Within Dreams [A Legolas love story]

Dark Matters

It was of Falcon.

Falcon, dark and treacherous, standing in front of me in the restless starlight.

"Do you think I do not know?" he taunted, sneering. "I heard every word you told that prince. You were never intending to keep your word." His bright green eyes flashed.

"It was dangerous to keep it to myself," I replied stonily.

"And, you will see, dangerous indeed to share it," he replied coldly.

"What am I to suffer through, because of you?" I said bitterly. "I care not at all for you, or your lies, and frankly, I'm surprised I didn't guess sooner."

"Oh, dearest, you don't have to suffer at all!" he said, evidently surprised. "Just everyone else."

"Leave 'everyone else' out of this, you spiteful wretch," I said scornfully.

"Dear me, you sound more hateful than I do," he said mildly, looking at his fingernails intently as if they had done him a great wrong.

"I think I deserve it, don't you?" I spat.

"You deserve a lot more than him," he said carelessly.

"Stop trying to whittle me down to insignificance," I replied coldly. "You know nothing of me, or him, or anything at all, it seems. If you imply by your words that your blind rage sees fit to offer me that type of advice, you're mistaken."

"Even so, I am not ignorant," he hissed. "I can keep your entourage for later, but if you do not wish to come and fulfil what I can do for you I must disregard your wishes and eliminate your blessed companions."

"How very low of you, Falcon," I said with distaste. "I never thought threats were quite your style."

"Maybe not," he shrugged. "But I doubt my threats fall on deaf ears."

The dream faded and gave way to more normal visions, of spring, and my mother, and flying.

I wake to Legolas standing in the light of the rising sun. He turns, barely, murmuring a quick good morning.

"The others will be here any minute," he says, without looking at me.

I nod, although he can't see, and stand, feeling the blood rush through me, awakening my body in the cold.

A thin crust of snow had settled on everything through the night, even the thin cape draped over me when I awoke, which is what I suspect kept me from shivering. The faint sun rays bounced off the sparkling snow and dazzled the eye.

It was beautiful, beautiful and yet terrible, here in the land of shadow.

And I was glad Legolas was with me. Because the dream I had last night had proven to me that nothing could save me from my fate--not even him.

We didn't speak as the sun slowly seeped over the horizon like a watery, cold moon. There was nothing to say. Once in a while I felt his eyes on me intently, but generally I tried to stay away from the new feelings from last night and terrorised myself with cynical musings on what exactly Falcon had planned.

It was barely bright when the company was spotted traversing the snowy desert. We must have been a strange sight, Legolas and I, standing expectantly, unmoving.

Faewyn was the first to say something as she came up, leading the group. "Anything?" she asked.

"No," I returned. "How were things there?"

"Largely uneventful," she sighed. "I cannot think how this will continue."

"I can," I said grimly, and I felt Falcon's cool gaze flicker over me as I spoke.