Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or settings from Lord of the Rings or Xena the Warrior Princess
XXXIII: The Binding Curse
Village of Lómëanor, Mirkwood, 2956 TA, July 5
In the village of Lómëanor, under a sky veiled with the promise of dawn, Legolas swiftly made his way through the narrow, winding streets, following the twins, Noctis and Nyxara. His mind was a tempest of thoughts, each more tumultuous than the last. The revelations about his mother, the enigmatic curse, and the timeless realm he and Xena had traversed weighed heavily upon him.
As they journeyed toward the outskirts of Lómëanor, the twins led Legolas into the dense woods that bordered the village. The forest, with its ancient trees and shadowed paths, seemed to watch and whisper secrets as they passed. Legolas, though familiar with the ways of the woodland, could not shake off the feeling that these woods held mysteries even he did not understand.
In the depths of the forest, Legolas and the twins came upon an ancient ruin, overgrown and forgotten by time. Noctis gestured towards a hidden passage that lay beneath the rubble. "This path leads to the alchemist. Be wary, Prince; his knowledge comes at a price," he warned.
Legolas nodded, steeling himself for what was to come. As he descended into the depths, he felt the air grow colder, the darkness more profound. The passage twisted and turned, leading him into the heart of ancient secrets long buried.
Deep within the earth, Legolas confronted the alchemist. A faint, eerie glow lighted the chamber, and the air was thick with the scent of ancient magic. The alchemist, his eyes reflecting a knowledge as deep as the roots of the mountains, peered at Legolas.
"Prince of the Woodland Realm, you seek to unravel a curse that binds not just your mother's spirit, but your fate as well," he intoned. "But be warned, the path to breaking this curse is fraught with danger and will demand a sacrifice you may not be prepared to make."
Legolas, his resolve unwavering, met the alchemist's gaze. "I am ready to face whatever is required. The shadows of my past have lingered too long. It's time to bring them into the light."
Sylas, the alchemist, appeared ancient, his form an embodiment of time itself. His once-immortal essence seemed worn by the centuries he had witnessed, his life prolonged by means unknown and mysterious. The chamber around him, a vault of secrets and old magic, echoed the weight of his knowledge and the burden of his existence.
"The curse upon your mother, Queen of the Woodland Realm, was no ordinary spell," Sylas began his voice a whisper that seemed to merge with the shadows. "It was woven with threads of fate and destiny, intertwining her spirit with the very essence of flesh and bones. It was an unbelievable outcome that the same day the Queen perished. In breaking it, you may unravel more than you anticipate."
Legolas's heart pounded with a mix of fear and determination as he absorbed Sylas's words. The scale of his quest was becoming clearer, and the weight of it settled heavily upon his shoulders. "What must I do to free my mother's spirit? What sacrifice is required?" he asked a sense of urgency in his voice.
Sylas shuffled towards a table cluttered with ancient scrolls and mystical apparatus. His hands, aged and trembling, reached for a small box, ornately carved and emanating an aura of deep magic. "Young Prince," he began, his voice tinged with a hint of regret, "those who seek curses rarely ponder their reversal. Yet, in this case, the request was precise and demanded great power, beyond that of a mere wizard. I, having a personal bond with the one who asked of the curse, reluctantly complied."
He rummaged through old tomes, his eyes scanning for a specific incantation. "Herein lies a relic of your mother's heritage, a talisman both potent and perilous. To lift the curse, you must journey to Gundabad's darkest depths, where light and shadow clash. There, amidst your mother's remains, you must unleash the talisman's power."
Legolas reached out, his hand hesitantly touching the scroll. As he made contact, a ripple of energy coursed through him. "What will this sacrifice entail?" he asked, his voice heavy with apprehension.
Gazing into Legolas's eyes, Sylas spoke, his voice laden with the wisdom of ages and the sorrow of one who has seen too much. "The nature of the sacrifice will become clear in due time. Prepare yourself, Prince, for destiny's road is often strewn with loss and heartache."
With a solemn heart, Legolas carefully placed the scroll into his quiver, acknowledging the grave journey that lay before him. Sylas offered no more insights, only revealing the release of the curse upon Dular's visit. "Prince," Sylas warned as Legolas prepared to leave, "the only way to reach the heart of Gundabad is to be captured by Dular. He, too, seeks an end to this curse. My advice: let the human, complete the ritual. It may spare you the full brunt of the sacrifice."
Exiting the ruins, Legolas felt the weight of his quest pressing upon him. Sylas's counsel echoed in his mind – a perilous journey to Gundabad, a curse to be lifted, and a sacrifice that remained shrouded in mystery. With each step he took away from the alchemist's lair, Legolas steeled himself for what lay ahead, prepared to face whatever destiny had in store for him and for those entwined in his fate.
