Just a warning--writing the end of this chapter was painful

"My lady, please allow—"

Melnare lost it with a snarl. She's tired of the man trying to take the young girl from her. Even more fed up with him calling her 'my lady.' She was no lady, for ladies' frolic around wearing dressing and fawn over young lords. Ladies did not kill, did not fight, did not end up in a wizard's dirty cell. Nevertheless, she refused to give the man—Aragorn, she later learned—her name. Nor would she give her name to the others, despite all their pleas and kind askings. Names have power—Aragorn and Lumornel could testify to that—and her names had power too. She would not give out a single one.

The Ranger-King had been asking for the girl every twenty minutes! Melnare would understand if the elf had been the one to ask, for Lumornel had uttered stories about him every now and then in the prison. It did not take a skilled eye to see the indestructible tether that pulled them together.

But this man! Maybe he requested for the elf who didn't ask. Maybe he asked out of concern. Whatever it was, Melnare wouldn't hand over the unconscious girl in her arms. She didn't trust anyone... although the young girl somehow had earned this.

So Melnare kicked her horse into a trot and rode ahead. Yesterday, Aragorn had scouted ahead and found four horses, his injured arm only hindering him slightly. Melnare would've been content to walk among the grasses, for she had not been free to do so for hundreds of years, but the males refused. So, if she wasn't allowed to walk freely, she would ride the finest horse. Before any of the males could object, Melnare took the greatest stallion—a deep earth brown horse with a rich black mane. The muscles in its legs and chest had rippled when it walked, the horse was fit enough for a king! So, she took it, and the wild animal bent to her will as she climbed upon its high back.

Four horses weren't enough for nine people. Mithrandir rode with Pippin while Gimli rode with Merry. The dwarf looked as if he did not know what he was doing and the halfing was clutching the horse's mane in fright. The ranger and wizard had deemed it unwise to have anyone ride with the immortal, so the pale elf rode alone on a midnight horse. Aragorn had been left to walk alongside the group, occasionally switching with Gimli. And to everyone's surprise, the elf had traded with the man, walking for a full day.

That left Lumornel without a horse too, so Melnare had the wizard hand the unconscious girl to her. She saw the brows crease on everyone's face, she knew they deemed it unwise to have the prophecy-girl ride with a stranger. They didn't trust her, but that was okay for she did not trust them either.

And when the group started to pester her with questions, or just talk in general, she wanted to leave. Melnare wanted to know what had become of Arda. She wanted to lie in the grass in her leisure and feel the sun on her face. And more than anything she wanted to...

She shook her head, no she mustn't do that. There's no telling what he would do if he saw her again.

Nonetheless, the elleth still wanted to take her leave from the traveling bunch. But she would not leave until the girl awoke from her state. Not until she knew that Lumornel would be okay.

In that dark tower, Melnare had taken a surprising liking to the human. Maybe it was because Melnare hadn't talked to another sane person for tens of decades. Maybe because her anger from all those years ago had finally subsided enough that she wanted to amend her mistakes by helping a life, not destroying one.

Whatever the reason, she wasn't going to leave the girl until she knew she was alright. Never again would she leave behind a child.

So, the ancient elleth tightened her arms around the Savior of Middle Earth and prayed that the girl would awake soon. For five days of being unconscious is far too long.

*********

Night fell and the man had decided we would stop for the night. Although to my disagreement (and the hobbits') we would have no fire. Who cares if a pack of orcs catch sight of us?! Maybe they would do me a favor and kill all my miserable companions—with the exception of Lumornel, of course.

I glanced over to the strange elleth who had taken up a spot away from all of us. Lumornel lay beside her, the man's cloak being used as a pillow and the elleth's cloak being used as a blanket. She hasn't awakened from the wave of black that had consumed her a week ago. Worry began to creep its way into me. If she didn't awake soon, we wouldn't be able to leave before we get to Rohan. We wouldn't be able to go to Mordor. Of course, I could always leave without her, but... I'd have a greater chance of making it if I had Lumornel to blast our foes into oblivion.

So, I'd wait a little bit longer.

The day Lumornel had fallen 'ill' the wizard had stated a dark spell had been put over her. She would not wake until whoever had done the evil deed relinquishes their hold over her. No matter what the wizard tried to do, the spell still held.

I had a suspicion of who had her under his spell and I didn't know whether that was a comforting thought or not.

I looked away from the snow-white hair, away from the crimson stained tunic, and looked towards my company. The man and dwarf slept, the dwarf's thundering snores hurting my ears. The wizard smoked on his pipe while keeping watch on myself and the elleth and on our surroundings.

Mithrandir—

A gasp escaped my mouth as a knife plunged into my mind. My hand flew up to my temple and I winced as I tried to soothe the pulsating pain by rubbing.

