Be My Voice in This Present Darkness (Legolas x OC)

~Chapter XXVII~

Vana woke up the next morning back in her bed, and wondered if the previous day had been a bad dream. It could possibly have been one, she supposed, but it felt too real. Legolas had no tie to her. She knew she should probably be feeling relief, but all she could feel was fear. And her terror was great.

Was this forged bond dangerous? Would she die?

Would Legolas be hurt?

She tried to ignore the seemingly endless possibilities that paraded themselves about in her head, but it was with difficultly that she did so. Vana got out of bed tiredly, moving her legs around so she was in a sitting position at the edge of it. Looking around her room she wondered why it bothered her so little that the volcanoes produced so much of the light. The lamps were already lit, however, a servant must have been in here earlier to do so.

Vana wondered how that elleth was, with the burns down her arm. Was she doing well? Vana made a mental note to ask about her later. She quickly dressed in an outfit laid out for her, without even looking at it. It might have been red, or black. One of those colours, anyway. Who cared, anyway?

Certainly not her. She quickly popped her head out of the door, looking both ways down the hall. "Hello?"

A woman came running. "My Lady!" Vana couldn't tell if she was an elleth or not, her hair was over her ears, although tied up, and she had wrinkles around her eyes and forehead, making her look older than she probably was. So works worry and care.

"Is it all right if I want breakfast in my room?" Vana enquired. "I don't want it in the main room." She didn't add that if she did she might possibly be sick.

"Oh, of course! What would your Ladyship like?" The woman's voice was diametrically opposed to her words, as it was tired and sad.

Vana considered. "I don't mind. Whatever you were going to serve."

"Are you sure?" Still that slight monotone.

"Yes, I'm sure," Vana said. "No need for extra work. I'm sick of causing that."

"Extra work?" The woman covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm so sorry, My Lady! I will not lapse like that again." She started to walk off. "I will get someone to bring you up your meal."

"No, no," Vana tried to tell her. "It's fine-"

But she had fled. Vana muttered under her breath. Why was the whole place either against or afraid of her? She tried to help, but was pushed away. Sauron had almost taken her ability to act for herself from her. He manipulated her, playing on her greatest fears, and then making her choices, whatever they were, seem worse than the alternative, although that would have been even more unpleasant.

But was Legolas living worth her independence? She knew it was, but found it hard to believe just then. He would never even know what she'd gone through for him. He hated her because she's tried to save him. It was so unfair! Sauron had no qualms about tampering with the dark arts simply to please himself, and for no other reason.

Vana couldn't work out why he wanted her so badly, anyway. He clearly didn't like her, he wanted to abstain from all physical affection for the duration of her life, he tried to scare and upset her at every opportunity. . . And succeeded too. Vana was afraid of him. She honestly was trying not to let him scare her, but it wasn't working. It wasn't like with monsters under the bed; he did exist. Or the dark; he did try to hurt her. Vana shivered involuntarily.

She walked back into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Vana had an idea. She scanned the room, her eyes alighting on the jewellery-box that she had deposited her pendant along with the daisies. She fingered the fast-wilting flowers, and took up the pendant, which she hadn't worn the previous day.