Almarëa

Sealed Stillness

Air. That was all she needed, all that her lungs kept demanding her for. The pressure on her neck was too much for her to take. She tried to scream, but she had no air to do so. Fear started to consume her, and for the first time it her: she would die. If she did not get air soon, she would surely die. She kicked and punched, the sheets over her head blackening her vision.

Her hand found something that felt like hair and she yanked at it, only to find the attacker's other hand grabbing her wrist forcefully, twisting her hand in a way she was sure it was not supposed to twist. She would have screamed at the flare of pain, but her air supply was completely cut-off. Instead she heard the sickening sound of a bone cracking, and she kicked again at the burning pain that flared from her wrist, managing to knock something from the bedside table. A crystal glass hit the floor, smashing into tiny pieces in the silence of the room.

Then many things happened at once, so fast her mind did not even have time to process them. Suddenly and without any warning she felt the crushing hand release her neck, the weight disappearing from over her as the attacker rushed away suddenly. The door was thrown open, but she barely heard it. She trashed around, attempting to take the sheets from over her head, and suddenly felt another pair of hands doing the same, quickly removing them.

"Almarëa!" She heard a voice call as the sheets were thrown off her head, a figure leaning close to her.

She gasped for air, coughing desperately in the process. She could still feel the hands around her neck, preventing the gulps of air from completely reaching her lungs. A cold palm softly pressed to her cheek, and she instinctively pushed the newcomer away from her as hard as she could, her shaken body reacting out reflexes. She heard the figure issue out a pained hiss as her hands came in contact with him, but seconds latter she found the same hand pressing once again to her cheek, forcing her to look up.

"Almarëa! Breathe!" Her eyes instantly fell on a piercing pair of emerald green eyes, staring intently at her, and for the first time she saw an emotion written in those impenetrable irises: fear.

She gasped for air again, fighting away the coughing, but to no avail. She was shaking visibly, one trembling hand reaching to her neck, as if trying to take away the hand she could still feel crushing her neck, even though she knew it was no longer there.

She heard more footsteps running into the room, desperate voices asking things in elvish: Legolas and Tadion. She did not turn to look, unable to take her eyes from Arahaelon's piercing ones, still desperately trying to breathe.

The Crown Prince quickly looked to his brothers, his voice saying something in elvish, the sound quick, commanding, as one of his hands pointed in the direction of her balcony. She saw Tadion's eyes widen, immediately rushing in that direction as Arahaelon's eyes turned to look at her.

"Breathe. Breathe." The Crown Prince urged her, both of his hands carefully pressed to the sides of her face. She grabbed at his forearms tightly, taking in gasped breaths as her wide eyes stared into his, her body shaking uncontrollably.

The Crown Prince looked as if he had just jumped out of bed. His long light blond hair fell loose down his back. He wore an unbuttoned light grey sleeping tunic and she could see white bandages covering his torso underneath it.

She heard movement in the hallway, footsteps running in the direction of the room as two guards ran inside, guided by Tadion. Without warning, Arahaelon quickly scooped her up in his arms, wincing slightly as he did so. Her frightened eyes caught Legolas' as the Crown Prince quickly carried her out of the room, infinite blue eyes looking shocked, worried, as he simply stood there, not knowing what had happened.