The wizard shuffled to his feet, a glance thrown my way, and woke the man to take over his watch. They shared a few rushed whispers and more than a few glances at me.

I bit my tongue, the urge to saunter over there and incapacitate them overwhelming. No, I can save that for later. When they aren't needed anymore.

Reaching for my knives and whetstone—my fingers only grasped empty air. Letting out an irritated sigh, I rose to my feet.

If I'm not given the free will to sharpen my weapons then I'll have to do something to keep my rising anger at bay.

I rise to my feet, feeling the grass under my scarred palms as I push myself up, my unbound hair falling around my shoulders as I did so.

That old part of me—the part of me that is almost gone—forced me to tilt my head up to look at the brilliant artwork in the sky. To the stars.

To that constant hope.

I shook my head in a desperate attempt to loosen the hold the diminishing old side of me had. I refused to answer its pleas to look at Lumornel.

To where the stars—hope—resides in a bodily form.

I stalked off into the nearby forest. No. Stop this madness.

My chest rose up and down, more and more rapidly as the seconds passed on. Be gone! I urged.

But still, that young wood-elf that was once me persisted, his fists pounding against the mental shields I had locked him away in to wither away. This morning he was nearly just a husk, how had he gathered the strength to pester me?

"Legolas—"

I didn't bother to turn to the ranger. "I will be back before long," I announced curtly.

Before the cursed ranger could speak, I left from his sight. Hopefully, my attempt of killing him will keep him from following.

Fallen leaves and underbrush crashed under my feet, birds shouted warnings as they flew away, squirrels squeaked in fear and ran up the nearest trees.

My jaw ached from clenched teeth and soon my cheek ached too, for in my rampage I forcefully pushed aside a branch. It decided to retaliate by swinging back and scratching my face. Warm blood slowly dripped off my chin, I didn't bother brushing it away.

The internal pounding got more persistent, more painful.

Let me out!

I stumbled. No.

His fingers dug into my mental shield—and I felt his nails break through to the other side.

I gasped and fell into the nearest tree, which seemed to recoil at my touch.

"Go away," I rasped. My mouth went as dry as the Harad.

No.

"I am Morgalen—the Black Leaf! You will obey me!"

And I am Greenleaf! You will obey me!!!

A chunk of the mental shield was stripped away. I gasped again and fell to my knees, rocks ripped into my trousers and skin.

I hung to that pain like a lifeline, as if it was the only thing from throwing me over the precipice.

I panted through my teeth as I wobbled to my feet, I let my shoes sink into the soil.

"You will die! And I will be the one that kills your friends and lets loose that thing you keep hidden. I do not care if they know or not."

That appeared to be the wrong thing to say for Legolas raged and roared in my mind. My vision wavered and went black, only to return. But not as it once was, for I was looking through Legolas's eyes.

***

I sucked in air as a drowning man would. I fell to my knees and scrambled to steady myself. The world spun around me in dizzying circles as moist soil squished through my fingers.

NOOO, Morgalen roared from inside my skull.

Clenching my pale fingers in the dark dirt, I struggled to construct a mental shield as strong as the one he had. But we are one in the same, his mental shield is mine and my shield is his.

The Ring pulsed on my chest and for once I didn't know what it wanted. Was Morgalen threatening it? Or was it Morgalen and it wanted me? Or—Or—

A strangled scream escaped my clenched teeth as I pulled at my hair. This is all so confusing! I can't tell up from down anymore!

You want to end your confusion?! You want things to become easier?! Then go slice your 'friends' throats! Then we can both be free from their burden! Or maybe you'll lead them straight to the Dark Lord like lambs for slaughter!

"No! I do not wish to kill my friends! We are going to Sauron to protect them, not harm them!!"

Pain sliced through my head once more, as if someone had taken a dull dagger and shoved it into my brain, tearing the tissue raggedly, instead of cleanly.

I cried out and the birds flew away with terror the only thing to guide them.

"I. will not. Bend to. Your will." The words came in stern pants.

A cold laugh. Of course, you will. You already have in the only way that matters. The chunk of glorious gold seemed to twist and smirk.

But I couldn't see what it was trying to do. I couldn't see that it was weaving its way between the cracks of the solid rock wall in my mind.

My fisted balled around the cold coolness, struggling to draw strength from its power.

"Nay, you're wrong. You're too short-sighted to see my rebellion," but the words only held a half-truth. And he knew that rebellion was turning into sand slipping through my fingers.

Well, if you are right, then let me show you what—or rather who—your rebellion has cost you.

Ice flooded my veins.

The world tilted and my vision was swept away in a whirl of silk, whispers, and ghosts.

***

I would've stumbled if I was able to move my limbs, I would've cried and screamed out if I was able to push air past my lips.