The return journey through the shadowed woods of Lómëanor was steeped in silence, each step heavy with the weight of Legolas's newfound purpose. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the impending journey into the treacherous depths of Gundabad. This perilous quest would not only determine his own fate but also that of his mother's ensnared spirit. He was acutely aware of the dangers that lay ahead and the potentially grave sacrifice that destiny demanded of him.
Amidst these reflections, Legolas grappled with the decision to involve Xena. The idea of her being caught up in this web of fate, possibly paying a price that was his to bear, troubled him deeply. He questioned the emerging darkness within him, wondering if his judgment was being clouded. Could he justify placing her in harm's way, even if her role was crucial to breaking the curse?
Upon reaching Lómëanor, Legolas's first stop was the stables. He tended to his horse, ensuring it was well cared for in his absence. Noctis and Nyxara soon approached him, their eyes betraying their intent to propose a plan, undoubtedly for a price.
"We know what Sylas advised," Noctis began, his tone calculating. "The most prudent course is for Dular to capture both you and the human. It will expedite your arrival at your intended destination, minimizing other risks."
Legolas regarded them with a skeptical eye. "Do you take me for a fool to trust your scheming?"
"Trust is bought, Prince," Noctis retorted confidently.
Their conversation in the stables lingered, centered around a strategy that would see both Legolas and Xena captured by Dular. This would provide Legolas the opportunity to explain everything to Xena. The twins questioned why Legolas would risk himself when Xena could potentially lift the curse without his sacrifice. While Legolas was wary of their intentions, he could not deny the strategic advantage of their plan. He instructed them to wait for his final decision.
However, unbeknownst to Legolas, the twins had their own ulterior motives. They had already been compensated to deliver both him and Xena to Dular. They plotted to seize their belongings afterward, considering the value these items, especially the Elven sword, would hold for King Thranduil. They even contemplated using the items to discover Legolas's whereabouts. Their plan was set in motion, intending to drug the evening meal at the inn, ensuring Legolas and Xena would be incapacitated and easy to deliver to Dular. As night fell, the twins prepared for their deceitful act, unaware of the unfolding destiny that might disrupt their treacherous intentions.
Meanwhile, Xena found herself grappling with a myriad of thoughts and uncertainties. The knife that Legolas had left behind served as a tangible link to him, yet it did little to quell the sea of questions swirling in her mind. His recent actions, coupled with the mysterious involvement of the twins, suggested a deeper plot at play, one that Xena was keen to unravel.
Resolved not to succumb to passivity, Xena set out to explore the village, her senses alert for any clue that might illuminate the elf's enigmatic behavior. As she meandered through Lómëanor, she found the elves immersed in their daily tasks, paying little heed to her presence. Some bore a look that hinted at trouble, but Xena chose to steer clear, her focus elsewhere.
It was nearing evening when she made her way to the stables to check on her loyal horse, Swiftwind. There, she stumbled upon Legolas engaged in what appeared to be a grave discussion with Noctis and Nyxara. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they failed to notice her.
Concealing her presence, Xena listened intently, piecing together fragments of their conversation. The bits she overheard were unsettling – plans of willingly being captured by someone named Dular. She didn't have the full picture, but the connection between the mysterious sword, Legolas's strange behavior, and the current plot started to form a coherent, albeit troubling narrative in her mind.
Feeling a mix of frustration and resolve, Xena decided to return to their room. It was time for a frank and thorough discussion with Legolas. She had grown weary of the secrets and the cryptic nature of his actions. Tonight, under the roof of their temporary refuge in Lómëanor, they would confront the truth, and she would demand answers. The time for mysteries and half-truths had passed; it was time for clarity and honesty in their uneasy alliance.
As night fell over Lómëanor, Legolas returned to the room, his expression taut with the weight of his recent decisions. The moment he stepped in, Xena, her patience frayed, confronted him. The tension in the air was palpable, a prelude to the storm of words that was about to ensue.
"Why are you planning to get us captured? What madness has taken over you, Legolas?" Xena's voice was sharp, her stance defensive yet confrontational.
Legolas, taken aback by her knowledge of the plan, replied, "It is a necessary risk, Human. There are things at play here larger than you know."
"Larger than I know?" Xena's voice rose in anger. "You leave me in the dark, make plans that put both of us in danger, and expect me to accept it? I am not your pawn, Legolas!"
Legolas's frustration mirrored hers. "You do not understand. There is a curse tied to me, awoken by you,... we have to return to Gundabad."
"Gundabad ?" Xena scoffed. "By leading me blindly into a trap? I've had enough of your secrets and your so-called curses!"
Their voices escalated, each word laced with anger and resentment. As they argued, neither noticed the dinner that had been quietly served – the very meal the twins had tampered with.
