Chapter Six
No one spoke as they walked. The four hobbits cried for most of the walk, not loudly but they quietly wept, sniffing every now and then. The boys watched them all, feeling awkward and overwhelmed, unsure of how to feel or act. Orpheas was the only one who seemed comfortable considering the amount of emotion, but he was far from ok, but was quiet as he fought not to lose himself in their grief. They walked for several hours; the water of the Nimrodel could be heard as they walked. Saber stopped, sniffing and then drew out his claws.
"We're not alone." He hissed and then appeared three elves, clothed in silver cloaks that seemed to make them disappear into the trees.
"The dwarf breathes so loud I could have shot him in the dark," came Haldir's smooth, creamy voice and they all froze.
"Nae saian luume;" Legolas greeted him and embraced him.
"Legolas," He smiled and then looked at Aragorn.
"Cormamin lindua ele lle." Aragorn said and the elf smiled.
"Welcome Aragorn." His words were slow, struggling with the common language. "I come to welcome you to Lothlórien and to bring you to the Lord and Lady. My name is Haldir and these are my brothers, Rumil and Orophin," he introduced each one. "But there are only thirteen of you when fourteen of you set out from Rivendell. Where is the fourteenth?" He asked, looking at Aragorn who lowered his head in grief.
"Gandalf set out with us but he fell into the darkness in Moria." Aragorn's voice was thick with grief and Haldir's face grew dark.
"You come with ill news and it grieves my heart to learn that Gandalf is dead." He said after a moment. His eyes fell on Gimli.
"I did not know that one of your companions was a dwarf." He said and looked back at Aragorn, "We have not had dealings with the dwarfs since the dark days." He said firmly.
"Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul" Gimli cursed and Aragorn wheeled around and stared at him in horror.
"Gimli!" He stared at him in disgust, "that was not so courteous!" Gimli blushed a little but scowled still at the elf.
"No dwarf can enter these lands." Haldir said, trying to ignore Gimli's insult.
"Please," Aragorn pressed and Haldir turned to his brothers. They whispered in Elvish and then he turned back to them.
"He may enter on one condition," he paused, "he can only enter if he is blindfolded."
"What?!" Roared Gimli, puffing up like bird, "I will do no such thing!"
"Then you will not come." Haldir said firmly.
"Come now Gimli," Aragorn turned to him with pleading eyes, "lay aside your pride for a moment and accept the blindfold."
"I will not!" He growled.
"Oh for the pride of dwarves," Legolas mumbled.
"What if we all go blindfolded?" Aragorn suggested.
"No!" Legolas protested.
"And what of the pride of the elves?" Aragorn asked with a smile, Legolas glared. Finally, after some convincing, they agreed that all of them would be blindfolded. As Haldir came to blindfold Saber he paused.
"What is this creature?" He asked, feeling ill.
"Not this again," Saber sighed, "I'm not evil." He said gently and hoped that Haldir would believe him.
"He's a vampire from the other world, I am sure Galandriel has told you of them?" Aragorn asked.
"She did not speak of a vampire." Haldir said slowly, "but if he is one of your trusted company, then he may enter as well." He wrapped the blindfold around his eyes.
They followed blindly, but the path they were taken on was smooth and they found it easy to walk, even without their sight. Haldir led the group, Orophin and Rumil guided the guests for a little more than an hour when they stopped. The blindfolds were removed and the group looked around in amazement. It was truly the most beautiful place any of them had seen. The golden leaves on the trees shone in the setting sunlight, the Nimrodel could still be heard and the air seemed to stand still.
Legolas gasped as he looked about him, his eyes lighting up at the beauty.
"It's like time has stopped." Frodo said gently and looked around. The air stood still and they felt like they had walked into an ancient world, unaffected by the evils that surrounded its borders.
"We will rest here for the night and in the morning I will take you to the Lord and Lady." Haldir said. They looked up at the tree and saw wooden porch like stands sticking out from them, flets as the elves called them. "It will not be safe to sleep on the ground." He added, looking at the guests. Gimli wanted to protest but refrained, thinking about the orcs that would be coming down from the mountain.
Haldir led them up the rope ladder that hung down from one of the flets. The hobbits struggled a little but managed to scramble up.
"Wow," Andrew said once he was standing and looked out in front of him. He could see the tops of the golden trees.
"Mallorn trees," Aragorn said as they looked, "the golden woods of Lothlorien are the only place they grow in all of Middle Earth. They keep their leaves all through the winter and then they fall in the spring when the buds begin to grow." He explained and Andrew stared at it in awe.
"It's beautiful," he whispered and felt an ache in his heart. He was falling madly in love with Middle Earth and he didn't want to have to think of leaving it.
Saber climbed the ladder with ease, and looked about him. Haldir had left them and the hobbits and the boys were setting up their beds.
"They say a white witch lives in this forest," Boromir said coming up behind Aragorn and Andrew. "And no one who enters is ever seen again."
"Only those who bring evil into Lorien are never seen again Boromir," Aragorn said gently not wanting to scare anyone.
