Disclaimer: This document contains an archived copy of And In The Darkness Bind Them by SoBeLizard. It is an exact copy of the story as found here in October 2012, and is archived for posterity only. The archivist makes no claim whatsoever to the content of this file, and has not edited it in any way.
Chapter 1: The completion of the Fellowship
-=Authors note: This is my first LOTR fanfic, and I've written many more chapters of it. But I'll only post them depending on the feedback I get. So if you like it, tell me for Legolas' sake! Also, I bet when ol J.R.R. reads this is will be rolling in his grave. Never meant any disrespect to the novels, I love em to death. This is just my point of view of an interesting twist to the plot of the story. Rater R for later chapters. =-
_ _
"I'll die before I ever see the rings in the dirty hands of an Elf!"
The commotion that followed that crude remark was practically endless. Leave it up to Gimli, the Dwarf, to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Hatered was defined in Middle-earth by the relationship between Dwarves and Elves. Dwarves, the fat, earth-dwelling warriors who cared of nothing but themselves were not to be ignored by the counsel. So they sent their representative. Gimli. And the elves themselves, who are tall, and fair skinned, with long flowing hair and remarkable beauty were only dragging the commotion on longer. These two races, along with representatives of human, hobbit and wizard were all gathered at Rivendell, one town of Elf- race. Amongst all the arguing and commotion, one sat alone. He sighed, half annoyed, half scared, and stood up.
"I will take the ring."
No one was listening.
"Ahem...I WILL TAKE THE RING."
Slowly, everyone was quiet. All stared at the short, blue eyed-curley haired hobbit. He was the bearer of the One Ring, the one ring to rule them all...he, was Frodo Baggins.
"I will go, but I do not know the way." He said in a quiet; child-like voice.
Aragorn, one representative of the human race, stepped forward.
"Little one, I will protect you to the end. You have my sword."
One of the Elves, a wiser and swifter looking fellow stepped forward as well.
"And you have my bow." Gimli offered his Axe...but the Elf wasn't listening. He had just pledged his young life and his strength of protection to a little hobbit who was half his height. He realized the road ahead was going to be hard...
Suddenly, three other hobbits rused forward, out of hiding in trees and bushes. These three, Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck, Preregrin "Pippin" Took, and Samwise "Sam" Gamgee, were Frodo's best friends. He jumped, they jumped.
...yes, this was going to be interesting...
Then, there were nine, standing alone. One great wizard, Gandalf the Grey; one Dwarf, Gimli; two human men, Aragorn and Boromir; four little hobbits, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin; and then, there was one Elf...
"You are...The Fellowship of the Ring!" Cheers erupted as the high Elf Elrond spoke these imortal words.
...he, was called Legolas. Yes, this was going to be an interesting adventure after all.
_ _
"See, the woods beyond Rivendell..."
Gandalf went on and on about the history of the road the Fellowship travelled on. Half were half paying attention, half were hardly half there. Legolas was neither. He purposely blocked Gandalf out as much as he could, trying to enjoy the wildlife around him. Suddenly, he heard a small branch snap, just off of the path they were on. He was the only one who seemed to notice. Immediately his hand was on his bow, and his keen eyes scanned the forest. Finally dismissing it as nothing, he continued onward. Having almost caught up with the others, he heard a whirring sound, and a small projectile flew right infront of his nose. Grabbing and loading his bow at an amazing speed, he aimed for the woods.
"Gandalf! Halt! Draw your weapons!"
They took heed to his warning, and they all drew their respective weapons of choice. Facing where Legolas faced, they all deeply saught the threat. Just as they were letting down their guard, another arrow flew by, barely missing Frodo and Sam. Legolas took a chance and just fired his bow to the woods. Suddenly, a hooded figured jumped from the trees and landed in the middle of the road, bow in hand, sword drawn. Legolas sighed with annoyance and put away his bow. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Aragorn about to strike with his sword.
"Aragorn, friend, do not be so hasty. Put your weapons away and do not waste your time, words, or weariness on this creature."
"...you know him?" A questioning Aragorn raised his eyebrow in hesitance, but put his sword back in it's hilt. The figure shook the hood off and let it hang behind the Elven cloak.
"Her. Yes, that brown-nosed stuck up knows me. I'm suprised he's lending you his skills, if you can call them that..." A suprisingly feminine voice came from the lungs of their attacker. Her dark brown hair was shaved close on the sides, and drawn in a clean braid down the top. Stunning clear eyes almost identical to Legolas' own. Sneering, she placed her bow back into it's holder.
"Well at least I'm not a dirty, pathetic Half-elf! At least my blo-"
He didn't get much farther when he realized a sword was about one inch from his face. Reaching slowly for his dagger, his female counterpart growled.
