"I know him, Elladan…" His eyes widened as she still had her gaze on the blonde elf. I don't know where from but I've seen him before…I…I think I tried to hurt him once. »
When she finally looked away from Legolas, she caught the brown elf's gaze, he was studying her minutely. Elwen was suddenly afraid that he would see her as she was.
She returned her attention to her wound while her friend applied some ointment he had just taken out of his bag. When he was done, she cut off the still-clean sleeve of her tunic to wrap it around his arm. She got up and put the coat back on.
Elwen walked towards her bed and saw Elladan running towards her brother and whispering something to him. She then noticed that the blond elf was no longer there, she turned around and found herself face-to face with him. He was looking at her strangely, staring at her as If he weren't aware of her intense gaze. Legolas blinked and turned away from her. Then doubt settled In her.
Had Elrohir told him?
She walked over to him nervously and found him deep in conversation with his brother. They were whispering furiously but they stopped when they saw her coming.
Does he know? She whispered anxiously. Did you tell him?
- No, he said after a moment that seemed lIke an eternity.
Elwen slowly exhaled the accumulated tension and leaned against the tree.
- "He must not know. Never. »
The twins nodded before pulling her to them In a comforting embrace. Elwen sighed with fatigue and relief.
The fire was crackling softly, night had fallen for a few hours. They were all mute, but the silence that had settled in was more comfortable than disturbing. Elwen was sitting against the trunk of a tree, her legs raised. Her shoulder didn't hurt less but the pain remained constant. The flames danced softly In her dark gray gaze and the other elves smiled softly upon realizing that their friend's locks were almost hearth-like.
Elwen had always known that she had a physique different from Elvish standards. The crimson curls that flowed down her lower back had always drawn remarks to her. When she was little, her father, probably drunk, had once told her that the blood-red color of her hair was the omen of a life of assassin and wItch. He had never loved her, she had never known why, and In his eyes, she had been able to read reproaches and regrets.
Maybe he was right after all…
Elwen had learned over the years not to get attached, anyone who crossed her path would inevitably die by her fault, Indirectly or…directly. She had been given a reputation as cursed which forced her to avoid certain regions which were unfortunately too numerous. But this "curse" was not the only reason for her escape… She carried a secret far too big for her, hidden deep within her. Actions she regretted more than anything, everyone made mistakes but hers were so Important that she would pay the price again, forever and ever.
Elwen snapped out of her thoughts as she felt a gaze on her. Legolas watched her from across the fireplace.
- "So you come from GreenWood?" she breathed.
- Yes… But we call him MirkWood now…
- I went there, a long time ago… I don't have very good memories of It, she let out with a small sad smile. What are you doing there?
- I… I've been In the army forever, Elwen didn't see the warning look that Elladan and Elrohir gave her. The blond elf's face froze Instantly.
- "Is Thranduil still king?"
- Yes …
- Oh… she breathed without adding anything.
- And you? What were you doing before meeting Elladan and Elrohir? »
Elwen and the twins froze and an awkward silence fell around the fire. She cleared her throat before answering.
- "I have worked In many human cities. The silence continued. Besides, speaking of which, it would be nice to go to a village so I could have something more decent, I'm afraid I'm too scantily dressed for your friend. »
All were grateful to him for having changed the subject, the tips of Legolas' ears pinked imperceptibly but that was enough to make the three others burst out laughing. The rest of the evening passed In a relaxed and light atmosphere. Legolas turned out to be very entertaining and enjoyable to listen to.
But when she fell asleep, Elwen knew her dreams would be restless. This day had brought back so many memories that she was sure to relive them in dreams, among them remained one of the worst.
She ran, ran without ever stopping. Her breathing was wheezing and tears of fatigue and exhaustion were streaming down her cheeks. She was just running for her life, each stride seemed to keep her alive for a few thin moments of respite before the fear returned. She could hear the heavy footsteps and hoarse breathing of the orcs behind her. For four days now she had been running away at the slightest noise, sleeping only a few hours, perched on a tree. Every time she stumbled, Mahtan's voice came back to make a place In her head.