"I still do not trust these elves," he said and turned away. Andrew watched him go to the far end of the flat and lay down.
"What's his deal?" He asked and looked back at Aragorn.
"I do not understand, his deal?"
"Ya, like why is he so…" Andrew tried to think of the word, "he's not like the rest of you. There's just something off about him, so what's his story?"
"I am unsure of what you mean still, but Boromir is the son of Denethor, the Steward of Gondor. Gondor is without its king right now and has been for many years. Without him, it is falling and the strength that was once great weakens. Boromir is bitter."
"Aren't you the heir?" Andrew asked confused.
"As I said last night, I ran from the path that was laid before me by my forefathers." Aragorn looked at Andrew and Andrew nodded, piecing it together again.
"Why? I mean, what great mistake did your dad make to make you afraid of it?"
"I am Isildor's heir."
"Who's Isildor?"
"He defeated Sauron in the first battle and he found the ring. But instead of destroying it, he kept it for himself. He became obsessed with power and he lost himself to the ring until it led him to his death… and led to Sauron's return and the doom of Middle Earth." Aragorn explained heavily.
"Oh," he nodded and looked out at the beautiful trees. "So this is all happening because of him and you feel responsible for his actions?" He asked.
"Yes, but now I know that I have the power to change the fate of Middle Earth and I can correct his mistake. Maybe not directly," he glanced over at Frodo who was curled up beside Sam, "but I can help reunite the race of men and return the strength that Gondor's lost and fight this evil." He seemed to get taller as he spoke and in that moment, Andrew could see past the dirty ranger clothes and he saw the king in him.
Andrew didn't know what to say to this; instead he watched the last of the sun setting.
"You should try to sleep," Aragorn said after several minutes.
"You too. I take it Haldir's men are on guard?"
"Yes, we can all sleep easily tonight." Aragorn laid down in the spot that the boys had set up for him. Andrew sat against the tree and rested his head, closing his eyes slowly.
Saber waited for everyone to fall asleep before he slowly crept over to Heru's bed.
"Heru," he purred into his ear and Heru rolled over, opening his eyes tiredly and looking up at the vampire.
"Feeding time?" He asked with a smile and Saber smiled back, nodding.
"Wrap your arms around my neck; we'll climb higher into the tree." He whispered and Heru did as he was told, holding tightly onto him. Saber looked around; unaware that Legolas had woken up and was now watching them. He carried Heru further up into the tree to a branch that was above the flat. After looking around and taking a few sniffs, he determined there wasn't anyone around watching.
"Thank you," he whispered into Heru's ear, pulling his shirt off-not wanting to get blood on it. He handed it gently to Heru who rolled it up in his hand and tilted his neck.
"You know I love this right?" He asked, grinning and Saber grabbed his hair, snapping his head back. Heru's eyes glowed.
"Yes," he smiled and licked his neck teasingly before sinking his teeth in. Heru leaned into his arms and Saber held him tightly, drinking hungrily.
Legolas watched from below. He couldn't see clear details, but he watched as Saber removed Heru's shirt and then grabbed his hair. When he saw Saber bite into his neck and Heru fall into his arms he almost cried out but he recalled Saber asking for their trust and waited. He watched for what seemed like a long time but was no more than a few minutes. Saber pulled away, looking at Heru who could barely keep his head up now. He licked the drops of blood up and pulled his shirt back on over his head. He sat down on the branch and wrapped his legs around Heru who was too weak to hold onto him. He lowered himself down and crawled down, carrying Heru in his legs. Once they were on the flat, he laid Heru back in his bed and nudged Orpheas who was lying next to them. There was a small glowing light that came out of his hand as he laid it on Heru's neck and then went back to sleep. Legolas watched in fascination.
Saber wiped his mouth and licked his lips, standing up and turning to find Legolas standing behind him. There was still a drop of blood on the corner of his mouth and Legolas raised his hand, wiping his thumb against it and pulling it away to show Saber.
"I think it best that you tell me what is going on now." He said firmly, his green eyes dark and cold as he looked at Saber. Saber took his elbow and climbed back up to the branch, waving for Legolas to follow.
Once they were settled on the branch Saber began, "a vampire is dead, they feed off life." He looked at Legolas who stared blankly back. "I feed off blood. And back home, I normally I get it from the blood bank or when I get the itch to hunt, I go out and feed off a deer. But Heru and I have had an understanding between us for a long time now, since we met really. He lets me feed off him sometimes and when we decided we would come here, they all agreed to let me feed if there wasn't a place or time for me to go hunting. I assumed that if I tried to go hunting in these woods, the elves would try to kill me." He licked the corner of his mouth and looked at Legolas, he was still processing it.
"You drink blood?" He asked, almost disgusted but to his own surprise, he was more curious than disgusted.
"Yes," he nodded and Legolas nodded.
"Why have you kept this a secret from the rest of us?"
"Because I'm already an evil creature that people don't trust. It isn't very easy to say, 'oh by the way, I live off human blood.'" Saber pointed out and Legolas smiled.