"Don't you EVER call me a dirty Half-elf again. I swear Legolas Greenleaf, Archer of Mirkwood, I WILL have your little Elf-"
"That is quite enough!" Bellowed Gandalf, a gleam of impatience in his eyes. "Who, pray tell, is your little friend here, Legolas?"
"She is most certainly NOT my fri-"
"I'm NOT his friend, and my name is L-"
"Her name is Linaael, unfortunately, she is of Mirkwood. However , she is known by pochers, the high Elvish counsel, and anyone with a brain as-"
"Link." Gandalf finished. He was about to say something more, when Link started up again.
"I can fight for myself, Legolas...I can live for myself, Legolas...I can eat, sleep, walk, and run for myself, Legolas...I don't see a reason why I cannot SPEAK FOR MYSELF! Pig-headed, Orc-brained-"
"At least I'm truly immortal! At least I will never age, and never sleep, and never tire, and never trudge..."
A flicker of pain shadowed in Link's eyes. He had to rub it in, didn't he...
"But you, you daughter of an Elf and a Human...you may live for hundreds of years, but slowly, VERY slowly, you will age. You will grow old. And eventually, you will DIE as an ugly, old woman. While I will look upon you in the same image and strength that I am today."
"Oh how you underestimate me, Legolas! I am as skilled an archer as you, but I excel with my sword...something you do not. I am as light on my feet, as swift and as silent as you. But I am mortal...in a way. I will live to see your great-great grandsons great-great granddaughters. I can only die prematurely by the SAME THREE things you can die from. Steel...fire...and grief. I am an Elf at heart. However...I would rather die a weak, burdened old woman with only a pipe to her name than be anything in your image!"
With a roar, Legolas grabbed his dagger and prepared to leap forward to attack.
"I said...that is ENOUGH!" Gandalf slammed his staff down, and a crack as loud as a whip filled the air. Both arguers silent, he took this oppurtunity to speak.
"Now, Legolas...I feel Linaael is here for a reason,"
"A nusiance..."
"Ahem. I feel she may be able to help us. Being of Elven blood, she is as keen as you are, can fight as well as you can with a bow, and is well with the sword. She can be an ally to us. And Linaael, Legolas has been extremely helpful to us in any way he can be. Now, if you two can get along, we can expand this Fellowship..."
Avoiding each others eyes, they calmly said they were willing to be civil. Link said she needed an adventure. Her wild looks and sharp tongue would most certainly make this time so much more interesting.
"I have heard stories of why this group of travellers has come to pass. You, young Hobbit, bear the One Ring. But explain more, Gandalf the Grey."
As Gandalf explained to Link the task that lay ahead, she locked eyes with Legolas. There was the thick layer of detest between that the Hobbits, Dwarf and Humans saw, then, there was the deeply hidden layer of pure hatred, that only Gandalf knew of...but underneath that, lied a fire that no one saw coming...
"Excuse me, but Mr. Legolas sir...Mr. Gandalf sir, I'm not fleuent in Elvish tongue at all, and I have trouble pronouncing it and all...what does your name mean in common-tongue, Ms. Link ma-am?"
"And what is your name, little Hobbit?"
"I'm Sam Gamgee, this is Mr. Frodo Baggins, our ring bearer, Merry Brandybuck, and Pippin Took. The dwarf over there is Mr. Gimli, and don't feel bad, because he dosen't get along with Mr. Legolas very well himself. Also, there's Mr. Boromir there, and Mr. Aragorn. But we call him-"
"Strider. I know him."
"And of course, you know Mr. Gandalf here?"
" Yes, I do. It's a pleasure to meet you all, nice to see you again, Strider and Gandalf. Sam, I'd really prefer you just call me Link, everyone else does."
"Her Elven name is Linaael, Sam, it means-"
"Stop, Legolas. I forbid I be known by it. It disgusts me."
Gandalf, bustled that he was interrupted, continued on down the path, with the Fellowship following. But the two Elves did not follow before Legolas whispered a final comment to Link.
"As you wish, Pureheart, of the tame beings of Mirkwood. Whose human mother was named 'Elenaor' and whose Elvish father was Allaokieen...Lightlove. There is more to you than meets the eye, half-elf." And with a wink, he trotted off to join the others. Her face burning a bright crimson, she muttured under her breath at him before she ran off as well.
"There may be more to me than meets the eyes, but that is a part of me you will NEVER know, Legolas Greenleaf..."
Chapter 2: Sweet Elven tears
-=Authors note: Allrighty. I know this story seems like it goes too fast, but that is my style. I can't sit and write for hours and hours about the color of the birds in the trees and such, and I envy everyone who can. Also, I would appreciate no flames about my portrayl of Sam and Frodo's relationship. If you DO have something bad to say about it, then don't leave an anonymous review. At LEAST leave your e-mail so I can explain to you 2 things:
1.) Have you read the books? What I write is EXACTLY how their relationship in the book is. Is it homosexual? Well, Sam grew up to marry Rosie and they had 13 kids. Go Sam, go sam...er...but if that is how you WANT it to be, then so be it. But I think it runs deeper than that. Sam is pure. And he DOES protect "Mr. Frodo" to the end. Wouldn't you just die to have someone like that around you?
