PART SEVENTEEN ~
"Legolas, it is good to see you've made a quick recovery!"
The Prince glanced up at the speaker; Tathar. He nodded slowly, trying to remain impassive as laces of pain lanced up his leg after having shifted his weight.
The elves were currently in the Gardens of Mirkwood, where Legolas had been admiring the beauty of his home moments before he was interrupted by his friend.
"I'm hoping to leap back in action some time soon," he said after a while of silence. Tathar nodded, a grin breaking out on his face, brightening his usually-dull features.
He suddenly chucked and Legolas glanced at him questioningly. He shook his head, dismissing the sudden outburst, and abruptly turned and marched back to the castle. "Come on, my Prince! Adventures await!"
The Prince chuckled and limped after his friend, forgetting the wound that tormented him, and letting the pleading eyes of Taryn slip from his mind for that point in time, until they returned moments later, as he ambled down a sparsely-lit corridor, when he stopped dead in his tracks and gasped loudly.
"Taryn!" He mumbled to himself in alarm. Tathar, some way ahead, also paused after hearing Legolas exclaim.
"Are you okay, my Prince?"
Legolas glanced up, becoming aware of the guard gazing at him with concern.
"Oh, yes. Sorry. Please continue."
He hobbled after him until he halted outside his chambers.
"Um, Tathar. You know, I'm a bit tired. I think I'll retire to my quarters."
Tathar nodded respectively. "Of course, my prince. I shall proceed and talk to the King about allowing you out for an... adventure," he said with a friendly wink. Legolas chuckled and disappeared into his room, where he removed the grin from his face and closed his eyes, deep in thought.
~
My head throbbed painfully as I doubled over and began gasping for air, the dagger clattering from my hand and onto the crisp leaves that blanketed the floor. My chest rose and fell violently; I'd been incessantly running for the past hour or so, and my body now racked with deep gasps as my legs, now feeling like lead, struggled to hold up my weight. Eventually they gave in and I collapsed onto my knees, and then proceeded to curl into a tight ball.
Then I began sobbing. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks. What was I doing? What had I done? What was I going to do? I didn't know. I didn't have any answers. Why did I even need to keep on living? My family was dead. I was a murderer. There'd be elves looking for me soon. I was lost; hopelessly lost. And vulnerable. This forest was surely crawling with nightmarish creatures of the dark, and I only had a mere dagger to defend myself with. I wouldn't last a day.
I was rocking back and forth, my head buried in my lap, when I heard the steady clicking of spindly legs on crisp leaves. It sounded like a giant insect. And of course, that's exactly what it was. I raised my head in alarm, searching around with tear-blurred sight. And then I caught it, the faint figure amongst the trees. It's sharp pincers clipping rhythmically as it's bulbous body brushed past the outstretched branches as it scuttled towards me.
I drew a sharp breath and grasped at the leaves for my dagger. I gripped the hilt as I came across it and shuffled back, so my back was pressed against the peeling bark of a tree. Just as I began slowly lifting myself into a crouched position, and then standing up straight, the spider emerged from the trees with an unearthly noise and charged towards me, it's curved pincers outstretched. I nimbly ducked under the beast with a newly discovered strength, before doubling back and stabbing the dagger through the spider's abdomen. It reared back slightly, and swiveled to face me, it's piercing eyes imbued with venomous hatred.
As it threw it's spindly legs forward, I attempted to lunge back, but my foot caught on a protruding root and I felt myself involuntarily shriek as I tumbled to the ground. The spider wasted no time and thrust it's legs forward, into my shoulder. Searing pain erupted in my veins as the scrawny limbs pierced my skin. My shoulder felt as though a blaze of agony was ripping through it, and blood began to pool along my clothing, dripping steadily onto the ground below. I grabbed the dagger and raked it along the beast's body, while my other hand clutched at the wound. It shrieked irrationally, making me cringe, before shrivelling into a tight ball and landing in the heap of leaves beside me.
I winced vividly as more pain coursed through the side of my body, but then a soothing voice entered my head.
Relax.
Embrace the Pain.
Allow it to take over your body.
The emptiness in my mind was filled again, and I felt a new surge of energy flood through my body. The pain lessened slightly, and the blood began to pool more slowly. I wasted no time in heeding the words and allowed the pain to overwhelm my entire being. And gradually, it faded.
My body relaxed as the presence left and I lay motionless, sprawled along the ground, as I let nature take it's course.
A light breeze ruffled about my hair, billowing out my blood-stained shirt. Small specks of sunlight peaked through the trees, falling on my face in golden rays, spreading warmth to my glazed heart. Leaves cascaded from the tree-tops to flutter onto my dormant body, rustling against my clothing.
Then, I was up, walking again, although exhausted still. I wandered along the obscured path, now clear to me through the scattered leaves. I had no idea where it was headed, but I followed it nonetheless, in an almost dreamy state. The forest passed by for hours in a perplexing blur of greens and yellows, blues and reds.
And then I was running; running from a figure bearing a bow. An elf. An elf with shining golden hair and beautiful blue eyes. And then we were face to face, and then nothing.
Nothing but darkness. Emptiness.
~
A/N: Okay. Long chapter. Weird chapter. I just wanted to update.... again.... 'cause it's work experience tomorrow, and the rest of the week, and I wasn't sure when I'd next be able to update....
Anyway. Man, I'm nervous. Really, really nervous. 'Cause work experience. At the Library. It means talking to people. People I don't know. It's bad enough trying to strike up a conversation with friends, never mind freaking strangers!
Anyhow. Ignore me.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Please VOTE!
~ _imagine_fantasy_