A Second Chance

A Second Chance Part 21

It's been three months since I left Minis Tirith. Three months since I left everything I had come to know and love behind and I felt... awful, actually. I would love to tell you that I had been on a journey of great discovery and had healed myself and found a new strength within me. That I had resolved my issues and that all was well with the world but that would be a lie. Not to mention a little unrealistic, and yes okay so I know being thrown into an alternate universe, falling in love with an Elf prince, fighting evil that you had thought was impossible, discovering you have some weird telekinetic powers and being kidnapped and tortured by a giant eye and horrific creatures stretches the realms of realistic slightly but still, you get my drift.

I had spent some time in a village in Rohan, wanting to be amongst humans again, to try and feel normal without being treated differently because of my connection to Aragorn and Boromir. For a while it worked, I settled, sent my promised letter to Boromir saying that I was safe and for nearly four weeks lived happily and peacefully. Sure every night, my dreams were plagued with visions and horror that had me gasping for breath, a steady stream of tears making tracks down my sweaty face, and sure every time I saw anything that remotely reminded me of Legolas, which is apparently nearly everything, I would get a painful pang in my chest but all in all life was marginally better. No one knew me, no one watched me expecting me to break or fall apart. No one wanted anything from me and no one knew what I had been through, that on it's own was bliss. I settled into a routine of working with the villagers to earn my keep, eating well and keeping to myself, that was until the royal bloody guard turned up with my letter from Aragorn and Boromir and suddenly whispers were abound. By the next day everyone knew who I was and I was on my way, far away from prying eyes and ears.

It's happened twice since too and now I don't know what I am doing. I am riding aimlessly around the countryside, drifting to the east but having no set destination. After spending a week riding and sleeping on the ground and with winter approaching I am glad when I see a small village on the horizon and I sigh with relief as I approach it to see that it is a human settlement.

"Excuse me," I call out to a woman as I dismount and see her turn towards me looking almost frightened.
"I'm sorry I cannot help you," she says hurriedly trying to move away as I quickly move to block her path in both frustration and bewilderment.

"I just need somewhere to rest for the night," I exclaim but she shakes her head in what seems to be fear almost and turning, practically sprinting away from me. I jump as doors suddenly begin slamming and locking, well that is... weird! The next few minutes I spend looking for someone to speak to but the whole village seems to have gone on lockdown, I guess I should move on then? Sighing heavily I pull myself up into the saddle again and urge my horse onwards. I was getting tired of travelling and yet for some reason I was being pulled in this direction and away from Gondor. Following it aimlessly seemed a strange thing to do, especially as a big part of me felt like I wanted to go home, back to Minis Tirith but I guess I was curious to find out what I would find. Although the bigger part might be the shame and embarrassment I felt at having walked away and left and yet not fixed myself at all.

Sighing heavily I almost growl as I shiver against the bitter wind that has suddenly picked up and begin to search for somewhere sheltered where I can bed down for the night. Nearly an hour later as the last rays of the sun are dipping below the horizon, painting the ground a myriad of oranges and purples and reds, I spot the edge of a forest and kick my horse to quicken our pace slightly. Reaching the first line of trees I dismount quickly and pull my horse further into the darkness, hoping to find somewhere dry to sleep amongst the thick foliage. I suppress the shudder that rolls through me as soon as the landscape behind disappears putting it down to nothing other than the cold of the night. I spend the next three hours wandering through the forest trying to work out where I was, the trees were thick and dark and there was a threatening feeling to it, perhaps I am in Fangorn forest, although I think I have come too far from Rohan to be there. Sighing once again I settle down against a tree, I am hopelessly lost and have no idea what to do, or whether it is even possible to be lost if you have nowhere to go. All I knew for sure was that I needed to find somewhere to settle for a little while so that I could write to Boromir and Aragorn before they sent out a search party or something. It is with this thought in my mind that I drift into an uneasy sleep, my cloak pulled tightly around me for warmth.

Sitting up suddenly, I gaze around in panic for a second before pushing my hair from my sweaty forehead. Another nightmare, suddenly though a movement catches my attention and I am alert again. There was something different this time, something didn't feel right, my nightmares never left me with such an uneasy feeling for this long after waking. I felt as though there was something or someone watching me and my breathing was beginning to get more rushed as I felt, for the first time since leaving Gondor, completely vulnerable and very, very isolated. Jumping up I reach for my horses reigns and begin to move as silently as possible through the trees, the problem being that I had no idea how to get out of this bloody forest now and I was beginning to feel a little nervous. Okay a lot nervous. Dawn must be breaking now although it is possible to see any light through the dense branches and leaves that hung above me, closing in on me and adding to the growing knot of tension within me.

Suddenly, a rustling and hissing to my left causes my horse to rear and bolt leaving me to uselessly yell after it before trying desperately to push down the panic that was quickly building in me before it had the chance to overwhelm me. Another loud hiss to my right forces a yelp from me and I turn, sprinting further into the darkness, my breath coming in short gasps as I feel branches tearing and grabbing at every tiny bit of bare skin. I crash through to a clearing of sorts and my breath rushes from my lungs completely as I see the webs hanging over everything, the giant legs descending before me and the fear is so real I feel physically sick for a second, throwing my arms up and trying to focus my energy on moving the giant spider that had appeared in front of me but nothing was happening. I had nothing to fight for. Nothing to live for... don't get me wrong, I was terrified, I didn't want to die but for some reason without seeing Legolas and Aragorn and the others in danger the power just wouldn't work, my energy wasn't there. A sudden pain rips through my shoulder and I am on the floor, my eyes heavy and just as my world begins to go hazy a thump sounds beside me and something that sounds like my name echoes through the air.

"Finley," there it is again, my eyes are closed now but I can hear it even through the pounding of my blood in my ears, "tarien please, please open your eyes," hang on a minute, that sounds like... with an almighty effort and an embarrassing whimper of pain I force my eyes open and gasp in shock to see his face hovering over mine.

"Legolas," I manage to say in a rasping gurgle before darkness consumes me and I feel myself fall limp in his arms.