2.) I am an AUTHOR. I write FICTION. And if I want Sam and Frodo to grow up and adopt 30.65 kids together, I'll write it like that. (Not sayin I will...my story isn't as expanive as mr. Tolkiens) Please respect that. If it's CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, I welcome it with open arms. But if it's "You suck, frodo isn't gay elijah wood is my baby..." so on and so forth...please, put an address to your name. Thank you!=-
_
The Fellowship were spending the night at a small clearing in the woods before travelling to the Mountains the next day. The fire that kindled earlier was almost out, and the snores of the Hobbit folk could wake the dead. But not all were graced with sleep. Aragorn stood quite a piece away from the others, chatting with Link.
"What ever became of you, after we last met? Rivendell was a much brighter place then, as you recall. Remember when you used to play with me in the forest, and taught me how to use a bow?" Aragorn's eyes gleamed with rememberance. "After about 20 years, you left, I forgot why. I never saw you since."
"Everyone thought I went on a mission and never returned. Truth is, I was banned from Rivendell. I do miss it, every day. The world is so cold, and alone here. But I've been around long enough to know that it only makes one stronger."
Aragorn frowned. This brought up many questions.
"Why were you banned, Linaael?"
She slightly blushed at her Elven name.
"Elrond realized I was not like the rest of the Elvenwomen. I was a warrior, rough and unladylike. He sent me out, to go and find my place. He did not want me to return to Rivendell, and I never have. He would not approve of me here, but I do not care. He isn't a bad man...I just didn't turn out right. But what do you expect from a half-elf?"
Aragorn frowned, but said nothing further of the current topic.
"How long have you known Legolas?"
Link sighed. This was a tough subject, and she had to be careful. Very, very careful. She hated him, with a passion. But what was that passion? Was it hatred?
"Many, many years...since we were Elflings. When I was banned from Rivendell, his father forbade him to be friends with me any longer. Our relationship, which was one friendly, turned bitter. I would not call him Prince, and he detested that. I don't know about him...I don't know how it turned this way..."
Aragorn placed his hand over hers.
"But enough of this. How's Arwen doing?"
Whilst the two talked of Arwen, Aragorn's love interest, a shadow walked calmly and quietly away from the two. Turning once more to see them, he stopped. They were laughing, flirting as just friends, and enjoying themselves very much. Glaring with a bitter eye, Legolas quickly walked twards the camp.
"I will not torture myself like that. Who is she...who is she to say things? I will not tolerate her. Why does it have to be like this?"
He whispered to the trees, and to the night sky, as a silver tear stained his pale, fair cheek a blood red. The tears of Elves...
_
The next morning, the group set off to the Mountains. Gimli and Legolas were involved in a heated discussion over who started the Elven and Dwarven hatred.
"It was most certainly NOT the Dwarves, we are a noble people!" Stated Gimli.
"Ai! And you say we are not? Who was first, Gimli? We were. We were first here, so therefore we had the right-"
"You were first, tis true. First to start your Elvish bickering! By my Axe..."
Gandalf and the human men were discussing routes of passage that were possible if the one did not work out. Link was behind them, telling Merry and Pippin of the most rich and wonderful pipe-weed she had found in her travels. A small piece, yet private, behind the rest walked Sam and Frodo. Quietly talking of Bilbo (Frodo's Uncle) and Gandalf, and Elves and Ringwaiths.
"I was so frightened, Mr. Frodo, I thought you were a gonner. I didn't hardly leave your bedside when we got to Rivendell. I'm so sorry Mr. Frodo, I could have done something, I was such a coward!"
Frodo's heart fell at this statement. There was nothing Sam could have done, nothing at all. But it made his heart soar to know he had at least one friend who is faithful, even in the worst of times.
"Samwise, listen to me. There's absolutely nothing you could have done. You were not a coward...I was. I put on the stupid ring to try and hide. But they could see me...I was scared too, Sam. When I saw you, all worried, I thought it was the end of me. I'm just glad we're on our way, and that we're both allright..."
Frodo gently patted Sam on the back, smiling lightly to him. Sam reached up and felt a whisp of Frodo's hair, and gently touched his hand.
"It's warm, Mr. was so cold, only a few days ago..."
***
They stopped and rested for a few minutes on top of one of the great stone mountains. They built a fire, and Boromir practiced swordplay with Merry and Pippin. Sam and Frodo sat together, along with Aragorn not far away, watching the festivities. Gandalf was speaking to Gimli, while Legolas and Link were watching guard.
