Stars (A Legolas Love Story and Lord of the Rings Fanfiction)

"A white tree."

I ran through the masses of the enemy, but I couldn't reach them in time.

Legolas had been stabbed through the heart, Aragorn was lying on the ground, bleeding from a wound in his belly.
The hobbits were already dead, their tiny bodies almost covered by dead Orcs. Gandalf was being overcome by thousands of Orcs, soon he would die as well.

And it was all my fault.

After everything was over, I stood next to their bodies.
I was the lone survivor of the terrible battle.
I looked down at their crumpled bodies, my eyes lingering the longest on Legolas' body. He had once been alive, full of life and attitude. Once again, the one I loved was dead.

As I looked at Legolas' face, his blue eyes shot open.
I shrieked in fright.

"You....did this. Why would you...." He croaked out the words, but he never finished his sentence. His once vibrant eyes glazed over in death.

I screamed and fell to his side, trying to wake him up, trying to tell him I was sorry.
It was too late.

I was alone once more.

I woke up, my chest heaving. My face was wet from crying.
I must have been screaming too, because my throat was throbbing and sore.

Legolas' words echoed over and over again in my mind.
I had done it? What had I done? I was confused and scared.

I sat up slowly, still trying to catch my breath.
Somehow, nobody had heard my screaming.
Everyone was still fast asleep on the floor in their blankets.
All but one. Legolas was not next to me on the floor.
He was gone.

I shoved my blankets away from me and got up quietly. I padded out of the room in my bare feet, grabbing my cloak as I left and pulling the hood over my head.

I walked outside. It wasn't dark, the stars were out and it looked as if it were twilight.

Legolas was standing with his back to me a few yards away.
He also had his cloak with his hood up.

I silently walked up next to him, looking out over the sleeping village.

Legolas spoke first.
"You were having a nightmare. I couldn't wake you up."

I looked at him for the first time that night. He looked weary, as if he couldn't sleep. Maybe that was true.

I didn't speak. I was still haunted by the dream.

Legolas fully turned his body towards me and looked at me.
"It was a different dream, wasn't it? It was more powerful than usual."

I stayed silent. I just couldn't explain what it had been about. It was too frightening.

"Speak, Katherine. I need to know you're alright." He took my hands in his, gently caressing my fingers.

I looked down at our hands, then looked up at him.
"I'm fine." I whispered hoarsely, unsure if I actually was fine.

"No, you're not. You're crying."

His thumb moved to wipe a tear that was trailing down my cheek. I didn't know if I was crying or not. I felt so messed up inside.

Legolas pulled me into a hug.
"What was it about? Talking about it will help."

Would it help? I doubted it. All I wanted was sleep, and now I couldn't sleep at all.
"It was about death."

I could feel Legolas' confusion radiating through his body.
"I don't understand. You face death every day, why would it scare you now?"

"You were the one that died."