The Forgotten Princess

The Darkness

Lessien stared at the stars, drowning inside. Somebody, something had to keep her above water. Her mind kept flashing back to the man back at Tom's cottage, touching her face. And then to Gwyndolyn's kind eyes. Over and over.

She found she forgot to breathe again.

Lessien felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped a little, turning to see Legolas.

"Sorry. Are you alright?" he asked.

Lessien pursed her lips. "What did he say?"

She tried her best to keep her voice even as she referred to the king.

"He's evacuating the city to Helm's Deep," Legolas said.

"So he's going to leave the outer lands to fend for themselves," Lessien said very slowly, her anger and grief caught in her throat.

"There's not many villages left to defend."

Lessien whirled and slammed Legolas into the wall, bracing her arm against his throat. Not quite tight enough to cut off air supply.

"And all of that is his fault. You have no place whatsoever to say things such as this, to try to convince me the king is doing what is right. You know nothing of this."

Tears brimmed in her eyes and she pushed away from him roughly.

"I'm just trying to help," Legolas said hoarsely, rubbing his throat.

"I don't need your help," she snapped.  

Legolas stared at her for a long moment. "You feel the Darkness, too. Don't you? I can tell. You feel this thing the way elves do."

Lessien stopped. What he was saying made sense. Her mind felt so burdened.

"You don't know what you're talking about," she replied.

Legolas stepped forward and softly grabbed her hand.

Lessien wondered how he could be so gentle when moments ago she had attacked him.

"On the contrary, I think I know more than you. Sauron's forces are being held at bay. His presence is more threatening to elves. His dark force damages the Light of the Valar that is in us all.

"If it didn't affect you, you wouldn't be so angry right now. You would be able to feel things for me. You sense it, don't you?"

By the Valar, I want to kiss him.

I can be mad about Theoden's choice without this silly Darkness he speaks of.

His lips look so soft.

She shook her head of these thoughts. "I have to leave."

Lessien turned to go inside. When she entered, Cerinyc, Sophi, and Gimli were gone. It was empty.

She retired to the sidelines of the throne room, settling in a chair sat at a table in the shadows. She remained still and stared at the wall, thinking about what Legolas had said.

As she contemplated, Eowyn and Aragorn entered the room. They didn't notice her. They spoke in hushed voices, close to each other's faces.

For some reason, something angry sparked inside her. Maybe it was the way they looked at each other, or the soft way they talked, or how Aragorn conversed with her so willingly when he was short with so many.

He was her father and Arwen was still alive. He shouldn't be looking at Eowyn that way.

And Eowyn should not be looking at him that way.

Why had she ever trusted Eowyn? Why should she even had made friends with her?

Aragorn finished talking to Eowyn and Lessien abruptly stood from her table, stomping after him in a rage.

"What was that?" she interrogated.

"That? That was nothing," Aragorn chuckled, watching Eowyn as she left the room.

"No. No, Gimli and me, that's nothing. What was that?" Lessien insisted.

"What are you going on about, Lessien?" Aragorn asked.

"You know what I'm talking about. Your heart belongs to Arwen. That necklace you wear is her Evenstar, no simple token. She is willing to give up her immortality and her whole life for you, Father. So answer me this, what was that?"

Why am I defending Arwen? Why do I care suddenly right now?

"Listen to me, Lessien. I am your father, and should be respected as one. My affairs with anyone, including Arwen, are none of your business. And that, that was nothing."

"It is my business if you are betraying Arwen's trust after all she's given you. You can just tell me you don't love her anymore," Lessien said angrily.

Maybe it was the fact Arwen was depending upon Aragorn with so much and how now he was violating her trust. Just as Gwyndolyn had trusted Lessien.

Lessien didn't wait to hear Aragorn's reply. She went to her chambers to rest.

Things kept turning over in here mind.

Tom.

Legolas and all of the feelings that went along with him.

Tom.

Eowyn and Aragorn.

Tom.

And Théoden. Théoden and how much she wished he would save the outer villages.

But she knew that wasn't going to happen.