LEGOLAS

The room was dark, save for the soft light from the moon seeping through the open windows. The curtain danced with a silent partner, the breeze carrying a silent song.

The air was cold as I rested my head back on the pillow, staring at the ceiling. Winter has come and it has made the air around us all the more colder. Especially at night. I think of the elleth that would most probably keep me warm during nights like these.

It was painful, almost heart wrenching to be away from her. My eyes flickered briefly to the empty space beside me. No. She would not have been here if she were. That would be inappropriate. As inappropriate as my thoughts. I smiled grimly and focused again on the ceiling. I closed my eyes and willed myself to remember her touch. Her scent.

Her laugh. Her eyes.

I envision her in front of me, with that bright light. That optimistic look.

Her in a wedding dress.

I smile, my eyes remained closed. Holding on to that image of her. If this is what it felt like to be in love then I have nothing against it.

"Legolas,"

My eyes snap open at the sound of her voice. I push myself up on my elbows and look around the room. The curtain still danced, its movements almost hypnotizing. There was a soft laugh in the air and my head swung to the side where she stood.

I felt the air stolen right out of my lungs. Her eyes glowed bright under the dim light. Her skin a porcelain glow. She had a smile on her face, the smile I often dreamed about. I stared at her as she stood a few steps away from the bed in a dress of silver silk. It clung to her desperately and I felt something inside me stir at the sight of her.

She was so beautiful.

"Turwaithiel?" I asked in a hushed whisper. My eyes were deceiving me. She was not real. She was not here. I shut my eyes momentarily before opening them again to meet her curious gaze.

"You are real?" I asked and she offers me a sweet smile as she cocked her head to the side. Studying me with a knowing look.

"Do you want me to be?" She seemed to ask as she took a step towards the bed and I shot straight up into a sitting position, my hands instinctively grabbing on the dagger I kept beside me at all times. She notices it and stops walking, a look of alarm on her face.

This is a trick. I frantically look for the bracelet Elrohir had given me earlier. It was no longer on my wrist.

"What troubles you, my prince?" She asked and I found it difficult to breathe as my heart battled against my mind. No. I kept saying. She is not real.

I felt the bed sink a little and my eyes snap back at her as she climbed on top, moving with grace and determination. Her eyes never leave mine and I could not even try to look away.

This was not real.

"What is the matter, my prince?" She sings, her voice carrying a ghostly tune. I felt her fingers touch my hand gently. They felt cold and almost death like. I forced myself to remain still.

"You look like you have seen a ghost," she whispers as her face inches closer, her hands pinning down my shoulders. I sink into the mattress, unable to move as her eyes seemed to bind my whole body together. She watches me, observes me. I fought the urge to hold her, knowing she was not real. My mind struggles between accepting it and fighting the illusion. Her hair falls over her shoulders and I forget everything else as her lips touch mine in a gentle kiss.

Something inside me erupts and my arms reach up to hold her closer. I kiss her deeply and she responds with the same burning need. My arms slide down her shoulders, to the curve of her back as she presses herself against me.

I needed more. I needed so much more.

I flip her over so that now she was under me. For a moment I just stare at her, flushed and breathing as hard as I was. She smiles then and I sink once again into the ocean in her eyes.

Drowning.

"Legolas,"

Her voice. I tore away from her as her eyes grow wide in shock. My hand slowly goes for the dagger under my pillow, my free hand goes up to the skin on her throat and hold her down, my dagger finally out and kissing her skin.

"You are not her," I state firmly although my voice shakes and the grip on my dagger wavers as her eyes glow brightly in the dark room. She stares at me for a moment before a smile spreads across her lips and she reaches up for me again. This time, I shove her hands away and push myself off her. She continues to smile as she props herself up on her elbows, my dagger waiting to sink into her heart.

"Go ahead," she says quietly, the smile unnerving. "Kill me." Her hand reaches up to grip the dagger over my own hand and she presses it further against her chest.

"Do it," she says and I pull the dagger away, staggering backwards and watching her with horror.

"Who are you?" I ask again as my eyes spot the bracelet on the floor beside the bed. She sees me looking at it and her eyes follow until they land on the emerald stone. I see the mixed emotion of fear and surprise flash across her face before she turned to face me again. She pushes herself up in a sitting position, not breaking eye contact. I watch as her hair turns into a familiar copper color, the ocean eyes now a forest green.

I felt my heart drop.

"No..." I say, looking away. "Stop it,"

"What is wrong, mellon?" She asks, her voice carrying that familiar tune.

