She looks away from me, at the ground stained with red. I stare at her in shock and confusion, Legolas' hand placed lightly on my shoulder. Mother?
"You can't be her..." I whisper hoarsely, throat suddenly closed from emotion. "It's.. It's.. Impossible!"
I start to stutter nonsensical words, background noise reduced to muffled murmurs, and Legolas squeezes my shoulder.
"Vivienne." Legolas murmurs. "Let her speak."
Eleanor- my mother- coughs and looks back up at me. Her blue eyes are filled with unshed tears, face scrunched up in pain.
"Vivienne, I'm so sorry I left you... It was a horrible decision to make, but I had to-" cough- "I had to go back..."
"Back where?"
"Here. Rohan.. And I couldn't bear living in Mirkwood without your father. And you- you were safer without me..."
"But why Rohan?" I cry, a tear slipping out of my eye. Pent up anger rises to the surface, and my fists clench. "Didn't you think about me at all? I lost two parents that day! I can't believe-"
"Vivienne, stop." Legolas says suddenly. I stop talking and take a deep breath. "We should bring her back inside."
I stare at him. She isn't going to live- she only has a few minutes left! But I suppose dying in the keep is better than dying outside on the battle field. Legolas calls over a few men to pick up my mother. We rush into the destroyed keep, and place her onto a wooden table. The time slips by like a dream; I barely remember the details. Legolas leaves to go find Gimli or something, and leaves me with my mother. Eleanor's forehead is sheen with sweat and her cheeks are filthy with grime, but a few tears cut tracks through the dirt.
"Eleanor!" Someone cries, loud footsteps echoing through the stone walls. I don't lift my head. Théoden rushes over next to me and clutches her pale hand. "No..." He whispers.
"You know her?" I ask in a monotone voice.. Théoden looks up at me and nods.
"She's my daughter." He says quietly.
I step back. This is impossible. Théoden is my mother's father. My mother is a Lady of Rohan, daughter of the King.
"You're my granddaughter."
He watches my reaction. I blink rapidly and swallow hard.
"Why didn't anybody tell me?!" I whisper.
"You can't know." Eleanor says weakly, struggling to stay alive for a few more moments. "Vivienne, you're wanted. You're special, and Saruman wants you."
"I don't understand." I grit out.
"Vivienne... You have to get away! You have to hide, stay away.." Eleanor panics, breathing ragged and choppy.
Théoden hushes her, calming her down. Eleanor takes a few deep breaths and looks at me.
"I love you. I love you both." She whispers so softly, I barely catch the last few words. "Please, promise me-" She suddenly gasps before going still, her last words not finished.
Tears flow down Théoden's face as Eleanor lays still. We stand in silence for minutes, before I leave Théoden to grieve. I am not sad- she abandoned me as a child and told me to stay away. I do not love her, nor hate her. But I am greatful for her sacrifice. I walk down into an empty room and lean against the wall shakily. This is too much to comprehend.
Saruman wants me?
Voices suddenly begin pound against the inside of my skull, sending my mind reeling and my body sliding down the wall and onto the floor.
"Thranduil, you have to hide her. They're here."
A man's voice.
"So soon? That can't be possible, it's been barely-"
A deeper male voice whom I recognize from years in Mirkwood.
"They've breached our first line of defence- they're strong, my King. Eleanor wanted the girl to be safe! Saruman wants her, and they will do whatever it takes!"
Eleanor. My mother. And Thranduil...
Why does Saruman, the great White Wizard, want me?
I wrack my mind for more details, but I pull up blank cards every time. I fist my hands into my hair, wrenching my eyes shut and trying to remember, but I just can't. I let out a scream, pulling on the tangled locks until my head hurts even more. Why did Saruman want me? What's so special about me?!
*flashback*
Battle cries and screaming. Orcs and elves. Swords, spears and bows. Death.
The orcs attacked in the afternoon, where I was out feeding the horses. They found me close to the gate, but I was weaponless and weak. They had grabbed me and tied my hands behind my back and I screamed, and many elves had started to fight back. I screamed with all of my might but they knocked me out, and dragged me away while the Elves fought the remaining orcs. Unnoticed in the chaos.
I woke up every few hours, but they knocked me out again and again. A few days had passed before I woke for good.
I awoke in a dim cave, surrounded by goblins and the orcs which captured me. They sneered at me, jeering and poking at me whenever they got fed up or bored. My lips were chapped, my wrists raw from the rope, and my eyes wide with terror. I was very young, and used to the safety of home. I was kept in that cave for days, left with small amounts of water and unknown meat that I wouldn't eat. There was no light, and I had felt suffocated as a creature who needed to be near nature to thrive. Every time I made noise or complaint, a goblin would scrunch his nose up and shut me up effectively. In the dim light, I could tell that my arms were littered with dark bruises, and knew that my face was the same. The cave felt like it was getting smaller by the second, until one day, I was free.
The orcs picked me up roughly and threw me into the centre of a larger underground cave, in front of a huge goblin- the Goblin King. He asked me questions that I had no answer to, about my parents, and he lost patience. The orcs took me out of the caves and into daylight, where I wanted to run away and be freed. I was too weak- I only had a piece of stale bread so far. They rebound my hands in front of me and carried me in turns, and I floated in and out of consciousness.
We followed a river to get to Isengard, where they argued whether or not to pass Rivendell and risk notifying the elves, or take the longer, safer route where Saruman was sure to be angrier. While they argued, I ran. I ran until I could not run anymore, which was soon, as I was very weak. My hands were still bound, held in front of me. They didn't notice I was gone until it was too late, but I was paranoid. I collapsed on the riverbank from sheer exhaustion and hit my head on a rock. Before I lost consciousness, I kept panicking, praying to whoever was listening that they wouldn't find me.
