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

~Chapter XXX~

Lelya looked at her oddly, cocking her head to one side. "She was?" The trauma she had endured had obviously affected her head as well. The elleth's comprehension levels were well below average.

"She was," Achasiel assured her, as well as she could. "You don't need to worry about her being mean."

"She lied to me though. . ." came the slightly obstinate reply.

"But you would have been very upset if she hadn't," the shapeshifter pointed out. "You would have still thought she'd be cruel, then. You might have hurt her."

"Well, I suppose. . ." Lelya said, doubt lacing her voice. She was silent for a little while, trying to form a question. It eventually, although brokenly, came out. "Is. . . is she nice to you?"

Achasiel didn't hesitate. "Yes, very." She patted her stomach absently, almost massaging her abdomen. She tried to push that out of her mind, but she knew what was going on inside of her.

"I guess that's all right, then." Lelya sounded like a small child. Maybe, to her own mind, that is what she was. Going back to her childhood to escape her present troubles. When everyone was a friend and life was simple, but safe. Achasiel thought that it wasn't that bad of an idea. Escapism in its simplest form.

But now, if her suspicions were correct, then that would be the furthest thing from what she was about to do. And how would she break it to Vana? And Heaven save her from what Lomion would say. She felt anxiety bubbling up inside of her. "Lelya?" she finally asked.

"Yes?" The elleth of that name was staring dreamily into space.

"What do you think you would do if. . ." Achasiel couldn't make the next part of her question leave her lips for a while. With a Trojan effort, she finally succeeded. "If. . . if. . . you had a baby?" she managed to blurt out. Then she put her head in her hands.

********

To say Vana's cramps were sore would be an understatement. Achasiel hadn't brought any relief for her yet, so she just had to lie there, curled up in the foetal position, hoping that the pain would either go away or that she'd fall asleep. Or that she'd die. She was drifting away to dreamland when the door opened, forcing her to sit up and see if it was Achasiel. But her sleepy eyes did not see correctly.

A dark-haired figure stood over her. "Vana." The voice was too deep for Achasiel, her brain told her sensibly.

"Who are you?" she asked, tiredness taking her over. She lay back down.

"You know me," he said. And then she did know him. It was Sauron. He bent over her, and as her vision cleared, she saw the dim light from the window shine over his hair, creating those already-too-familiar red glints at the tips of his hair. She wondered offhand what caused them to do that.

He smiled wolfishly, with a terrifying effect.

"What are you doing here-" she started. Then a thought occurred to her. "You're not allowed in my room!"

"I figured, with you being sick and in need of medicine, I was excused." He sat on the bed, close to her. "Achasiel wasn't very anxious to part with it, but I have my little ways. She looked very upset anyway."

Vana frowned. "Can I have it, then? And what's wrong with Achasiel-" She didn't finish the thought as Sauron interrupted her with his stronger voice.

"One of my least favourite qualities about you, Vana, is that you have no guile." He shook his as if in regret. "None at all. You are too innocent."

She considered for a minute. "Well, I'd prefer to be innocent and unsuspecting than evil," Vana said eventually, looking to see his reaction from her position on the bed.