Of Futures Past (Legolas)

34

Alana sat in silence, tapping her finger on her wrist as the doors to the caves closed. There was no noise beyond hushed whispers and the occasional cry of a child.

Remembering the thrush she had sent out, Alana gathered her energy and focused on Lothlorien, finding her grandparents sitting on their thrones with tense expressions.

"I have not seen the outcome of this battle. I doubt Alana has either, since she used the vial." Galadriel murmured. "Even Elrond bade us send aid to Rohan. It will be a tight battle."

"We must keep faith in the world of men." Celeborn replied.

The scene shifted as Alana realized with relief that they had indeed sent troops out.

"How is this possible?" Theoden asked in awe at the host of Elvish soldiers that had arrived.

"The princess Alana knows her resources well." Haldir replied. "I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between Elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together." Haldir looked up to see Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli running down the stairs and smiled at them. "We come to honour that allegiance."

Aragorn bowed. "Mae govannen, Haldir."

The vision faded as Alana stepped back from the vision, too scared to look further at what may happen during the battle. At this point, not only were her friends and lover in danger of being killed, but also her people, some of whom she considered family, whom she had grown up alongside. She knew, those who died would weigh heavily on her soul, and she could not bear to know while being locked up in this cave.

Eowyn sat down next to Alana gently, nudging their shoulders together. "Why do you remain with us when you are allowed to fight?"

Alana sighed, doing her best to smile. "I would not be able to help in this fight. I have done what I can already and sent for reinforcements, but I cannot fight."

Eowyn frowned. "Why not? You are strong and have fought before!"

Chuckling drily, Alana shook her head. "It is not my physical abilities that hold me back from fighting." At Eowyn's inquisitive expression, Alana forced herself to continue, despite the pressure on her chest that made it difficult to breathe. "Not many days ago, I was a prisoner of the Uruk-hai, to be brought to Saruman. In a moment of conflict between them, an orc attempted to defile me, and I was only saved by the Riders of Rohan who had come to kill all the Uruk-hai." Alana paused, catching Eowyn's horrified expression. "Your brother, Eomer, is the one who saved me, though I did not show much gratitude at the time, having been unresponsive once the orc was taken off of me."

Despite the pain it had taken to start speaking, the moment she had finished talking, Alana felt the pressure on her chest relax and her mind felt clearer than it had in days. Even with the stress of waiting and war, she felt, in a way, better than she had at any other moment since the violation.

"I am sorry to hear that, my lady." Eowyn consoled, a hand squeezing Alana's shoulder. The elf woman was glad to notice that Eowyn's hand had not in any way frightened her, where before she may have frozen. "Is that why you had nightmares that night?"

Alana nodded, squeezing Eowyn's hand with her own. "I feel better with every day passed, though. And my companions have been very understanding as well."

Silence befell them, and the time passed. The sound of heavy footsteps, the marching of an army was heard as it began. Despite being an experienced warrior, Alana found herself just as frightened as the rest of the women. For the first time, she was not distracted enough by fighting to forget her worry for her comrades.

Any moment now, it will be the first death. She tapped her hand against her leg, her eyes anxiously roving the cavern walls to find something, anything, to look at, but each moment the temptation to check her visions grew stronger.

Alana felt her palms begin sweating as her heartbeat grew louder and faster, matching the footsteps of the army above. By that point, she assumed the ladders had already gone up, people were already dying. Maybe one of her friends... Maybe Legolas. Alana desperately shook her head to rid herself of the image of her love, dead and mutilated.

An hour passed, and her leg became bruised from hitting it out of frustration. Eowyn reached over gently and grabbed her hand.

"Do not hurt yourself."

Alana bit back a flash of anger, her worry overpowering her emotions. "For the first time in my life, I neither know what is going to happen, nor am I fighting alongside my dear friends. Instead, I am here, and all I can do is wonder whether the love of my life or any of my companions are alive." Alana confessed in a hushed voice, eyes turning towards the doors again as she begged the sounds to stop and the doors to open and everyone to be alive.

"There is nothing we can do." Eowyn murmured, her hand clenching and unclenching as if she wished to be holding a sword.

Alana held her breath, forcing herself to stay still. "What am I to do... if he dies?" Alana shook her head, blinking back tears. "There's no point in agonizing. Let's distribute some rations, if we have any."

Eowyn nodded, and the two women stood, gathering the food and any helpers not busy with children, before distributing food first to children and old or pregnant women, then to the rest. Two hours later, it was done, and Alana was back to staring at the doors, hitting her leg every time the tension was too high.

"Let us rest, Lady Alana." Eowyn said, rolling onto her side and shutting her eyes, along with most of the children and some mothers.

Alana lay facing the doors, waiting and praying for the moment they would open and she would see the faces of everyone she loved. She would see Legolas, and embrace him, and they would both be safe. The hopeful image did not last long though, as she imagined all the gruesome horrors that may happen to him, or Aragorn, or Gimli.

The night drew on, the heart-wrenching sounds of steel on steel and explosions continued to rock the caves without pause. Alana did not close her eyes, for fear of missing the moment it would end, and instead counted the seconds until the silence returned.