Legolas, his voice laden with emotion, retorted, "You think I want this? To be bound by a curse, to be led by destiny's cruel hand? I have no choice, Human!"
"There is always a choice, Legolas!" Xena shot back. "And right now, you're choosing to walk us into a snare without even trusting me with the truth!"
Their argument raged on, a tempest of accusations and misunderstandings. The unresolved tensions and unspoken truths between them burst forth, each word a reflection of their internal struggles and the complexities of their journey together.
Amidst their heated exchange, the danger lurking in the innocent-looking meal on the table remained unnoticed. The twins' plot was unfolding, even as Legolas and Xena were lost in their conflict, oblivious to the impending peril that the drugged dinner posed.
Legolas let out a weary sigh, the weight of their prolonged argument pressing heavily upon him. Moving away from the entrance, he settled into an armchair, his gaze falling on the meal that had been quietly laid out for them. It looked warm and inviting, a small comfort amidst the turmoil. Without a second thought, he began to eat. "Sit, we need to talk," he said, his voice softer now, a conciliatory tone replacing the earlier frustration. He realized the necessity of honesty; Xena, unwittingly involved in this complex web, deserved the truth.
His thoughts drifted to the darkness that seemed to engulf him lately, a shadow that clouded his judgment and actions. Legolas had always regarded humans with a certain detachment, often finding them more irksome than even dwarves. However, the idea of deliberately bringing harm to them, or entangling them in battles that were not theirs to fight, went against his very nature.
Xena, still visibly annoyed but open to a forthright conversation, took a seat opposite him. She eyed the food before her warily but decided to partake. "What lies in Gundabad?" she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and caution.
Legolas pondered his response, the truth spilling out more freely than he had anticipated. "Something that you, unknowingly, have awakened," he began, noting Xena's puzzled expression. "The sword you possess was linked to its former owner, who was cursed. Your acquisition of it has stirred what was bound by the curse."
As he spoke, Xena's confusion deepened. She leaned forward, urging him to continue, her mind racing to connect the dots. Legolas, between bites, delved deeper into the explanation. The revelations about the sword, the curse, and their entwined fates unfolded as they conversed, the gravity of the situation becoming increasingly clear.
Unbeknownst to them, the meal they were consuming was laced with a sleeping potion, part of the twins' treacherous plan. As the truth unraveled between them, so too did their alertness, the drug subtly taking effect. Their conversation, crucial to understanding and facing the challenges ahead, was gradually being overshadowed by the impending threat of the potion's influence.
Xena, her brows furrowed in concentration, struggled to piece together the fragments of the unfolding tale. "I don't understand," she admitted. "When I took the sword, there was a strange feeling, as if someone or something was present. But how does this relate to you?"
Legolas, halting his meal, met her gaze with a solemnity that was rare for him. Discussing his past, especially the parts entwined with pain and loss, was a path he had never walked with another soul. Yet, here he was, about to open a chapter of his life to a human, an unlikely confidante in a tale steeped in elven sorrow.
"I have never spoken of this," Legolas began, his voice low, ensuring the gravity of his words. "What I share with you tonight must remain between us. You once accused me of arrogance, and indeed, as a young elf, I was eager to prove my skills as an archer, especially to my mother."
Xena leaned back, her posture relaxing into the chair, giving Legolas her full attention and the silence he needed to continue.
Legolas's eyes seemed to look past her, focusing on memories long buried. "I got my chance," he continued, his usual facade of stoicism giving way to a trace of vulnerability. "We were traveling, and I was demonstrating my archery to my mother when we were ambushed by orcs. Today I learned those orcs were led by Dular – the same one you escaped from."
Xena listened intently, the pieces of the puzzle slowly fitting together in her mind. The connection between Legolas's past, the cursed sword she now carried, and the shadowy figures of their shared journey was becoming clearer. She sensed the grief and the burden that Legolas had carried for so long, now compounded by the revelation of the curse and its ties to his mother's fate. As they conversed, the effects of the sleeping potion began to subtly take hold, their senses gradually dulling. The room seemed to grow dimmer, the edges of their vision softly blurring.
Legolas, his story unfolding amidst the dimming light of the room, paused briefly. He noticed that they had nearly finished their meal and were now sipping on the ale provided. It lacked the refinement of the wines of his homeland, but it sufficed for the moment.
Xena, piecing together the fragments of the tale, realized with a start that Dular was the same orc leader she had encountered. She looked at Legolas, her expression a mix of disbelief and understanding, yet she remained silent, sensing there was more to his story.
"My mother's life ended in Gundabad, taken by the same orcs that nearly captured me," Legolas continued, his voice tinged with a deep, unresolved sorrow. "All the guards were slain, save for one who managed to rescue me and return me to my father. That was the extent of my knowledge until I set out from home."