"Run without looking back, go beyond Vert – Bois le Grand, you will be safe there"
He had died without her being able to see him again, he had closed his eyes to the horror of the world and she hadn't even been able to say goodbye to him. Mahtan had fallen for her, to save her, like so many others…
She knew her to lead over the monsters was shrinking day by day but her legs wouldn't be able to carry her If the chase lasted one more day. It was lost In advance, but the rage to live which seized her In the stomach each time she heard their growls made her run faster. The branches whipped her In the face and her legs were covered with long cracks caused by the brambles. Every moment his feet stumbled against a root or a stone.
She collapsed for the umpteenth time then, exhausted, she curled up on herself, moaning. Elwen allowed herself a short break, perhaps one too many. She closed her eyes for a moment and opened them again when she felt an arm grab her leg. Immediately, the figure of an orc appeared before her eyes and she struggled to scream. Panicked, she finally fled and rushed onto the flat ground, the monsters following her a few meters.
She thought painfully that her end was near. His feet rubbed relentlessly against the leather of his boots and his hair tangled before his gaze.
The wind picked up, twisting his ears and It started to rain. Large drops began to fall, weighing down his clothes with water. The smell of earth rose from the ground and soon the ground was nothing but slimy, sticky mud. Elwen sprawled in the slush and felt the cold bite her skin painfully. She suddenly felt observed and when she looked up, she met the gaze of an elf. She sighed in dismay and got up quickly before leaving.
She now had twice as many enemies. Elwen climbed a hill covered with trees and discovered with horror that the ground suddenly changed from horizontal to oblique, forming a precipice strewn with stumps and moss stuck in the mud.
She felt the orcs approach ever closer to her, the elves killing them one by one from the shelter of the branches. Elwen had only one choice to make, she knew she would die either way.
His gaze went from the steep slope to the orcs faster and faster. His breath hitched and his mad gaze fell on an elf hiding behind the trees, staring at her.
So she turned away and without looking back, she jumped down the slope, her breath calm again, the water lashing her face. She was going to die and no one would complain…
She had a last thought for Mahtan, Mistrid, and even her father. She Imagined him alone, seated at the bar of an Inn, drowning his memories In alcohol. She even pretended to hope that he thought of her, that he missed her. Elwen could well deny It, she had loved him and still loved him as a daughter loves her father.
She felt the slope of the ground hit her body hard. A rock crushed his arm and scratched his elbow. Everything revolved around her and she barely noticed her lip bursting. She thought of Mistrid's tired face, protective gaze, and brown hair. His right knee hit a stump and the sticky filth spread all over his body, the blood making the tissue sticky.
When everything stopped, half-conscious, she turned her eyes to the sky where the last drops were still flowing.
She heard the cries of the elves above and the sound of their horses: they would be here soon. With difficulty, she sat up and assessed her condition. His arm must have been broken at the odd angle It was forming. Elwen moaned in pain when she saw her knee split open, blood flowing profusely. His clothes were torn, covered in mud, and sticky with blood. His boots were gone. She tried to stagger to her feet. She had to move from this place or else she would end up In one of the eleven prisons.
She finally managed to take a step moaning and discovered a strange building made of white stones where the Ivy was intertwined with delicacy. His gaze fell on a half-open window on the second floor. Elwen climbed It with difficulty and entered It. His talents and his elven flexibility come back to him as If by instinct.
The room was breathtakingly beautiful, all white, it seemed to come out of a dream. She noticed a small bucket and wanted to drag herself into it but she felt her leg give out. She fell as in slow motion and crashed to the ground with a cry, leaving a small scarlet puddle.
Elwen crawled over to the small wooden tub and reached for clear, cool water. She drank, then tore her already tattered shirt and soaked it in water to make a compress. The pain shot through his body as the tissue came Into contact with the oozing wound.
Suddenly, the door opened and revealed a young woman. Immediately Elwen rushed to the window and jumped Into the void. She crashed for the third time and just had time to hear the woman scream that she was trying to run away.
A moan escaped her lips and she ran to the left wall of the palisade. She climbed it without difficulty this time and fell back to the ground, slightly unbalanced. A young blond elf looked at her in astonishment before she fled under the cries of the elves present. She was seen disappearing at the corner of a wall and no one managed to catch up with her…
Around three o'clock In the morning, while a guard was making his rounds, a cry rang out In the eastern part of the palace and Immediately everyone rushed there.
