his exception

chapter thirty-six: gone

It hurt, when the arrow sunk into the skin off her leg. It hurt when the sword pierced through her torso. Blood spurted out of the wounds, and she knew that there was no saving herself. She couldn't feel the poison in her leg, at first. But then there was the slightest tingling, which grew into a persistent burning sensation, which then escalated to a raging inferno, a liquid fire that was coursing through her veins. "I feel somewhat sad-Maethel paused-that his hate for dwarves overpowered his love for his own daughter... me." 

"Look...at...me..." She murmured as her brother rushed to her side. "Do you think he will miss me?" Inside of fighting she let her tears flow down her cheeks. "I've only ever w-wanted to m-make him proud.. t-then he said t-those things and I.. I acted out of spite and then I met him.." Legolas wiped the tears from his sister's cheeks and she drew silent.

"He said it would last forever.." She cried looking up at her brother. In that moment she knew they were destined to be, maybe not now, not this life but still, it was written in the stars. "I was too young to see.. you used to tell me.. that everything works out in the end.." Maethel cried. "Oh God, I want to feel again.." She looked up at her brother as she felt her body go numb. "I don't want to go.. you know I'm not that strong." Maethel whimpered as she coughed up blood which now stained the cloth which was placed around her. It dribbled down to her chin and dripped onto the floor.

"You are strong.. I'm so sorry.." Legolas cried as his breathing increased. "Sorry, can't save me now.." After the coughing died down she blinked slowly as her eyes locked onto the blue ones. "No, no, no you can't die... no come on. I-It's going to be fine." Maethel looked at her brother. "Y-You'll be fine." came the whimper. "You... can't save...e-everyone." She breathed slowly. "D-Don't talk okay? Y-you're going to be fine." They could hear the rush of the guards outside of the tent, as Maethel turned her head slightly to the direction of the voices.

"I-I'm not r-ready to.. to die, n-no not yet." Maethel spoke quickly as she heard the noises from outside, panic setting in as she knew she wasn't going to live for much longer. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and she shivered. "Can you hear me, I'm not coming home."

"I'm not afraid anymore.. I s-swore I-i'd never leave h-him.. but l-life came t-to collect m-me.." Maethel cried as she looked up at her brother. "Please don't leave again.. wait till ada arrives." Legolas weeped as he watched her as she tried to close her eyes. "You're all I need here, now forget about me. But if you close your eyes.. you'll be with me one last time." Her brother shook his head. "just let me go.. w-we'll m-meet again soon.." Legolas acknowledged that his sister would not live for much longer so he whispered, "Go for it slowly, there's no race to the end." He cried. "D'Don't c-c-cry... n-none of t-this was y-your f-fault... I-I j-jjust nee-need a m-minute.."

Legolas clutched tighter onto her hand which was turning colder by each second. He started to speak but quickly stopped himself. Maethel looked bewildered. "H-He.. didn't make it.." His sister let out a small cry and she felt her head sink into the pillows of the healers tent. "I-I want to be b-buried next..." It hurt for her to speak, "t-to him." She breathed out slowly as she looked up at her brother one last time. "M-Maethel..? Let me get ada, he needs to be here.." He cried, panicking. "Y-you better hurry.. I w-won't be h-here for m-much longer.." Legolas turned to look into his younger sisters eyes one last time before he raced out of the tent in search of their father.

darkness. cold. black.

The light began to fade, her mind a blur. Life was meaningless till the end.. all will be forgotten, including herself and all her memories. Their last kiss, their last touch suddenly seemed so long ago and all the good memories seemed like a dream, she couldn't really believe all of this really.