[Author's Note: If you see this, it means I have put link to music that helps me into mood as I write this chapter. Feel free to listen to them as you read on. Let me know what you think! Happy Reading]
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I was fighting incoming orcs on the battlefield on the Black Gate. Blades clashing against one another and battle cries were the only thing that you could hear all around.
However, as I took down an opponent, in the heat of the battle I saw a dog came into view. It stared at me intently.
Funny, for a dog its eyes were too deep and too intelligent. You sure you're not a werewolf like the one in that chick-flick Twilight, doggo?
The dog licked his mouth and he woofed once at me before turning to walk away. He glanced at me again, as if gesturing for me to follow him, so I did.
Somehow the orcs and the men who were busy fighting around me made a way for me and the dog to pass. It was almost as if I was invisible.
The dog led me to a steep and rocky path before a clearing came into view. Just across the clearing, laid before my eyes were a very vast forest that looked almost out of place– so fresh and inviting.
The dog looked at me intently before striding across the clearing to enter the forest.
"Ajax!" I called his name.
I went to follow him, but I halted in my tracks as a figure came out from the trees.
He was tall and buff, his hair was sandy blond and it glowed under the beautiful sunlight. His attire were of a royalty, made of fur and he bore a sword with a white tree symbol adorning its hilt. His face, however, was the most intriguing part of all.
It was glowing with such youth and vigor. He smiled broadly, his eyes twinkled with joy and contentment. He looked like as if he never knew what hardships in his life were.
Upon seeing me, the man smiled warmly and bowed his head.
"Leane," greeted Boromir with a bright smile, an ear to ear grin as if he was greeting an old friend that he had been waiting for.
"Boromir..." I breathed in wonder and amazement. "H-how?"
Then more figures made their appearances, one by one coming out of the safety behind the vast, evergreen trees.
Haldir, Theoden King, and several other people who had the same look and aura of delight as Boromir came into view and smiled or waved their hands at me.
Then another person came out, someone important yet almost forgotten.
His black hair was sticking out of his head in a messy curls. His brown eyes that twinkled with mischief and fondness rimmed with his square glasses seemed to be laughing in delight. His face was glowing with a healthy streak and a big, wide smile graced his face.
"Leigh Ann, my daughter," he said, "You've grown into a very beautiful woman."
"Dad?" I croaked as tears threatened to spilled.
My heart soared with happiness at the sight of my dad, healthy and happy, no trace of pain or sickness adorning his facial expressions. It was as if he never even had cancer.
I started to jog towards him, willing to be in my daddy's arms again, but a familiar voice stopped me.
"Leane," he called in a calming, yet warning tone. "Do not cross the line."
I glanced back to see the man dressed in a nice, expensive looking tailored suit.
"Mike!" I exclaimed in delight. "What are you doing here?! It's great to see you!"
Mike laughed as his dog Ajax came beside him and sat nicely. He motioned for me to come to him and I did, giving him a warm hug. I patted Ajax. Good doggo.
"You have done well with the responsibility given to you, my dear. You finally figured out who you are and what you can do with the magic you possess," he said.
At the mention of magic my eyes widened in realization of the people across the clearing and the life I had in Middle Earth. It was funny– one time that memory wasn't there, then in a moment– boom, it all came back to me again.
I looked back at the forest and was astonished to see that a glowing white line had appeared on the ground to separate the clearing and the forest. I squinted my eyes past the forest and had to blink several times. The trees were swinging and I was sure that they were dancing and chuckling in delight.
The trees are alive!
The people and my dad were still there, looking at me with happiness and joy, but this time a fog seemed to blurred them from my view.
"Boromir, the others, my dad... They're all dead," I said questioningly at Mike and in disbelief.
Mike gave me an amused look, as if telling me, 'Yeah, no biggie. So what?'
"Am I dead?" I asked.
"Only if you choose to cross the line. But I strongly not recommend it."
"Why not?"
"You still have some destiny to fulfill, and if you go, what becomes of the elf?"
"Legolas," I said before frowning, "Wait, how do you know about Legolas? You were in LA and..." I looked at him up and down, "...you seemed to be doing alright and well."
