Thorns & Roses (Legolas Love Story)

5. Fate

Sacrifice, by its strictest definition, takes something precious in exchange for the appeasement of a higher power–an abiding devotion to a cause that cannot be satisfied with a simple promise. Because an oath, no matter how solemn, asks nothing in return. While true sacrifice… demands unspeakable loss.

***

“So you have been laying low in the Dark Forest all this time. Hiding behind the tale of a man-eating monster that you conjured to keep people away,” summarized Lord Elrond. His expression neutral and peaceful though from his eyes you could see that his mind was ever watchful.

“Yes, my lord,” I nodded.

“And the young man?”

“I found David about ten years ago when he was still a teenager. He was travelling with his family. A band of orcs ambushed them and he was the only one left alive that I could save,” I reminisced, the picture of a vulnerable, heartbroken young man came into my mind, “He had been following me ever since. I told him to go but he never really leave me,” I said with a bit of a wistful smile.

“He loves you.”

“And I him,” I replied automatically, having considered him my younger brother–despite how much he looked like he was older than me now. "But don't tell him that," I added quickly, hiding my smile. There was no way I was going to let that smug know that I actually said that. 

Lord Elrond tilted his head a bit to glance at me, raising his brows.

“What?” I asked, puzzled by the look he gave me. He shook his head and smiled ever so slightly.

“Time will reveal itself to you.”

I bowed my head under my hood, hiding a smile on my face as Lord Elrond spoke in riddle again. It was a bit frustrating, yet it was somehow calming to hear the way he talked. It was like listening to my father reading from one of his classic literature.

We continued our late afternoon stroll around the elven city. The golden sunlight bathed the white structure majestically, the waterfalls surrounding it looked as if they were pouring down with billions of small diamonds that glinted brilliantly instead of just water.

“Tis’ not a full moon yet,” he announced, breaking the comfortable silence between us, “You need not to cover yourself so much,” he pointed out regarding my hooded cloak. “Your transformation isn’t complete yet.”

I sighed. “What happens when it does?” I asked, hiding the fact that I shivered at the possibilities.

“You become what the Dark Lord would want for a queen,” he answered, “Someone powerful, strikingly beautiful, yet also horrific in her capacity of violence. And if he wins, he will overpower anything good left in your heart. Then you’ll be consumed with darkness.”

I bit my lip in an attempt to suppress my distress because of the blunt answer coming from the elven lord. “Clearly you don’t know how to use euphemism on such a disturbing topic,” I responded half jokingly, masking the dread inside me.

“There is no point softening the fact. It won’t do you any good.”

He was right. I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I kept silent as we walked. That until I saw an elf coming out of one of the door in the hall, catching the glimpse of stacked books inside the room.

“That’s a library?” I chirped before I could stop myself.

Lord Elrond followed my eyes and smiled.

“You read?” he asked, gesturing for me to come follow him into the library.

“I just happen so,” I murmured breathlessly, putting my hood down and let my eyes flew around the room to see the magnificent library with books stacked neatly almost to the ceiling. “It is my favorite past time activity.”