"Legolas...do you see that?" Link pointed to a black cloud rushing twards them...straight twards them.
Sneering at her, he watched where she pointed.
"It's nothing, can't you see?" She glared ahead still, but suddenly screamed.
"LEGOLAS, LOOK YOU FOOL!"
His head shot up, and he screamed at Gandalf.
"Gandalf, spies! Head for cover!"
Looking up they all dove someplace where they were closely hidden, Legolas and Link diving under the same rock. His chest was pressed against her back, and he breathed quietly on the side of her neck. It had been a long time, since they were in this position. The memories overtook him, and he forgot himself as he took his hand and gently brushed it through her hair. Jerking, she dove out of the cave, and stood up. The flock was gone, and everyone was slowly climbing out of their shelters. Including Legolas, cursing his stupidity.
"What the hell was that, Legolas?! How dare you! Draw your bow!" She had hers out and loaded, and aimed for his head. He hesitated.
"I said draw your bow, archer of Mirkwood!" She sneered, and pulled her Elven haired bowstring back.
He looked dismayed, even sad. Then, like lightening, he grabbed his bow and loaded it within half a second. They both let go at the same time, and right in the middle, between both archers, their arrows collided. Staring at the two broken pieces of Elvenwood on the hard rock ground, the Fellowship was silent.
"Fools. You both...fools." whispered Gandalf, as he stared them both down. Not bearing to look at him any longer, they both looked away, which only resulted in their locking eyes. A fire deep within their souls flared up, and the rest of the Fellowship walked away. They don't know how long they stood there like that, but after awhile, Link's tears could withstand their barrier no longer. Dropping her bow, she fell to her knees and wept freely. However, even though she was of Elven blood, her tears were only a pale blue. Legolas only stood there. Blinking only once, he ran off twards the departing Fellowship.
Link sat there, and dried her eyes.
"Do you not have a heart as you once did, Legolas?" She cried out at his disappearance. She had no comfort, no solace. She grabbed her bow, and was about to run in the opposite direction twards her home in the woods, when she looked to the ground and saw it. Right where Legolas was standing before he left, there was a single drop of red. She crawled over to it, and laid her finger upon it. It was not blood. She put her finger to her lips, and tasted the salty bittersweetness of the red liquid. It was a single Elven tear. Purely shed. After a long while of meditation, she got up, and ran off to find the rest of the Company.
Chapter 3: In this darkest hour...
-=Authors Note: The much argued age of legolas will be touched upon, as we know for a fact he's live over a thousand years. VERY young for an Elf... just a thought. And I saw the movie again (3rd time) and I wondered a few things...
1. Why can he walk on the snow, and not sink...and yet everyone else does?
2. Why does he not run out of arrows? He does in the book...
3. Maybe it's because he's special...
But my final name for him shall be "Mr. Legolas I-can-walk-on-snow-and-not- sink-and-I-can-never-run-out-of-arrows-because-apparently-I-have-a- bottemless-quiver-and-if-you-stuff-mashed-potatoes-in-your-mouth-and-say-my- name-it-sounds-like-Legolamb...Greenleaf. Also, congradulations to everyone on the cast and crew of LOTR, they won AFI's movie of the year, against 9 other very good movies. Yay! Sorry this one is so short, but it's one of those small, yet packs a lot of punch chapters.=-
Oh and THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER...just to clear up some review confusion. Not the last chapter people...thank yas!
_
"Yes, well Mr. I-can-run-on-top-of-snow-and-not-sink, the rest of us are not so gifted." Aragorn muttered under his breath as he dug through the trenches of the deep Mountain ravines they were on. He hoped Legolas would not hear him, but keen are the eyes and ears of Elven folk.
"Fellow Aragorn, I will never understand the weaknesses of men. And half- men..." Legolas whispered the last phrase softer than the wind will blow on a hot summer day. He gazed back and saw Link, silently following the Fellowship. No one had noticed she was there, except Gandalf. While the men dug at the snow, Legolas snuck back behind the line, and hid in a snowbank awaiting Link's approach. When he saw her, he lept forward, grabbed her waist, covered her mouth and whisked her to the depths of the snow-cavern, hidden momentairly from the rest of the Fellowship.
"Stop screaming...biting my hand will not work, Linaael. Stop struggling, listen to me..."
He pleaded and pleaded, and she finally relaxed. He knew there was some sort of trickery involved, so he was weary.
"Now, I'm going to take my hand off of your mouth. However, binded to me you shall still be, I sense coyness and trickery about you." Slowly his hand strayed from her mouth.
"GANDDAAALFFFF-oomph!" Her screams were quickly put to an end, when she once again had a mouthful of Elven hand. Legolas sighed.