Footsteps.
I shut my eyes and let the tears flow, knowing my fate. I waited for the orcs to spit in my face and lift me roughly to continue the journey, but it someone else.
A ranger with dark hair appeared. He saw me lying almost unconscious on the rocks and picked me up carefully, brushing my sweaty bangs off of my forehead.
"What's your name?" He had asked softly.
"Vivienne..." I whispered before passing out. He immediately brought me to Rivendell where the Elves then took me in, and then Lord Elrond started with the healing.
*reality*
I breath shakily and think about what I just saw. Aragorn. Aragorn saved me. And what Eleanor and Théoden said was true- they attacked just to get me. But why? I never did anything...
I stand up and stumble through the empty halls until I hear voices, and stagger through the doors to see my grandfather, Gandalf, Éomer, Éowyn and several guards talking. Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli stand a little off to the side.
Legolas spots me, his face flashing with concern and he makes his way over.
"Are you alright?" He murmurs, and I nod hesitantly. I can tell that he doesnt believe me, and I wouldn't either. I must look like a mess.
"We ride for Isengard with all speed." Théoden commands. "Éowyn will lead the people back to Edoras. We need to speak with Saruman."
Everybody nods, and I adjust my weapons on my belt.
"Not you, Vivienne."
"What?" I look up at the king and frown. "Why not?"
"He is still looking for you. It isn't safe. Go with Éowyn."
"But why?" I exclaim. "What's so special about me, anyways?"
At this point, everybody is staring at us. Aragorn looks at his feet, not engaging in the feud.
"Saruman knows that Rohan, Mirkwood and Rivendell would do anything for you, as you are fairly popular in all three places. Your mother is- was, princess, King Thranduil took you under his wing like another child, and now, Elrond sees you as his responsibility. All three kingdoms would charge into battle for you, without hesitation. He wants to use you as an easier way to gain power over Middle Earth from the inside out."
"How does Rohan know?"
"What?"
"How does your Kingdom know about me?" I repeat. "That I'm her daughter, that I'm wanted?"
"I... They..." Théoden swallows. I set my jaw.
"You kept a secret from me." I whisper harshly. "So everybody knows about this but me."
"Yes..."
I storm out of the room with everybody staring after me, and try to find Numen. I am going with them, and I don't care if it's dangerous. I can look after myself! I run to where the stables and quickly saddle Numen. He whinnies and nudges my shoulder, nipping at my sleeve.
"Vivienne!" Legolas calls, and walk over to me. Aragorn stands beside him. "Are you alright?"
"No." I reply bluntly. "How could he keep this from me? I could've taken care of myself. I don't need people taking care of me and thinking I can't handle the truth!"
Legolas falls silent, and I turn to Aragorn.
"I saw you!" He raises an eyebrow. "I remember now. I saw you- you saved me. And you knew it was me. Why didn't you tell me?"
"It was not my decision to make."
I nod slowly and mount Numen, checking to see if my weapons are still in place. The horse shifts nervously, kicking up clouds of dust from the ground.
"You still want to come?" Legolas asks me.
"Of course."
"Saruman still wants you, and he is the White Wizard. It is not the best idea, Vivienne." Aragorn advises.
"Why does everyone underestimate me?" I say, strangely calm. Legolas looks up sharply and Aragorn gazes at me intently. "I can protect myself!"
"We do not underestimate you. But nobody, even I, stand a chance against Saruman. Gandalf himself was nearly defeated by him." Aragorn replies.
"But-"
"Vivienne, please." Legolas begs. "Don't go. I don't want you to be hurt, or worse. Go with Eówyn."
I stare at the two of them in hurt and confusion. Why is everybody set against me?
"Legolas is right." Aragorn murmurs. I swallow hard.
"Fine." I hiss, and nudge Numen in the direction of the main gates. I exit Helm's Deep and start to follow the line that the people have formed back to Edoras.
* * *
I turn around in the saddle and see the small group with Legolas, Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Théoden, and Éomer in the distance, and feel an urge to join them, but I know I can't go with them. I feel a twinge of sadness.
But maybe I can...
I turn Numen around quickly and gallop towards them, but I am still a good distance behind them. After all, they are moving at a faster pace than the people of Rohan. It takes me a few minutes of flat-out galloping to reach them, and by the time I do, the line of people I left behind are specks in the distance.
I slow down next to Éomer. Everybody stops their horses and stares at me.
"I thought you had gone with the others, Vivienne." Gandalf says. I see Legolas staring at me and Théoden sucks in a breath.
"Nope, I'm coming with you." I say with determination, and urge Numen forwards. "Are you coming?" I call over my shoulder as nobody follows. Their horses soon follow mine, but Legolas and Gimli ride Arod next to me.
"What are you doing?" Legolas asks me, sounding slightly frustrated. "I thought I had told you to stay."
"Since when I take orders from you?" I immediately regret what I say, remembering that he isn't just an elf. He's the prince of Mirkwood. "I'm sorry." I apologize, glancing at him. He seems hurt, and stares ahead. Gimli is silent, for once. We continue to ride, but nobody says anything.
"When we get to Isengard, just be careful." Legolas finally says. "I know you are capable of protecting yourself, but I see you more than just another person, and I don't want to lose you, okay?"
I look at him and smile a little.
"Okay."