| An Understanding: When Legolas returned to Jei she had her head turned upward, her hand raised beside her head, fingers slowly drawing close to an edge of the cloak. Blood had soaked the material but she did not seem to care if she stained herself anymore. Her fingers took hold of the cloak and she reluctantly lifted the edge, eyes wide. “You will only hurt yourself,” Legolas said, crouching beside her. “I wish to see,” she whispered. And she sat up a bit with a grimace, leaning her weight on an elbow while reaching behind her with her free hand. “Would it make you feel better?” She hesitated at his question, fingers pausing as she groped for a piece of the cloak again. Her face was strained, pinched with weariness, and her lips pale. After a silent moment she slowly pulled her hand away, instead using her other elbow also to support her. “I suppose not.” Legolas nodded and he rose back to his full height, bending only when she also struggled to stand. “Perhaps you should not attempt-“ “I need to go,” was all she said. Legolas took hold of her arm, sustaining her as she slowly managed to rise. It was an effort for her and when she was standing on her own two feet she swayed dizzily. But she regained her bearings after a moment, blinking away the white spots of light before her eyes. And when she focused she saw Legolas before her, waiting expectantly. “I’m fine.” She slowly turned to face the inside of the inn and only then became aware of all the eyes on her, the soft hiss of whispers flying about. She looked about, paling even more, before dropping her gaze to the mound under the cloak. Legolas stood with her silently, studying her expression. The woman seemed to forget everyone then, slowly kneeling once more, this time beside the boy’s body. Legolas had half a mind to stop her but she already had the corner of the cloak in her hand and she yanked it off with one suddenly furious gesture. “Jei-“ The boy’s corpse had not moved nor changed in the passed hour but now, as she stared at the body she seemed hardened to it. Clutching the wet rag in her free hand she reached for the boy with trembling fingers. No one said a word, all breath held. Jei’s hand went toward the boy’s crown, hovering above his silky light locks but after an uncertain moment her hand floated downward a bit toward the nape of his neck. She stayed there for a long while, centimeters away, fingers clawed. And just as Legolas felt that she had somehow turned to stone she suddenly reached with the other hand as well, holding the rag with her last two fingers and taking hold of the boy’s clothes with the other two and her other hand. Legolas watched her in fascination as she pulled on the boy’s collar, loosening it enough for her to dig underneath the cloth for something. Something obviously very important for she seemed hysterical now, frantically running her fingers beneath his collar. Silver glinted for a moment, reflecting from the candles above. Her fingers closed around something, a silver chain and she yanked it off with one hard pull. The necklace snapped in her grasp and she withdrew her hand, clutching the chain possessively against her chest. He had seen the expression she had on her face before. Once, in the eyes of the fallen Boromir. He stood stiff, ready for anything, but the woman merely pocketed the chain securely, gazing down at the boy as she did so. Once it was safe she paused one last time, staring mournfully. Her hand reached out once more, this time to caress the child’s hair as if she was indeed his mother. The same love shone in her eyes, swimming in tears. She leaned forth, close to the boy’s ear and she whispered something that Legolas barely caught although he realized it was in the elven language. Something with parting and weeping but he was not sure he had heard correctly. And a moment later he didn’t care for she placed a gentle kiss upon the boy’s temple and bowed her head against his in silence. Time was slow passing, achingly ticking by with weary feet. And yet the eternity felt somewhat like a mere moment, brief and done for. The rain continued to drizzle down outside, a faint noise in the background above the pounding of blood churning in his ears. The moment was much too silent and though he had always enjoyed silence, not then. Such a silence was unholy and unforgiving. It bore down on him, making him want the smallest sound. Something other than his rushing blood and the damned rain coming down outside. Jei pulled away from the boy at last and she rose slowly, holding the rag to her wound, the robe pinioned by her wrist and arm around her ribs. She pulled away from the boy and slowly reached for the cloak once more, attempting to cover over the corpse. Feeling a sickening inside, Legolas took hold of the other side and she watched him as together they covered the boy. It settled heavily now, the cloak weighed down by the blood that had soaked into it and as Legolas straightened once more he met her gaze. “Is it guilt you feel?” she asked darkly. He held her eyes. “Yes. Of course. At this point what else would it be?” he shrugged a bit and, for her, the careless gesture was graceful. The woman clenched her jaw, staring at him stiffly. “Please don’t,” she stated and she turned away, staggering over to the backdoor. Legolas stared at her back for a moment as she went before he came back to his senses. “Where are you going?” he demanded, frowning. He floated over to her, moving much