"I see this will not be easy...Lady, please, then...stop your struggles and listen." He waited patiently for her consent to continue. Finally, he got it.
"Things have been, well, tense between us for the past couple hundred years."
"Moomh ikee ousndh." A muffled reply, 'more like thousand'.
"Well, that may be true. I keep no records. However...I want to make a truce with you. Please, Linaael, hear me out. I do not like fighting with you, I do not wish this tenseness to continue. Will you allow a truce?"
He slowly gave her room to talk, by moving his hand away from her mouth a little.
"Hey, Legolas...I think it's a wonderful idea. Over the time we've known each other, it's been nothin but good times. We fell in love, you broke my heart, I broke yours, you banished me from your wood because I would not bow down to you and call you Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, you always had to be better than me, you constantly degraded me and told me I needed to be more ladylike...yeah, Greenleaf...good times. There will be no truce...now get your filthy hands off of me."
He numbly let her go. As she was getting up to leave hastily, he started screaming.
"You...you backstabber! Making me out as if I did all of the wrong! Curse you!" She stopped in her tracks, and looked back wildly.
"You were the one who said you wanted to go off to war, and fight, you broke MY HEART...I thought I was going to lose you! You didn't return for a long time, so I moved on, what else could I do?! Then you came back, thinking everything was going to be as it was before. But it WASN'T, you changed so much. All you cared for was killing, and murder, and battle...by then, I was instated as an active Prince. I NEVER DEMANDED you to call me Prince, I saw it as a sign of respect. I respected you, but I see you did not respect me. When my father banished you, I was destroyed! You were all I had, and you left laughing and you didn't even say goodbye! YOU ALMOST KILLED ME, Linaael...If it wasn't for Elrond to come and help me...I was going to die of a broken heart. In a way, you did kill me. You died, inside of me, your spirit died within me, your love for me died...therefore, I died as well."
A long silence, save for Legolas' sobs, filled the cold atmosphere. No longer could the howling wind and the shifting ice be heard. All was silent, in this moment of truth. No one noticed Gandalf silently standing, hidden by the snow, a few feet away. Legolas' head lifted up, hoping, praying to see some kind of pity, some kind of hope...
...her eyes were cold. Dead...as if there had never been a spark in them.
"You're a liar, Legolas. Your a damned liar...you couldn't have died from a broken heart. You couldn't have died from a loss of love..."
His eyes, silver tears with red trails still flowing, opened and closed painfully.
"...because I. Never. Loved you."
She spat on the red, Elven tear stained snow, and ran as fast as she could away. Legolas brought his knees up to his chest, and held himself, shaking against the snow. Lonliness enveloped him, but his feelings were clear. His stained-red face looked up, and into Gandalf's eyes. There, Gandalf saw something he never truly saw within that Elf. He had seen it before...and he had witnessed its aftermath. But never in the joyful eyes of the Good Archer of Mirkwood.
He saw a star...dying. Even the red from the tears was not a vibrant as it had been before. His whole body had a faded look about it. He started back, in horror. This Elf was dying. And not for the first time. He saw no hatred, no loathing, no dislike...he saw hurt. He saw pain. He saw tenderness being destroyed. And he saw a love that had died a long time ago, black rose petals decaying on the floor of a room where lovers once danced. He saw one, small flicker of love...but it was singed with the one last tear that fell from Legolas' eyes. Despair ridden, he began to fade. Slowly...and then more rapidly. Gandalf had no choice. He placed his hand upon the golden, fair Elven head, and sleep immediately claimed the weary eyes and body of the Elf...
****
Standing on a high snow bank, not 100 yards away, she was witnessing these events. Her tears were becoming more and more silver...and small hints of red they were leaving behind. Her face was stone, and cold, however...as she whispered to the wind.
"I'm killing him...all over again..."
And so it was for the Fellowship. Gandalf, carrying the fallen body of Legolas, continued to the camp site of the weary travellers. But not without gazing over at Linaael, looking deep into her eyes, and waving his staff.
Her eyes immediately closed, and she fell with sleep. The wooden arrow she had plunged into her heart had disappeared. But her Elven blood that stained the snow had not...
_
Look for the next installment within the next few weeks.
Chapter 4: Hatred: The Aftermath
**Allrighty, I'm beginning to create a schedule. The only time this will be updated is the weekends. Look for 1-3 chapters every weekend. If I don't follow through, you have the right to flame me, lol. I deserve it. Allrighty, without further adu...on with the chapter!
...ok, we have adu here. ::Grins:: did anyone see Orlando Bloom on Regis and Kelly? He was very...ok, I don't want ot sound rabid, but he's hot. Very, very hot.
Also, the flashbacks in this scene are when Legolas and Linaal are the Elven equivelant to about 17 and 18 in human years. Late teens. For them, it's around 40 or 50...maybe 60. Gotta love eternal life.
