Where Shadows Breathe [Legolas Fanfiction] :on hold:

Chapter Seventeen: Evasions

Chapter Seventeen: Evasions—Forven

The elleth stood frozen, her gaze connecting with mine. Bright, fiery eyes faded as her stance shifted, lips parted in surprise and foot taking a step backward. No words were exchanged, but the silence spoke volumes. As the pound of my heart drummed in my ears, a mirthless smile found its way onto my lips. Perhaps Legolas had been right. The snake had slithered inside our walls and I had only encouraged it.

I didn't hesitate—I couldn't afford to. As I spoke, my hand slipped begind me to the dagger that hung on my belt, a subtle movement but her eyes still followed it. "What have you done, Iaewneth?"

It was then that Earandur noticed my presence, and he visibly stiffened, brow furrowing as he took a step back. "Ah—um—captain, er, lieutenant."

I didn't look at him, focused on Iaewneth, watching, waiting. There was a blink of uncertainty, a momentary break in her façade, and then she spoke, eyes widened in what felt to be a pretense of concern. "Are you alright, lieutenant? There are rumors traveling about. I'd heard that—"

"Don't," I said. "I heard you—don't you so much as dare to lie to me."

She didn't move aside from the subtle clench of her fist. Her eyes flashed once, darting between Earandur and me, and then she was in motion, my own action just behind hers. In a flash of movement, Iaewneth pushed past Earandur—the ellon blustering and confused—and ran down the hall in a swiftness I did not know she possessed.

I moved after her—a blinding pain biting up my side. My breath came in harsh gasps, footsteps pounding across the chilled stone floor. Her dark hair whipped behind her, intertwined with the white flashes that slipped across my vision.

It seemed to be one turn after the next, swiveling to the right and then the left. An endless chase of prey and predator, both desperate and yet only one whose desire could be satisfied. From somewhere in my distant memory, I knew something of the path she led me down—this hall, it was familiar, known to me in a strange way. I could not discern the familiarity of it, nor the significance or worthy note of it—but still I followed. My teeth bit down upon each other, clenched and determined and all too unwilling to fail/

Long moments that were surely less than the eternity they felt to be passed before I neared her. Earandur's shouts for me to stop echoed in my ears as I moved, undaunted. She was just in arm's reach. A single action and the true fight would begin.

I couldn't afford to hesitate; such would only entice my doom to come upon me. Without slowing, I took one dagger from my belt, another already in hand. Fury burning, I brought one blade toward her shoulder in the same moment that she dove to the floor. My weapon met empty air as my eyes followed her descending form, watching as she spun on her boot to face me. I should have expected it, known what would result in response to my own action, but I was too late, my response slow and delayed. My leg caught on her outstretched arm, and I tripped forward, my shoulder colliding with the stone floor with jolting force. Not so much as a breath passed before I rolled onto my feet, weapon again in front of me.

Instantly, it was in use, Iaewneth's own knife appearing in her hand, cutting through the air, tempered only by the collision upon my own blade.

I struggled to maintain a sure stance, to hold to a solid fight, but my breath came harshly, and my entire being protested to the movement I forced it to engage in. Her blade came towards my chin, and it was by sheer instinct that I evaded it. Our weapons locked—determination and desperation waging a silent battle—before we were a flurry of mirrored action again.

Parry

Block

Strike

Evade