Avadis - A legolas story (slow moving!)

Chapter 36 - The way is shut

Leave us alone

The voice was different than before, it was raspy and weak, yet as loud as the wind rushing through her ears. Avadis spun around in a frantic circle, her eyes scanning for anyone or anything near to them. It's in your mind. It's only in your mind. She took a deep breath in and refocussed her eyes on the group ahead of her. Be calm, keep breathing. Be calm...

You should never have come here

You will pay

Your blood will cover the walls of our tombs

LEAVE US ALONE

"Be quiet!" Avadis yelled out loud, pressing her hands to her ears to drown away their sound. 

Do not taunt us

You are nothing here

"Please just be quiet" she whispered quieter, closing her eyes as her wings wrapped wrapped themselved tightly around her body trying to drain the sound from inside her mind. Be calm, keep breathing, be calm, keep breathing. 

"You have no power over me" she whispered over and over and louder and louder, until at last the voices became quiet. 

"Avadis? Avadis please let me in!" She opened her eyes to see Legolas' hand reaching in through the small gap between her wings. Slowly she opened them back behind her, letting out a shallow breath as she was met with the stillness of sunlight across her face. A bit further ahead, Aragorn clicked his tongue for the horses to stop. 

"What happened?" Legolas' face was riddled with worry. She looked at him briefly before quickly looking down at the ground, embarrased that tears were beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. She didn't want to tell him... she couldn't tell him. How could she tell her newest of friends that she was likely going insane and had a high chance of becoming possessed and killing them? They would certainly send her away, and they have good reason to do so. 

"I should never have come. I'm only a burden..." she mumbled, raising her hands to her face to hide herself from him.

"Hush now, do not say those things" Legolas' voice was soft and calm, contrasting completely to the storm that had been raging in her mind moments before. Carefully, he lifted his hands and removed hers from her face, holding them tightly in his own. "I do not think you have ever, or could ever be a burden."

She looked into his eyes, his face still slightly blurred by the tears in her own eyes. Be calm and keep breathing. It seemed so much easier to do when he was there next to her. 

"You have been different of late, we have all noticed it. If something is wrong, we will only want to help you. But, you must tell us." He gave her hands a quick squeeze before letting go and taking a step backwards, revealing Aragron and Gimli standing not too far behind him. Her eyes darted from him to Gimli to Aragorn, all with furrowed brows and arms crossed. 

"It is only..." she paused a moment and took a breath, looking to the ground. "It is only this... place getting to my head. It feels as though there uh... there have been many painful memories here." She fumbled for the words, hoping that it was not obvious to them that she was lying.

"Those who live within these mountains do so because they have been cursed" Aragorn spoke quickly and quietly, but even so the wind around them seemed to pick up strength for a moment out of anger. "They are here under their own accord, and though we may fear them, they have much more reason to fear us." His hand fell to a sword that hung on his belt, a new one which Avadis had not seen before.