NOT THE LAST CHAPTER. I REPEAT...NOT THE LAST CHAPTER. I'm only getting started.
**
_
Legolas' eyes slowly opened, but quickly closed again. The snow that was hitting his face stung, and it was pitch black anway. He felt tired, and sort of empty. Very thin as well. Frodo had told him of what Bilbo said, "Like a little bit of butter spread over too much bread." That was exactly how he felt. But the feeling wasn't a stranger to him. He had felt it once before. He knew what it was. It was the great and terrible shadow.
Not wanting to think, he felt over to his right to see what was there. A massive bulk of feet and hair told him that these were the hobbits. And he guessed Boromir and Aragorn where somewhere beside them. Feeling to his left, he felt Gimli's helmet and Gandalf's hat.
"Awake dear boy?" The wise, old voice of the wizard did not heed to the loud, hushing whisper and scream of the wind.
"Yes, Gandalf. I feel...very ill, I'm afraid." A thought occurred to him. "Where's Linaael?"
Gandalf sighed. His plan must take place.
"I do not know for sure, but she's somewhere in the snow I believe. But I do hope she's allright-" Before he could finish his sentence, Legolas was already gone.
Gandalf sighed. "Young love..."
_
So many thoughts were racing through his head. Was she alive, dead, hurt, allright? He couldn't see much, even with his keen eyesight. He felt around for what seemed like forever, but it was only a half an hour. Finally, his hands rested on a cold lump in the snow. He felt the fabric of an Elven cloak, and knew it was her. He dug frantically, and uncovered an arm, then another, and then enough body to lift her out of the snowbank and place her on his shoulder. He ran forward, only to run straight into the mountain wall. Felling along the side, he found a crevice just big enough for both of them to enter. It was a little larger inside. He put her down as far away from the windy opening as he could, and immediately felt for a pulse. He found one, however, it was faint. He could only sit there and wait.
Studying her features more closely, he realized just how much she had changed over the years. She no longer had full, rosy cheeks, but thin and sunken ones. Her hair used to be golden brown, shiny and bright near the sun. However, it was now a dark brown, and quite dull. Her body wasn't like it used to be, either. It was more curvey, more shapely. She was very thin, however, and probably needed to eat more than she did. Her ears, for some reason, had stayed the same. Most Elven ears were only pointed a little, however, hers were at quite a sharp angle. Her hands were broad, and her long, slender fingers were curled into a fist. Only, something was in one of those fists...
He reached forward and opened her left hand. Inside was a small silver band, shaped like a circular rose. He didn't need to study it, he knew every detail of that bracelet...
***Flashback***
"Linaael...come here a second."
The young Elven boy was sitting in a tree in his home, Mirkwood forest. His bright blonde hair carelessly thrown about his shoulders, he held a leaf- wrapped present nervously behind his back. As he watched the girl approach, her years still young, he felt butterflies fluttering in his stomache.
"I didn't see you Legolas, how are you?"
She sat next to him on the tree branch, staring at his nervous eyes.
"W-well, I'm fine, I just wanted to g-give you s-something..." he could barely speak. What if she didn't like it?
"What is it?"
He handed her the present, and her eyes lit up. She slowly unwrapped the leaf wrapping, and took out a small wooden box with her name inscribed on it, in Elvish runes.
"It's beautiful!"
"Oh that isn't really it...open it."
Her hands were swift and gentle as she opened the box. As soon as she peered inside, her whole face began to glow. She held up a silver bracelet, shaped like a rose bent in a circle. Her eyes were moist as the sun glistened off of it. He leaned over and took it, and she held out her hand for him to put it on. It was a perfect fit.
"Do you like it?" He asked.
"Legolas...I don't know what to say...it's so beautiful..."
"No, it isn't. There are things far, far more beautiful than that bracelet..."
She looked up, and saw that he was staring intently at her. He brought his hand up, and slowly caressed her cheek, and stared deeply into her clear eyes. He leaned in slowly, focusing on her lips...
***End Flashback***
He quickly stopped crying, when he realized he was beginning to fade. He couldn't remember, it would kill him. When she woke up, he knew her harsh words would do the same. He was placing the bracelet back in her hand, wondering why she was holding on to it when he realized a puncture in he cloak. It was stained with blood, but as he inspected closer, there was no wound. It was right where her heart was.
"Gandalf..." he whispered. Nothing made sense to him, but there was no time to think about that now. She was waking up. He mentally prepared himself for the words he knew were coming, words of hate, of pain...he closed his eyes and prepared for the impact.
