself.
x o x o x
I still believe
I still put faith in us
We had it all and watched it slip away
Where are we now
Not where we want to be
Those hot afternoons
Still follow me
x o x o x
"No!" she cried out as she fell to the floor in pain. Her head ached terribly. "He's near!" she whispered. "He's near!"
Little girl, did you think you could really run away? You underestimate me.
"No... no!"
Come quietly, and I won't hurt you.
"No... no!"
You refuse to no avail. This is your destiny.
"Stop... go away..."
Anya ripped out her bow and arrows. "Come out and fight instead of hiding! You and your filthy servants!" The moment she said this, Anya regretted it. Immediately, she was surrounded by dark beings. She sneered. Dropping her bow, she slashed out a sword at her belt.
Little girl, give in. You'll die.
"Not without a fight I won't!"
Come, take your place as my wife and queen. Together we can rule.
"Never!"
I will spare your life if you listen.
"Liar!" she screamed.
Would you have wanted your mother to have died in vain for you?
"No..." Anya's knees weakened.
I will haunt your dreams. I will haunt you until you return to where you belong.
"No..." Anya's voice was fading.
Come to me.
Screaming, Anya woke up. "NOOOOO!"
A/N: Wow, I manged to get this thing up to 3000 words... hahaha. Not quite as long as the one before, but well, it seemed like a good place to end it. Anya! Who is she? What is she hiding? Hm...R/R please! =)
Credits to Elton John for the song. It's the last few bits