"Stop it," I say firmly. My eyes meet her's and she watches me warily before I turn to look away again, feeling the strength left in me, wither away.

"Look at me," her voice was sharp, and my eye snaps back at her. Her copper hair, green eyes. An arrow through her chest. My nails dig into my palms as I fight the urge to run away.

"She did this to me," she continues and I suck in a breath. My ears try to shut her voice out but I couldn't.

"It is all her fault," she whispers and I shake my head, closing my eyes and wishing for this night to be over.

"Go away," my voice comes out like a soft whisper, broken and full of doubt. I hear a soft laugh, echoing eerily around the dark room. A soft kiss of breath beside my ear, a cold hand on the side of my face.

"Never," she says and I am left alone, once again. I open my eyes, finding myself back on the bed with my heart ready to beat out of my chest. The curtains continued their dance as my shallow breaths fill the silent room. The bracelet remained on the ground as I got up, swinging my legs over the bed. I pick it up and I am suddenly filled with a certain calmness. A certain safety. I strap it around my wrist. I ran a hand over my face, wondering what kind of sick dream that was. Was it even a dream? I wonder if my father has had dreams like these? What if everyone in the kingdom was being affected? With that thought, I get up from my bed and take a cloak before heading out my bedroom.

I walk the dimly lit halls. The night was silent, like the whole kingdom had fallen into a sleep like death. It was disturbing. I hope Turwaithiel and the others are doing better than we are. I stop walking when I find one of the twins standing outside the gardens. He had something inside his hand as his thoughts were occupied and his head turned towards a certain direction. Calaer?

"Elrohir?" I ask, unsure. I still could not easily differentiate the two, I was glad I was correct this time as Elrohir turned to face me with a smile.

"Legolas," he greets, his hand going to his pocket to keep whatever he was holding on to. "Can't sleep?"

I give him a shrug with a half-smile as I join him in the garden. Even the garden seemed to slowly lose its beauty.

"Do you feel it?" he asks quietly and I nod, understanding he meant the heavy stillness in the air. The negative energy. What was going on?

"We need to fix this," he continues as he turns to look at me, his expression grave. "I have only had a moment to check on Mantheniel and her light is fading fast. The baby is the only thing that seems to be binding her to this world. We do not have much time," he explains and I nod. I knew it, but hearing it from someone else made it all the more worrisome.

"Her life is tied to this forest now," he says. "We must do everything we can." I nod again, although I notice the change of his expression. The sadness in his eyes. I study him for a moment, just a moment and suddenly realize where I have seen that expression before. It was the same expression my father had when he realized he could not stop Mantheniel from going to the war. From going in the front lines. Does Elrohir?...

"Elrohir," I start, unsure of how to continue before he takes out the thing he kept in his pocket. It was a piece of parchment paper. Folded neatly.

"What is that?" I ask hesitantly and he unfolds it to show me a simple sketch of a flower? He looks at it like it was some kind of treasure and I wait for him to tell me what it meant or what it was. He stays like that for a moment before letting out a deep breath.

"Laralen says this specific flower would be able to help," he began, " she has them planted around her house as her guardian had once told her. It keeps dark enchantments away. I do not know where to find such flower. She had only told me about when we left. She is planning to leave Calaer for a moment to get some from her house in Bree."

"She... does not believe she can do anything to help but that... people are said to be hunting her down...I..." he stops, almost crumpling the paper in the process and it hits me. Laralen. He is in love with...Laralen?

"I do not understand why-" he began when we were joined by a young ellon, still in his forest gear.

"Lord Legolas," he starts frantically when an elleth joins him. These two again. "Lord Thranduil, he has sent for Captain Falasdir again. He..." he stops, fear in his eyes as the elleth began to cry behind him.

"Captain Falasdir... he cannot take anymore... please...can you do anything?" she says in between sobs and my hands turn to fist at my sides. They are going to kill Falasdir if he keeps doing this. I start to walk as Elrohir quickly followed me.

"What are you planning to do?" he asks and I grit my teeth, anger flaring.

"I am going to tell him exactly where his wife is," I answer, "and why she needed to leave."

"Will that not anger him further?"

"I do not care," I reply quietly. "I have seen him angry. I am not afraid. Maybe he needs to leave this place too and if finding Mantheniel still matters to him, he will. We have to try, right?"

He gives me a soft nod before placing back the sketch of the peculiar flower back in his pocket.

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Authors note: Sorry if it is short. :( Law school is drowning me so muccccchhh. huhu forgive me, please? I promise I won't stop... I'll just be really slow.

I love you guys.

Stay amazing.

xo