faster than she could and with her wounds especially so. He reared up before her and they ended up in front of the backdoor facing each other. “Have you lost your mind?” “Not my mind,” she answered quickly, as if she had been expecting the question. Her eyes seemed somehow darker and her brow furrowed under her black bangs, jaw held tight. “Only my very salvation. Now please, I need to go-“ “You shan’t make it to your horse, much less ride her,” Legolas said to her firmly. “The wound is not deep but it still needs time to heal. And perhaps a bandage?” The last sentence came out wry. “I can not stay here-“ she said, attempting to wind around him. He held up his hands, diving in the way yet again. “Believe me, Lady, when I say that I understand and that I agree wholeheartedly. But at the moment I would not have you move unless I knew of somewhere you could rest. And the only place I can think of is this inn. Being on the eastern border of the Shire, Men and dwarves still frequent the Prancing Pony. We can not move further into the Shire-“ “My destination lies in the opposite direction as it is,” she cut him off. And she stood silently as Legolas merely stared at her, not making any move to remove himself from her path. After a moment her face softened a bit, cheeks gaining a bit of color. “Legolas,” she began again in a patient tone, “already the odds are against me. For me to remain here would mean my certain death. I can not stay.” “And you can not leave,” he stressed with the same patience and this time his hands closed around her shoulders as he gazed at her steadily. “You will face just as certain a death out there, without rest and someone to help you.” “Who will help me here?” she demanded in a shrill tone. She motioned toward the Bree folk and the remainder of the other people who continued to stand about, speaking in hushed whispers. “Look upon them, Prince, and name one of them who will care for me in my time of need because I look at them and all I see if fear!” His hands were still on her shoulders, just outside the sharp edges of her armor and he gave her a soft look. “Jei,” he said slowly, blue eyes fixed to hers, and she found herself falling into them somehow, enchanted by them. “I see the same thing,” he continued though she barely understood his words, struck by how blue those eyes were. “But you asked for a name and I give you mine. I will stay here with you for the night. I will watch over you.” She snapped out of her reverie at his words, eyes wide with disbelief. “And tomorrow we will set out wherever you wish to go. Under a brighter sun will we journey, once all your wounds have begun to heal.” And he saw that she understood him when he spoke of her wounds. He gazed at her confidently and wished she was just as resolute as indecision crossed her expression, the warring of two sides to his declaration. After a painful moment she slowly bowed her head, her hair falling across his fingers, brushing them softly. “You do not know what you ask, Legolas Greenleaf. I would think you a spoiled prince longing to escape the confines of your castle if I did not know you as one of the Fellowship.” And she smiled faintly, eyes averted away from his face. Curiosity crossed his delicate features and he said reluctantly, “I wonder what else you know about me.” She shook her head, face turned away. “No more than what you show me,” she replied. And she raised her head then, gazing at him with a serene expression. “I thank you for your offer but even if I were to accept, I sincerely doubt kind Butterbur would let us lodge here.” Legolas smiled at her words, seeming almost mischievous but she wondered if it was a trick of her eyes for elves were not impish so much as playful. “I’m sure we would find a way to convince him…” “…And the Mines of Moria will tremble with the force of my anger! The mountains will crumble, and the skies will darken until there is nothing but eternal night and the abyss which will swallow the seas!” Gimli shook his axe as he thundered, his voice the very epitome of the apocalypse. He held Butterbur backward against his counter, his meaty hand clenched around the innkeeper’s collar. Leaning in very close he let out a breath laced with ale. “You will have nowhere to run…” Jei’s jaw hung open in numb horror at the way the dwarf manhandled the innkeeper. Legolas had somehow managed to make himself scarce for the abuse and she understood why now. He may have been handy with a bow but no doubt he found threats and coercion just a bit tawdry. She had been left in the care of the hobbits, Peregrin and Meriadoc, until he returned and she did not know where he had gone, only that he had said he would return shortly. Now, standing so close to the hobbits, she found herself fascinated by them. They were positively adorable with their heads of curly hair and small figures. “The flames of the pits of Moria will reach for thy cursed flesh and the Balrog will-“ She dropped her head into her hand as Pippin and Merry hopped up and down in barely contained excitement. Legolas returned then, floating in through the front door without a sound. She turned to him the moment he did so, opening her mouth to speak but her voice died on her lips. She was struck again by his beauty, his lovely features. And his fragility. She frowned at her thought, studying him suddenly very closely as he paused beside her, his blue eyes on Gimli who roared his threats still. Then those blue eyes lifted