"I suppose not, but you have our trust Saber. You might be an evil creature in your world, but we trust that you are good now." He said gently.
"It's also kind of a private thing… It isn't really something I do openly in front of strangers. I only drink as much as Heru can give without being too weakened but… it's the way I kill. In the Vampire world it's a sacred thing, especially with someone you care about. I mean it's different when it's a stranger and it's simply just killing or feeding to survive, but with someone you care about, something happens." He struggled to explain it, "for the time that I feed off Heru, he and I are bonded and we almost become one."
"It sounds very intimate." Legolas agreed, "Is it that way for all vampires?"
"Not usually. It is when they bite each other, but a vampire without a soul has no ability to care for anyone, he's incapable of love and incapable of making that bond, especially with a human. But if he has a soul it's different."
"And you have a soul?"
"Yes."
"Is that a normal thing for vampires?"
"No, most vampires would rather die than be given their soul. It's a curse, not a blessing to a demon. To live within a human, to feel the guilt and other emotions that humans do but to be a monster, a killer inside, its torment." Saber refused to look at Legolas as he talked but Legolas turned his face to his.
"But then why did you choose this?"
"I didn't want to die." He smiled, "I have done terrible things Legolas, unimagined things, things I can never be forgiven for. I didn't really understand what I was agreeing to when I made the deal with Ammon."
"What deal?"
"The one that gave me my soul," Saber pried his eyes away. "I was fleeing from an army of vampire hunters in 1710. I was coming out of Rome when I was approached by this man. Looking at him was like looking into the sun, it burned and I tried to run but I couldn't move. He grabbed my neck and made me get on my knees; in his hand he held this white ball of light. It almost looked like a crystal ball but it was just pure light. He told me that my reign of terror was over and that I would never be allowed to take the life of an innocent again. He said that I had a choice, I could accept death and return to the hell I was created in or, I could come under the watch of the Glandians. I didn't know what he meant but I knew I didn't want to go into any hell and so I agreed to the Glandians. With that, he pulled out a knife and cut my chest open and pulled my heart out. Normally that would kill a vampire but with whatever powers he had, I was still living and he placed the light inside of me." He paused, recalling the sudden horror that came over him as his soul was returned, "I had my soul back and I could remember every single person I had ever killed, all their faces, their screams. I wished I had chosen death then, there is no hell dimension that is as terrible and painful as guilt."
"How many innocent lives have you taken?" Legolas asked curiously but hesitatingly. It was hard to imagine Saber as a vicious murderer. He could sense the evil in him but it seemed distant, faded as if it were just a shadow that lingered from another life time.
"Too many to count," he kept his eyes down, "the things I have done, I slaughtered thousands. Silan and I became the worst vampires that the world has ever seen. I wasn't just any vampire who killed, I tortured my victims, I drove them insane with horror. And I enjoyed it for hundreds of years." He swallowed, "and then for another two hundred years I went insane with the guilt and I tried to end it but that's part of the deal. I can't take my own life and I can't kill another human or anything pure, I have to live forever with this guilt. I can kill demons and orcs and I can feed off a willing mortal but Ammon's always watching. He can hear every thought and the moment I even think of killing someone, he's there and if I kill someone, he kills me instantly."
"You regret then, making this arrangement?"
"Yes, I do, but there is nothing to be done about it now. Now I try to help Ammon and the boys where I can, but it will never be enough and it will never make up for what I did, it doesn't matter how many thousands of lives I save; I'll always be stained." His voice was thick with pain and Legolas again, turned his face to his.
"Diola lle, mellonamin," he whispered, "thank you, my friend for confiding in me, I honour your trust in me." Saber blinked in surprise.
"As an elf, I would have thought you would be disgusted." He said honestly.
"So did I," Legolas smiled weakly, "but I find that there is a love for you growing in me, for all of you visitors and I feel it is not my place to judge how your race lives."
"Hmm that's refreshing." He looked into Legolas' deep green eyes, "I think we will all be very glad for that. People make it their business to judge and condemn people in our world."
"That is very sad. I see a great warrior in you Saber and a strong will to make things right. You do not want evil any longer but seek to destroy it, to save others from the same fate that you have had. In my eyes, you have atoned and started a new life. Born anew some would say"
They were silent for awhile, staring at each other until Saber grew too uncomfortable and looked away.
"If the others ask what it is that you are doing when you go off to feed, do I have your permission to tell them?" Legolas at last asked and Saber shrugged.
"The secret's out now so go ahead. I don't want anyone to lie for me."
"Then I will explain it to them as best as I can." He replied and stood, "for now, we should both try and get some rest again." He said holding out his hand to Saber. Saber took it and stood up.
They climbed back down and went to their separate beds. Saber laid there for several hours, staring up at the leaves above him before he could fall asleep. Legolas' eyes filed his thoughts, the piercing green eyes that seemed to stir and awaken something inside of him that had been dead for years. His last thoughts before he drifted into a dreamless sleep was of him and not too far off, Legolas lay thinking about Saber, wondering what his life had been like in his world before falling asleep.