Mike laughed good naturedly and gave me a fond smile like a grandfather would to his grandchild.
"Yes, I am not a homeless man anymore! And so is my companion, Ajax!" exclaimed Mike as Ajax woofed in agreement.
Wait, did the dog just nodded?
"But we were never homeless to begin with. We are what the people of Middle Earth called the Valar. To the people of Earth who still believe, we are angels. To those who don't believe..." Mike trailed, his expression scrunched up in distaste at whatever thoughts that crossed his mind. I waited patiently for him to finish his train of thoughts.
"Maybe we are aliens. Though we watched Aliens and both of us strongly disagree that we are aliens. We have no resemblance whatsoever with those ugly creatures. We also don't procreate and lay eggs in humans' chests."
I snorted and broke into a ticklish laughter at Mike's pop culture reference. The idea of Mike laying eggs on someone's chest was somehow disturbing and hilarious at the same time.
" And yes we do a lot of cross world and reality travels. Yeah, that make us kinda homeless, but still. We are just traveller."
My jaw dropped at the revelation and I laughed lightly in astonishment as I took in his words.
"You're Valar? Ajax here is also Valar? You two are angels? Where are your wings? I didn't know angels come in a dog form as well," I blurted. I looked at Ajax softly, "You do make such a cute angelic doggo."
I thought my eyes and ears were fooling me, but I swear, I swear Ajax snorted. Mike laughed again.
"Ajax was still bothered by the fact that your mind perceived his form as a dog. Our real form cannot be understood by humans, so your mind perceived us in your own way."
"That explains why I thought you look a little bit like Morgan Freeman."
"Oh, he is a good actor. I'm glad you imagined me as him."
"Don't forget that amazing voice he has. I wish I can listen to him talking every night before I sleep. I wonder if he ever talks to himself just so he can listen to his own voice?" I contemplated seriously.
Mike laughed lightly, shaking his head in amusement.
"So... Why am I here? What are you doing here?" I asked.
"Oh! I am here to congratulate you on the good job well done you did for Middle Earth, and to present a gift to you, as a reward."
"Um... Can I not take that reward?" I asked with a slight suspicion, to which the smile on Mike's face vanished and he frowned.
"Why not, my dear?" he asked in wonder.
"Because the last time you gave me a gift it caused me a hell lot of trouble," I reminded him of the Infinity ring.
Mike chuckled. "And don't forget that the gift also brought you true love and friendship, am I right? And don't forget the sense of destiny it gave you," he chirped dramatically at the latter part that I thought there should be a dramatic music accompanying his narrative.
I smiled in agreement. "Well yeah, I got engaged to an elf. That's actually more than made up for all the trouble I went through," I nodded. "I didn't think I'd be engaged to a supermodel."
Mike grinned at my words, looking somewhat amused.
"I promise you. You'd would want to have this gift I was about to give you."
"Okay..."
"My gift to you, my dear Leigh Ann, is a ticket for one to the Undying Land!" he announced as if I just won a $1,000,000 lottery. "Consider it an engagement gift. The ticket, however, is not physical, but when you return to the living, one day, you will hear its call."
"The call of the sea," I recalled the thing that Legolas onced told me about. I nodded.
"That's all I need to say, and Ajax also want me to tell you that he said thanks for the hot chocolate you gave so graciously back in LA. You were lucky he's not a real dog–if he is, he would've died. Turns out chocolate is poisonous for dogs."
"Shoot. Sorry, I didn't know that. Never had dogs before!" I apologized to Ajax.
"It doesn't matter. It's nothing. But kindness– kindness makes it everything," he said. Then Mike lifted his brows as if just realizing something delightful, "Oh look at that. I just quoted the fairy godmother in Cinderella."
I chuckled at the funny moment here we share together. It seemed very absurd. This whole conversation. This whole thing.
"Your hroa (body) had seen and endured so much that it seemed absurd to you that your fea feels so much light and happiness, here in the entrance of Valinor," Mike said, reading my mind and his eyes turned soft and sympathetic at me.
"If this is how I am going to feel every time if I stay here, why can't I just cross and stay here forever?"