It was a curious elf who discovered the thief clinging to a chandelier, appearing to sleep. The King and his family were Immediately informed, but as they arrived on the scene, an immense hubbub spread In the room. The chandelier swayed from side to side. We barely had time to understand what was happening when the intruder had already disappeared through a tiny skylight.
His jump seemed to have given him wings because no one heard the sound of a fall. The King, mad with rage, almost yelled at his stunned guards to "catch this savage as soon as possible". If a young girl barely out of childhood could thus ridicule the Royal Guard, the firstcomer could too…
Elwen woke up In the middle of the night. She remained motionless, lying on the ground, her eyes fixed on the stars. A shaky breath escaped her lips and she closed her eyes to keep the tears from escaping her. This memory was one of those she never wanted to see again, It had been one of the first moments when she had started to wonder if her father had been right. What if his fate was as dark as he predicted? At this moment, she had no doubts about the answer that seemed to appear In letters of fire before her eyes.
He had always seen in her what she was…
It was surely the coming of this elf from Mirkwood that brought back these memories that she thought she had buried deep inside her. They were those secret things she didn't want to see the surface again. If she could have made everyone forget them, she would have. She had even succeeded for some. But It was forever etched In our memories, just like many other facts…
Sleeping had long since become torture. She was running from her dreams, the ones she couldn't lock away, hoard and leave behind, hoping never to have to face them. Elwen was fleeing, as always. She fled from guilt, reproaches, and remorse, however obvious.
She didn't want to see those sad, reproachful faces again. She no longer wanted to read in their eyes the hatred she gave them. She didn't even want to live to be opposed to it.
She knew what she had done.
But seeing this reality In the face had once been beyond his strength. Since then, she erected a barricade, ever higher, between this hidden truth and herself.
Elwen thought of Mahtan, what would he have said seeing her today? She had once promised to always remain the one she once was. Elwen had changed, everyone changes. Many people had predicted that It would end like this. She hadn't believed them.
She was afraid of memories. The past. Of the Irrevocable. Of the dream.
But she knew that sooner or later she would have to face it so she slowly closed her eyes.
The preparations for the ball lasted a whole day, this allowed Elwen to have a day's respite. All her pursuits had exhausted her and she had almost been caught like a beginner. Her technique for escaping her pursuers was always the same: going over. No one thought to watch their "over"!
Stealing the loaves and the blanket had been simple, but her arm was now hurting horribly. She was now outside, In the gardens, hidden at the top of a tree. She carefully descended and walked silently towards a half-open window. She slipped In and discovered a table laden with food. She grabs two apples and a loaf. As she was going to pour herself a glass of water, Elwen felt a presence behind the door. She just had time to hide under the thick velvet tablecloth when three young elves were already entering, chatting quietly.
If what Mahtan said was true, they would find her quickly."
"Making as little noise as possible, she held her breath and slowly began to slide towards the window. As soon as she moved, a heavy silence fell in the room. Elwen stopped short and analyzed the calmest situation. According to their previous conversation, they were near the buffet, with only a few tables between them.
So as quietly as possible, she continued her progress. When she came out from under the tablecloth she came face to face with the group of elves who were as scared as she was. The elf whose room she had borrowed was among them, next to a brown elf so handsome that she paused for a moment. The elf squealed and clapped his hands to his face.
- "But does she know how to do anything other than pound my eardrums every time I Ieet her!" cried the red elf.
She just had time to bend down when a fist shot toward her to come crashing down on the table behind her. The elf who had tried to hit her was none other than the blond from the gardens, the little prince of the city.
She was less lucky the second time around. No sooner had she got up than a slap shot towards her cheek. She received It at full power and, under the Impact, stumbled on the tiles. Elwen glared at her assailant who was approaching her again. Behind him, the blond elf was doing the same. She got up quickly and ran to the window, grabbing the buns and fruit as she went. The two elves chased after her, eager to prove themselves to their friend."
But does she know how to do anything other than pound my eardrums every time I see her? Cried the red elf.
She just had time to bend down when a fist shot toward her to come crashing down on the table behind her. The elf who had tried to hit her was none other than the blond from the gardens, the little prince of the city.