The Princes Shadow

Chapter 23

Legolas raised the mug to his nose, and recoiled from it at the smell, "So it's a drinking game?"

"Aye!" Gimli sat up, mug in hand,

"Ready lads, ready... set... drink!" Eomer looked at us intently as we began to drink.

I finished my first mug within the minute. Eomer handed me the next. For the next few minutes I drank non-stop. 

"It's the dwarves that go swimming with little hairy women!" he slurred, obviously drunk.

Legolas looked at his hands with confusion, "I feel something. A slight tingle in my fingers." He looked at me with surprise, "I think it's affecting me!"

Gimli began to laugh, "What did I say? He can't hold his liquor!" and with that, he went cross eyed and fainted.

I couldn't help but laugh, "Well then. Shall we continue?" I asked Legolas, as I raised the next mug of ale,

"We shall!" He did the same. 

After a few more mugs of ale, Legolas stopped and sat down, "You have bested me. I cannot go any further, for I have grown tired of drinking non-stop." He sighed in defeat,

"I guess I win then!" I smiled widely, feeling the ale taking a slight affect on me.

...

It was late at night when I woke up. I stepped out of bed, my bare feet coming in contact with the cold, stone floor. I was wearing a white nightgown that Eowyn had lent me. I felt a presence, and it wasn't a good one. As I walked through the hallway, I heard whispering coming from the great hall. I quickly rushed there, and when I arrived, I saw Pippin holding the Palantir,

"Pippin!" I rushed over to his side and snatched the glowing orb from his hands, and suddenly, I was no longer in the great hall. There was a black silhouette standing in front of me. Although his face was shrouded, I knew who it was, "Sauron," I whispered. The silhouette came closer to me. Everything was so cold here.

"Emerin Maethor, daughter of warriors, wielder of the cold fire." I heard his voice in my head. It was raspy, and dark, sending a shiver down my spine, "You have much power. Power that could be... of use, to me." I began to see features of a face on the silhouette. Sauron's face. "Ride out to Mordor, alone. Let us join forces, and you shall be rewarded." I took a step backward, and all of a sudden, an image filled my mind. My parents. They stood in front of me. 

My mother placed a hand on my shoulder, "Emerin, my sweet child, melleth nin. Go with him. You can bring us back with his help. We can be a family again." My mothers soft voice rang in my ear,

"No, no, no, no. You're... not... real. None of this is real." I reassured myself,

"Of course it isn't. We can only be real if you help Sauron. Don't you want that?" My father spoke now.

"My parents are dead. You are not my parents. Even if they were here, they would tell me not to help Sauron." I was mostly talking to myself.

The dark voice reappeared, "You will help me, Emerin. Or you will lose all that which you hold dearest." All of a sudden, I was back in the great hall.

Legolas POV~

I ran into the great hall. I felt Sauron's presence growing stronger. When I entered the hall with Aragorn, Gandalf was awake, standing over an unconscious Pippin. I then moved my attention to Merry, who was looking at something. I followed his gaze.

Emerin.

She stood completely still, holding the palantir. Her eyes were open, but distant. I ran over to her side. I grabbed her shoulders, shaking her, "Emerin!" I tried to grab her attention. I then reached for the palantir. I tried to tear it from her grasp, but she would not let go. "Emerin, let go!" I struggled. Gandalf moved me out of the way, and attempted to remove the orb from her iron grip. He removed his hands and began to think. Once his hands let go, Emerin dropped the Palantir and fell to the ground. I kneeled down beside her, cradling her head on my lap. Her eyes fluttered open as she gasped, sitting up suddenly. Her breathing was labored as she looked around in confusion and shock. At last, her eyes landed on me. With no warning, she pulled me into a hug, "Are you alright?" I asked. She answered after a few moments,

"I'm fine." She assured me. However, I noticed the way she had hesitated. When I looked at her, she smiled. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"What did you see?" Gandalf asked,

"Not much. Just a black silhouette." Emerin said surely,

"Did you hear anything?" He pressed,

"No. Nothing besides silence."

Gandalf looked at her curiously, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Emerin nodded her head, then looked at Pippin, who was still lying on the floor,

"Pippin!" She grasped everyones attention.

...

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes, nor Emerins." Gandalf assured Theoden, but looked at Emerin as if he thought otherwise. Personally, I didn't see a lie in her eyes. But the way that the palantir didn't move from her hands for so long, and how she collapsed after it fell down, made me feel worried.

...

Pippin and Gandalf had left a few hours ago. I sat outside with Emerin,

"Are you sure you're alright? I know you said that you didn't hear or see anything, but-" 

"Legolas," She interrupted, "In truth, I lied." She looked down at her hands,

"Then what did you see?" I pressed,

"I-" She stopped, "I suppose I should just tell you, for fear of you never leaving me alone." She gave a wry laugh, "I heard his voice. Sauron's. I saw his silhouette standing in front of me. He knew my name." She was now very serious, "My full name!" Emerin Maethor. I only knew it because my father had once used it when speaking of her, "He said something about me being the wielder of the 'cold fire'. I don't even know what that is! But I remember Galadriel telling me that I had some sort of power that I am unaware of." She seemed to be considering something, "I saw my parents." she said quietly, "They told me that if I helped Sauron, he could bring them back." I saw sorrow written on her face, but no tears, "But I won't. Those weren't my parents. My parents would never want me to help Sauron. After all, he is the reason the died." her eyes flickered to mine, "I swear I won't help him, Legolas."

"And I believe you, Emerin." I pulled her closer to me, "I know you. You would sooner die, then help Sauron."

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I hope that this chapter was good. So who here is curious to see what power Emerin holds? :) Please vote, comment and follow.

-Jackie