His warm hand was engulfed in a smaller, colder one. His shocked eyes looked down, wide open, and he stared at the contact she made. His head snapped up, and his eyes locked with hers. He didn't see hatred...but he didn't see friendliness or love either. But there was no hate. He smiled, and began to place his hand on hers, when she drew hers back slowly. The smile faded from his lips as he gazed down into his hand, and saw the silver bracelet in his possession. It was like someone had punched him in the stomache. When his first tear fell, it landed on the rose, and left a red trail on his hand. Was the rose bleeding?
"Legolas...what's wrong?! What's happening?" The urgency in her voice startled him, and he looked at her with a confused glance. She was staring at him as if he were a ghost. When he looked back down at his hand, he noticed he was fading. Smiling bittersweetly, and sheding more and more tears which turned more and more clear, and less real, he looked at her face. It was so beautiful to him, but he hated it so much...
He rested his back against the wall of stone, and remembered. He remembered when he gave her the bracelet, and they shared their first kiss. He remembered when they had fallen completely in love...he remembered when he showed that to her, when they made love for the first time. So many memories were flooding his brain...
...but he was fading with every second. By now he had completely forgetten she was there. He was just grinning like a madman, in the bliss of what they had.
"NO! Legolas, stop it! STOP IT! What are you doing?! Legolas!" Her screams were not even recognized by the spirit infront of her. He slid down to the ground, and she scrambled over and put his head in her lap. Her tears, more red and real by the second, poured onto his face. His eyes became glassy, and his skin was transparent. Her voice was high, shrieking, frantic...but what was the use? His head suddenly snapped around, and his cold, dead eyes hammered into hers.
"Pureheart...Linaael.." He whispered her name.
He laughed...then it all stopped. His breath, his stare, his heartbeat...everything stopped.
_
Gandalf bolted up, the feeling in the pit of his stomache was immensely strange, it was like freefalling when your stomache is in your throat. He didn't realize he was screaming.
_
Linaael was holding his cloak to her chest, rocking back and forth, back and forth. Her eyes were staring into the Abyss, and she was softly singing to herself in Elvish. His head was on her lap, but he was gone. His body would fade completely in a few minutes, only his clothes would be left behind. She looked down.
"You're such a FOOL LEGOLAS...a silly old fool!" She cracked up. Her cackling turned into sobbs, and she bueried her face into his chest. Slowly bringing it up, she brushed her lips very, very slightly on his eyes, then his nose...then his cheeks. His cheeks that were stained with her Elven tears. She was in complete hysterics. He was almost gone...she could barely tell who he was.
She placed her lips on his, kissing him not roughly and passionately, but simply and filled with love. Maybe he would wake up, maybe she could save him...
She looked up at the ceiling, and then down at her lap...
...there was no one there.
Her bloodcurdling scream brought the entire Fellowship to it's knees in sorrow.
_
Chapter 5: Ghost of you and me
**Authors note: Allright, there won't be one...lol I won't keep you from reading. This is a REALLY short chapter, but I felt mean after leaving you with the last one. Have fun!**
_
He watched her crawl and stumble out of the cave. He put his hands up and could see clearly through them. She thought he was gone...but it's so ironic. The one person who had killed him had just barely saved him. If it wasn't for her pain, for her kiss...he would already be sailing away to the land of the Elven kings by now. He sighed, knowing he needed Elrond to tend to him. He couldn't concentrate on anything but the kiss, or he would begin to fade again. He slowly stood up, and grabbed her cloak she had left on the floor. She had taken his, wrapped herself up in it tightly, and went to find the fellowship. Taking one last look around, and glancing briefly at the red stains of tears on the ground, he rushed off twards Rivendell. Luckily, he still had his bow and his daggars. She had taken half of his quiver, but she was wise to do so. They both knew that arrows would be scarce to come by, and muchly needed. He just hoped she coul dmanage untill he returned.
_
They could not trudge through the snow any longer. Gandalf, setting his pain and curiousity aside when Linaael came back without Legolas, had asked Frodo to make a decision. He had decided to take the Mines of Moria. This had pained Gandalf even moreso, for he knew the fate that was held down there. But off they went, to Frodo's decision. Gandalf and Linaael discussed quietly the happenings in the cave, and the rest of the Fellowship quietly listened. It was Sam and Frodo who noticed Gimli was crying.
"Ho, Gimli...what troubles you so friend?"
"The loss of a brother. Nothing more, nothing less. I would look too cruel if I did not show grievance."
Sam and Frodo were quiet, but neither of them bought his story for a minute.
"Sam...take my hand."
"Why Mr. Frodo?" But he did so before he could get an answer.
"Because I feel a dark fear passing through me, as if something was not right..."
Legolas stopped as he saw the Fellowship walking straight through him. His eyes were wide, and he stared as his visible hands in suprise. They never saw him...he was not materialistic.