"Because I know you won't leave the ones you love to grief over your death. Think about what will happen to Legolas if you do."
I kicked myself inwardly. I almost forgot about him! Something about this place was disorienting, as if I was high on something.
"It is disorienting. But I assure you, we don't do drugs here."
"You read my mind?" I asked in surprise.
Mike waved me off and continued, "Your time is running out. You must not linger here. Ajax will show you the way back."
"That's it? Will I see you again?"
Mike smiled warmly at me. "Yes you will, my dear. Remember that death is just another adventure and I will be here to show you around Valinor once you decided to sail here with the elf."
I nodded as a pang of sadness of leaving this place engulfed me.
"Farewell, my dear. Live life to the fullest and enjoy it. Like the wise words the young often said back on Earth: YOLO."
I laughed hard at that and Mike laughed along with me. My eyes were following Ajax running the way back where we came from as I laughed and a fog started to engulf me until I couldn't see anymore.
***
I gasped and grunted at the pain on my chest as I did. My head throbbed furiously; my chest was burning.
I looked around the white room and found no one. No Mike, no Ajax, no my dad.
My dad.
Oh how I missed him. My heart clenched painfully at the thought of him. Why didn't I look back to see him again? To talk more to him, to chat with Boromir and Haldir before I came back here? To greet the king of Rohan?
A feeling of loss mixed with confusion flooded me.
I had to see them again. At least one more time, just one more time. To see their happy faces, to hear their light voices and see the laughter in their eyes.
My heart was set. I will see them again. I made my way out of bed, stumbling and coughing at the pain on my chest.
Then I was out of the door, the thought of seeing my dad again fueled me against the pain that I felt with every breath I took.
People I passed were giving me confused and funny looks but I ignored them. Soon I found myself in the stable and I went up to one of the stable boy.
"My lady!" he bowed. "Are you alright, my lady?" he asked in concern.
"Yes, I will be alright," I answered with a painful gasp. I gestured a time out to him as I doubled over to catch my breath. I need air so desperately . "I... I will be alright once you give me the fastest horse you can get."
The boy looked uneasy and hesitant as he shifted his weight from one foot to another foot. I quickly mustered a poker face and tried my luck.
"It's an order."
The boy nodded frantically and went before coming back with a strong looking, brown stallion that reminded me of Bella.
"Thank you, um... What's your name?"
"Galthir, my lady."
"Galthir. Thank you. You just made my day," I grinned as I mounted the horse, groaning at the movement.
"My lady, I think you might want to reconsider going now. You seem unwell," Galthir said.
"I'll be fine," I said coughing, "Just... if you see an elf looking for me, tell him I'll be back."
I wasted no time and rode as fast as I could past the crowd on the paths of Minas Tirith.
Every move the horse beneath me made pained me on the chest and I fought to stay balanced and not fall from the horse.
"Leane!" an alarmed voice shouted at me from afar but I couldn't make who that was, and to be honest I couldn't care less. My heart and mind were set on something else.
I reached the gate of Minas Tirith and continued my way through the field, outside the city. I coughed and gasped for air as the movement of the horse went harsher as I willed the horse to ride harder. I couldn't wait to see my dad again.
I followed the trace where Ajax showed me in my vision, through the steep, rocky paths, and my heart thumped in anticipation and excitement at seeing the imminent clearing again. I grinned like a fool.
I arrived at my destination, but soon my heart was stricken with disappointment.
"No..." I breathed.
I dismounted my horse and went to walk but my legs felt like jelly. I fell on my knees in disbelief at what was in front of me.
The path I took was right, but the clearing was dry and yellow; not lush green like the one I saw in my vision. Instead of a green, vast forest with dancing trees across the clearing, there was a cliff, and behind it, the blue sky.
My dad was nowhere in sight, and so was the others. Disappointment hit me like a tidal wave and I suddenly felt in the mood to cry like a baby.
But a pair of strong arms engulfed me, breaking me from my reverie.
"Leane, my love. Are you alright?"
"Legolas..."
I buried my face on the crook of his neck, smelling grass and leather and his warmth. It was like a balm to my heart, to feel his presence again.
