The Silvan (Lord of the Rings-Legolas)[Wattys2016]

Chapter 36: Cry From The Other Side

Turning here and then there he no longer knew where to fix his gaze.

The gnarled oak, the shrivelled bushes, the leaf-strewn paths.

The dark shadows, the sickly sentinel, the blank stare of a wren.

He gasped and finally succumbed to his own discomfort, covering his ears in a futile attempt to block out the grating, scraping sound that ripped through his senses, and then his eyes bulged in fear as he felt the back of his neck pop and he froze where he stood, the cacophony suddenly disappearing and his shoulders hunched as if he expected a blow.

I was once joyous...

Legolas' eyes slipped to the side.

I once felt the bliss of life...

A twitch of dark brows.

And then light was tainted by the shadow of wanton terror ...

Legolas' eyes filled with tears as he listened, terrified now of what would happen next. He felt too light, as if he floated upon a summer cloud and yet his chest felt so heavy, as if he carried the burdens of the world upon himself.

I cannot waken, cannot forget the pain, cannot forget the tragedy of unconditional love...

Legolas gasped, and then staggered to his knees, his hands now upon the ground, bracing his body.

Not far away, Elrond and Glorfindel watched wide-eyed as Legolas fell, his back towards them, and only the lord's steadying hand upon the commanders arm stopped him from rushing forward.

"Wait..."

"Who are you?" called Legolas feebly, tears now falling from his eyes and as he turned his head, the two lords gasped and stepped backwards for there, kneeling in the carpet of dried leaves, was an elf with shining green eyes and hair that snaked too slowly around his head.

I remember her - remember her plight...

Legolas pushed the crushing sadness down and struggled to his feet, moving now as would a blind man, his hands reaching out before him until he stopped before the sickly oak and looked up into its bereft boughs.

"You are a sentinel," said Legolas in awe as his palm connected with the branch and white light exploded behind his eyes.

He cried out in both fright and pain, for a burning lance of agony shot through his head and he suddenly understood what was being said, the story he was being told. He saw her face, saw her agony, her beauty, her light and her suffering, saw her strong body standing tall and proud upon white shores...

Gasping once more, his tears fell as the faces of Elrohir, Elladan and then Elrond flitted across his mind's eye, their expressions so full of crushing despair and utter grief they stole Legolas' breath and he struggled for air as his stomach churned, and before he could reason what it was he saw, his hand flew from the bark and he fell to his knees with a thud, battling the sudden nausea that crashed over him, the searing pain in his gut, in his chest.