to meet hers and she quickly averted her pensive gaze, returning to face him again only when she had composed herself enough. “I can not believe you are threatening the poor innkeeper,” she said to him. “I am not,” he replied with such innocence that he seemed almost like a child who truly believed it. “And once the heat of the flames melts your flesh-“ “Enough!” Butterbur cried, flailing under Gimli’s grip. “Enough! She can stay for the night! One night! No more! After that I won’t care how the Balrog eats me! You will have slain me yourself!” Merry and Pippin exploded into applause, Pippin looking positively joyful. “Marvelous, Gimli! I do so love when we visit with you!” “Can we see it again?” asked Merry mischievously. Legolas set himself quickly in the way. “Perhaps not, my friend,” he said much to the dejected groans and the crestfallen expressions. “After all, Master Butterbur has agreed and it is all we can ask of him.” He turned to Jei as he spoke. “Stormrider is being cared for in the stables.” She nodded. “Now then,” Gimli said, setting his axe at his side and patting his long beard. “It has been a long day and the sun sets behind the clouds. I would like a quick bite myself and perhaps a bit more ale…” Pippin instantly looked at Merry as Gimli spoke, eyes widening. “We have missed Afternoon Tea!” Butterbur sighed as the hobbits conversed between the two of them at their audacity in missing one of their many meals. “Nob! Where’s Bob?” he shouted off further into the inn. “Prepare some rooms!” “What will happen to him?” Jei asked, staring as four of the Bree folk took away the body of the child. The blood has soaked into the wood, leaving a permanent stain and Legolas grimaced inwardly, knowing Butterbur would more than happily charge them to repair the floorboards. But Jei’s eyes followed the child’s form as it was swept away and taken into the back rooms of the Prancing Pony. “No doubt they will find a small place to bury him,” Legolas replied, his hands wrapped around a warm cup of cider. He hadn’t taken much from it and she wondered if he had asked for it merely for the warmth it offered. They didn’t speak again for a long while, content to have the comforting sounds of bustle and business in the Prancing Pony. Over in one corner several hobbits burst into loud laughter, cups being slammed down. In the opposite corner another group burst into song and though Jei thought they had made the song up on the spot, for many people muddled the lyrics, Merry and Pippin quickly joined in loudly from their table and she smiled at their cheerfulness, feeling the safest she had felt in a long while. Gimli was soon waving his cup of ale around and singing along as well and the hobbits all about applauded his attempts if not his tone. Jei laughed as best as she could, wanting to laugh louder, but her wound would not allow her and instead she glanced at Legolas who had lifted his cup to his lips but smiled faintly behind it at the scene. “Do you not enjoy being serenaded?” she asked him teasingly for the song now was about elves and the elegiac tone to their words. He tilted his head, looking the slightest bit confused as he listened to them sing. “Are all elves seen in that light? Mournful?” he asked and he did not raise his voice to be heard over the chorus of voices singing. “And beautiful,” she added in a bit of a louder tone. And she smiled, quickly looking away as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He put his cup down after taking a small sip and finally turned to her, knowing she sensed him gazing at her but not facing him until he spoke to her. “Will you tell me now where your journey lies?” She was caught off-guard with the question, looking at him with parted lips. He waited politely for her answer but she slowly turned to face forward once more, gingerly. “No,” she replied quietly, not seeming to care this time whether he heard her or not. “Your reason being?” Her shoulders slumped as impatience clouded her expression a bit. “My reason being that the moment I tell you I place you in danger. No, Legolas, I will not tell you,” and as he moved to speak, “nor will I have you with me when I go.” All around, the hobbits and Gimli continued to sing, none aware of the tense moment between the two of them. Legolas did not turn from her though. Instead he reached out and took hold of her wrist, making her look down at the contact with a frown. “I have not asked your permission,” he stated albeit in a gentle tone. “And I do not ask it now. Know in the morning that when you leave I will be at your side.” She lifted her gaze to his, frowning still but not in anger. And as he met her gaze straight she slowly shook her head in defeat, gently pulling her wrist from his grasp. He let her, now that the agreement was reached. But she was not done, for as she stared off at the hobbits, watching them blindly as several danced about, some skipping on top of the tables, she whispered, “You wish to know where my path leads me?” And when she looked at him then her gaze was flat, her earlier laughter forgotten. Legolas found himself wanting to return the laughter to her eyes, wanting to see her smile once more. Nonetheless he replied, “Yes.” She studied him for a moment, measuring him. And finally, with a strangely blank face she said, “I go to Mordor.” |
| All images and works done/altered by ShiNoFuriko and TasogareBan. Please do not steal and always give credit to where it is due. |