"Am I...dead?" He whispered aloud. Suddenly, an ice cold feeling took his heart as Link walked ahead. She gasped, and stopped as if she were in pain. Legolas walked up to her, and slowly brought a hand up to feel her cheek. Her hand immediately reached up and for an instant, their hands were one. Then, Legolas ran as fast as he could, past the Fellowship, down the mountain, and to Rivendell. He had to see Elrond...if Elrond could see him.
"Gandalf...he was here, I swear, I felt his hand..." Link begged Gandalf to believe her. She only saw sorrow and pity in his eyes.
"Let's go, Linaael."
And so they trudged. And finally, the great wall came into view. As this had come to pass, Legolas was almost back to Rivendell.
Chapter 6: Of Elven flutes and Running Elves
Elrond sat quietly by Legolas' bed, staring at the tangled sheets and tossed pillow. The quilt was damp with sweat, and the scent of that mixed with different herbs and ales was almost staggering. But Elrond didn't notice it. All he noticed was that the bed was empty. Slowly, he got up and began to tidy it up, pulling the sheets tight and the quilt straight, making it was wrinkle-free as possible. The torn and bloodied clothes on the floor were carelessly kicked into the hamper, for some Elf-maid to retrieve later. Rubbing his temples, he sighed heavily. This was the second time. This was the last time. He could never have his poor, beaten heart broken again...and for that one simple thought, Elrond was thankful.
"...When can I start out again?"
This was the last time. If his heart was broken again, he would die within a moment. No treatment could ever help. This was the last time.
"Tomorrow evening, and that's only because I pity you. If you were in any other situation, you wouldn't leave my sight for weeks." Elrond said as he watched Legolas, clad in dark green and earthy brown, pack his bag for his trip.
"Do you know where they are, master Elrond? I can track them down, but time is precious."
"I have no idea, but if they progressed correctly, and what you tell me is true, they could be at the gates of the Mines or Moria. Take great heed when you go, I don't feel right about this. Godspeed."
"Thank you, Elrond...for everything. For saving my life again. For everything."
"I am at your service, Archer of Mirkwood. You father will not know."
_ _
"Speak, friend, and enter."
Gandalf sat, hunched over, on a rock infront of the door of Moria. He had tried all the incantations, spells, tricks and sprites he could ever remember...
...nothing was happening. Leave it up to Elves and Dwarves to protect things.
'Most things, anyway.' he thought as his eyes shifted over to the large tree to the left of him, and the female sitting on one of the branches. As her legs were swinging, she shuffled in her bag trying to find some article or another. Finally, she pulled out a 6 inch piece of wood, carved round and long, and hollowed out. Samwise gasped and trotted over to her.
"Pardon me, Missus Link, but isn't that an Elven flute?"
Linaael smiled, and held it out for him to inspect. His hands flew over the wood as he petted it and admired it.
"Can you play anything?" His inquiry brought no words, but he took it as she could when she brought it up to her lips. A lively, quick melody flowed through the air, and Sam went to sit next to Frodo. Everyone forgot their troubles for a few minutes, as they smiled and listened to Linaael play. Sooner than the hobbits wished, her song was over. She was thinking about putting it away, when Pippin's voice spoke up, quietly.
"Could you play just one more?" She saw the pleading in their eyes, and obliged to one more song. This time, it was slow and doomy. Legolas had taught her this one. She didn't figure anyone would know it...until Sam's voice started to sing softly.
"Gilgalad was an Elven king,
Of him the harpers sadly sing:
The last whose realm was fair and free,
between the mountains and the sea;
His sword was long, his lance was keen
His shining helm afar was seen.
The countless stars of heavens field,
were mirrored in his silver shield.
But long ago he rode away,
and where he dwelleth none can say;
For into darkness fell his star,
In Mordor where the shadows are..."
Sam stopped singing, but Linaael kept playing. There was more to this sad tune, but Sam knew not of it. Frodo's heart was suddenly heavy, and Sam sensed that. Taking his Master's hand, he rubbed it between his own. After awhile, she abruptly stopped. Everyone looked at her in confusion, until she spoke up.
"It's a riddle, Gandalf. 'Speak FRIEND and Enter.' Gandalf..."
Gandalf thought for a few moments, then turned a bright crimson. Elvish for Friend.
"Mellon!"
The doors opened. They were in. At least, until Frodo screamed in terror.
_
He ran through the woods as fast as he could, leaving no footprint, no sign of his fleeing. He had to find her. He had to. He longed for her, to hold her, to see her cry for him...
Run. Run. Run.
He had to go faster, it was nightfall, and he had left day before yesterday. He should have been there by now. He had told his horse to leave a long time ago. He had so precious few hours left.
Run. Run. Run.
Finally, he saw the doors...open! But what was that? He skidded and drew his bow. There was Frodo, a long tenticle curled around him, squeezing him to death...
_
**Authors Note: GEE...wonder what THAT could be...**