"Leane," he said softly as he looked at me with concern and worry. "You're still hurt. Why do you come here? I was so worried."
"I saw Boromir, Legolas," I said before coughing and groaned at the pain on my chest.
"Leane! Don't say anymore! Come home with me," he pleaded as he moved to lift me off the ground but I stopped him.
"Wait, wait just listen," I said between gasps and laughed but soon the sharp intake of breath made breathing seem to be harder as I felt my chest burn.
"Nay, please just please listen to me, melleth," begged Legolas as he insisted on lifting me off the ground. I struggled, needing him to know what I saw.
"Haldir and Theoden King was there and also my dad, coming out of the trees that seemed to be dancing from there, across the clearing," I smiled as I pointed to the cliff.
Upon looking at it again, I frowned. The cliff wasn't supposed to be there. This whole vision thing was messing with my brain.
"Leane..." Legolas pleaded, but I didn't understand why he sounded so desperate.
"In my vision there was a vast forest across the clearing instead of the cliff. I thought I can see them again one last time if I hurry to come here."
I didn't know if Legolas was listening or not, but he was peppering the side of my face with tender kisses and I leaned in to peck his lips.
"The Valar said it was the entrance to the Undying Lands. It was beautiful," I told him with a reminiscing smile.
For some unknown reason to me, he kissed me more urgently. His arms around me tightened painfully and I groaned in pain as I felt my chest being crushed under his embrace. I started to feel lightheaded.
"I'm sorry!" said Legolas with a broken voice.
Was he crying? I couldn't really see him anymore, I thought maybe the sun was setting. As the excitement wore off, I felt myself crash pretty hard. I was suddenly exhausted and very disoriented.
"Wait here," Legolas said and he went to move but I held him and pulled him into a sloppy kiss.
"I missed you," I told him as I felt his shoulder on my hand.
"Oh, melleth nin. I missed you more. But we need to get back. You need to get better. For me. Please," he pleaded and I nodded.
Legolas held my neck as he laid me on the ground and I felt him walking away from me.
Then I was carried bridal style and soon found myself on a horse again, but this time Legolas sat behind me and took the rein as he snaked his arms on either sides of my waist.
"Lean in to me," Legolas said softly.
I laid my head on his shoulder as he rode the horse at a steady pace.
I woke up with a throbbing headache and found myself surrounded by darkness, lying on the bed in my room in Minas Tirith.
"Leane, are you alright?" Legolas voice came beside me and I turned to look at him.
"Legolas. I didn't remember arriving here. Did I fall asleep on the way?"
"You lost consciousness when I brought you here, melleth nin," he said as he helped me drink from a bowl.
"Thanks," I muttered.
I felt somehow sleepy and wanted to go back sleeping, but Legolas kissed me awake.
"Melleth nin, do not go back to sleep before eating something. You need nourishment," he said as he spooned something that looked like a soup.
I smirked at the sight of Legolas trying to feed me like a kid.
"What's so amusing, my love? Here, eat," he ordered softly.
I opened my mouth and eat slowly. Whoever cooked this soup was worse than Eowyn. I couldn't taste anything on my tongue, but for Legolas sake, I kept eating.
When else could I get the chance to have an elf warrior/supermodel to feed you dinner in bed?
Legolas kept on feeding me patiently, until the point I couldn't take the food anymore, I stopped him.
"I don't think I could stay awake any longer to eat," I told him, as I wondered why I felt so sleepy despite the fact that I just woke up.
"I'm sorry you have to feed me like this," I apologized as I brushed his hand. Legolas smiled as he kissed my face.
"Mm... I would do this everyday if I could, so I get the chance to kiss a beautiful lady while feeding her," he teased as he kissed me on the cheeks and snaked an arm around my shoulders. I laughed but the sharp pain on my chest came as I did and I gasped.
Legolas rubbed my arm and kissed my temple. I sighed in contentment as I let myself succumbed to sleep once again. I felt Legolas' lips on mine one last time, and the last thing that registered to me was the wetness on his cheek.
***
[Author's Note: I love how absurd and fluffy this chapter is! Comment and vote if you do. It's the only way to keep doctors and dementors away. Cheers, precioussss ♥️]