He shifted in his seat, his gaze distant as he recalled the events that led him on this path. "Before leaving, I was plagued by nightmares, much like the one you saw me experience in the cave. I felt compelled to investigate my mother's disappearance, drawn to the old forest road filled with tales of lost souls."
Legolas's narrative took Xena through his journey to the haunted forest road, where he encountered the spirit of his mother, trapped and unable to pass into the Grey Havens due to an unresolved curse. "I was seeking answers about the curse when I stumbled upon you," he explained. "Back then, I didn't know who you were or the significance of the sword you carried. It was only today that I learned you retrieved the sword from Gundabad."
Legolas, his expression somber, continued to unravel the threads of his tale. "Before the orcs' attack, my mother was cursed by an alchemist, the same one I met today. The twins, whom you've seen, were the ones who delivered this curse upon her."
He noticed a shift in Xena's demeanor, her earlier irritation giving way to a look of genuine concern. "The identity of the one who commissioned the curse remains a mystery, as does their motive. But the curse, it seems, bound my mother's spirit to her remains, trapping her in a state of limbo. The darkness that envelops Gundabad only intensified the curse, granting her an unnatural existence, repeating a lullaby she once sang to me – the same lullaby that haunts me when the darkness draws near."
Xena listened intently, her mind connecting the elf's troubled behavior to the revelations being made. "And what have you discovered about this curse? What is your plan in Gundabad?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Legolas's gaze grew distant, his thoughts turning to the daunting task that lay ahead. "In Gundabad lies the key to breaking this curse," he explained. "My journey there is to confront the darkness, to find my mother's remains, and to release her spirit using a talisman that Sylas, the alchemist, provided. It's a perilous path, fraught with unknown dangers."
As they delved deeper into the conversation, both Legolas and Xena began to feel the effects of the sleeping potion. Their surroundings seemed to blur and fade, their senses dulled by the drug's potency. Despite this, they remained engrossed in their dialogue, unaware of the creeping drowsiness that was slowly enveloping them.
Legolas's revelation about his mother's curse and his destined journey to Gundabad, combined with the newfound knowledge of Xena's unintentional involvement, wove a complex tapestry of fate that bound them together in ways neither had anticipated.
Legolas's gaze lingered on Xena, noticing the drowsiness beginning to cloud her sharp features. "The scroll provided by the alchemist contains words of power," he explained, his voice tinged with a sense of urgency. "If read near my mother's remains, it has the potential to break the curse, to release her spirit from its earthly bonds."
Xena, fighting against the encroaching sleepiness, furrowed her brows in confusion. "Why can't we simply travel to Gundabad and recite the scroll? Is there a catch, some sort of trap?"
"There is a risk," Legolas nodded gravely. "The act of breaking the curse might require a sacrifice, the nature of which remains unknown to me."
Xena's confusion deepened. "Then why involve the twins at all? We could make our way to Gundabad. I've heard that Dular himself suffers under the curse's influence. Perhaps we could negotiate, and find a common ground?"
Legolas turned his gaze away, a flicker of regret crossing his face. "We could have," he conceded. "But what you didn't know, is that when I guided you on this path, I was acting for my own ends. I recognized the sword you bore and knew it was key to unraveling the mysteries of my past."
Xena's expression turned bitter as she absorbed Legolas's admission. "So, you were with me not to protect, but because you had your own motives," she stated, a tinge of resentment in her voice. "I sensed a change in you. You've always been distant and prideful, but recently, your demeanor took a darker turn."
Legolas, his usual stoic facade faltering, revealed a hint of self-reproach. "Indeed, I considered their suggestion to use you as a means to lift the curse," he confessed, his voice tinged with disappointment at his own thoughts. "I thought of offering you without hesitation, and that's when the twins proposed their plan."
"You didn't agree to it, did you?" Xena's voice was stern, her gaze locked on Legolas, seeking the truth even as the drug began to cloud her thoughts.
"No, I didn't agree," Legolas replied, sinking further into the armchair, his eyes still fixed on Xena. "But I fear we may be too late to act," he murmured, his words trailing off as he felt his consciousness slipping away.
As the realization dawned that they had been drugged, a final wave of drowsiness overtook them. Legolas's head lolled to the side, his body succumbing to the potion's potent effects. Xena, too, felt herself being pulled into a deep, enforced slumber, her last thoughts a mix of frustration and concern.
In those fleeting moments before darkness enveloped them completely, a sense of urgency and unresolved tension hung in the air. The revelation of Legolas's initial intentions, his contemplation of using Xena for his ends, and their subsequent entrapment by the twins' plot, all coalesced into a complicated web of fate and betrayal. As they drifted into unconsciousness, their fates were now at the mercy of the twins' treacherous designs, leaving their journey and their alliance hanging in the balance.
((Upcoming Chapter Thirty-Four))
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