For how could I not recognize the feel of the silky warm curtains grazing my arms like a warm welcome? How could I forget the decorated slab of mountain that thrust itself out into the cool night air to meet its friend, the forest? Or the plush carpet which shielded bare feet from the unforgiving cold of stone?

The paintings of a once happy family hanging from hooks on the stone wall only brought pain to my heart. Father refuses to have them taken down, refuses to let the maids touch them.

How many times had I walked through that doorway to find the comfort of those who had given me life? How many times had my fingers grazed over the set of glittering strung together stars that lay on the dresser? I still remember the time father caught me, could still feel the sting of his slap on my cheek.

If I concentrated I could feel the heavy embrace of the quilts on the magnificent bed, even feel the warmth emitting from my mother's body.

How many times had a sat outside the arched doorway listening to my father's screams, only to hear his cries after he awoke from the horrid nightmares of his past? I still remember the first night his screams had awakened me in my bedchamber. The floor had rumbled with the heavy-footed steps of a dozen guards, my young cries of concern going unanswered by their stern masks. The sound of his ordering away had echoed in my ears and I couldn't believe it when he had done the same thing to me too.

Warmth built behind my unbelieving eyes at the lump that lay beneath the blankets, the same coverlets my mother had stitched by hand when she had carried me in her womb. Pale, glittering moonlight filtered through the balcony he loved to sit on and sip wine, casting a shivering cool imprint across the floor, bed, and wall.

My father's unmistakably pale, golden hair shone in the moons magnificence, the only sound being the steady intake and outtake of life-giving oxygen—and the near-silent creak of the wood-paneled door.

The world went cold as a lithe figure entered the bedchamber on panther feet. The buckles on his guard's uniform sparkled in Ithil's light, but Ithil was kind enough to show the ripped seams and the sprinkle of blood on the leather and green fabric. This intruder is no guard.

Right before his slender hand guided the door shut, I saw the figures of father's guards slumped against the wall, something dark soaking their uniforms.

I struggled against my invisible bonds to no avail.

Father, awake! Awake father!

But no words were given life to and I watched with pounding ears and growing dread as the figure foolishly slipped back his cowl, revealing stern features. His steel eyes bored into my only remaining relative, his pointed ears twitching through his unusually short curtain of dark hair.

A dark hiss met my terrified ears as a blade was released from its home.

No! Stop! He's my father!

Eru Illuvatar did not answer my silent pleas, nor did anyone else.

My heart is surely about to pound a hole in my chest, along with the sleek dagger the intruder now slowly moves towards the smooth column of my father's throat. Right over the thick artery pounding with blood.

The cool touch of the steel had my father's eyes snap open, revealing pale irises that had always been there for me in my memories. Instead of masked grief, terror reflected in his usually stoic eyes. The assassin had the sick nerve to laugh.

I could only imagine what passed through my father's mind—possibly memories of times when mother was alive, or maybe regrets, or worse, mother's death. But those wonders were swept aside as his eyes met mine. Maybe he sensed my presence or maybe he simply gazed upon the face of my mother gracing a canvas portrait. Soon to be reunited.

My knees collapsed—but the invisible force held me aloft—as blood vessels broke in my eyes from my efforts to scream. Don't leave me to this world alone, Father! Don't go where I can't follow!!

But then the moon's light glinted off the crude blade and my father turned his willing eyes to his killer. Ready to meet his beloved in Mandos's Halls and leave me to this unforgiving world.

I could only watch with warm tears dripping from my chin as his life's blood spurted and sprayed over mother's handiwork, as the light in his eyes went out, a small smile touching the King's lips.

***

"Don't leave me here alone! It's your Sam calling. Don't go where I can't follow! Wake up, Mr. Frodo!"

            --Samwise Gamgee

*cries*

Anyways, I know I said I'd update like three weeks ago but school has really been preventing me from updating. Not exaggerating. Mon and Tues I go help paint a mural after school, Wed I have a study group, and Fri I'm helping build the float for homecoming. And my weekends are jam-packed. After all that I have homework, then I'm desperate for a break to just relax.

I promise I'm trying my best.

Hopefully, later on, I'll be able to have more time to write.

And for those BTS, NCT, and other asian groups/bands fans, feel free to check out my friends fanfics and imagines on her page: no_jams_club

Speaking about foreign bands... The songs 'Elle ne t'aime pas' and 'Où va le monde' by La Femme are great.

AND THANK YOU TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU FOR HELPING ME REACH 5K READERS. When I first started this I didn't even think I'd make it to 1k. So thank you all again. And to those just starting out, don't worry for hope is just around the corner.

And I promise I'm trying not to ramble on as much... But I guess that didn't a great job at that... So... Yeah... *darts away*

Love y'all and novaer mellonamin!
~Awatin~