Veiled Stars » LotR [1] ✔️

Chapter Six: A Dark Past

"Elle!"

"Elle, come back!"

Come back?

Elle whirled around, her eyes glowing golden. Both Gandalf and Elrond backed up in shock as Elle stared unseeing, a look of pure despair on her face.

"Gandalf, what is wrong with her?"

"I do not know."

Then the light vanished and Elle slumped to the floor, blinking in shock. Her whole body was shaking, her breaths coming out in gasps.

She stared for a moment, her vision unfocused even as hard as she tried to snap back to reality.

"Elle?" Gandalf asked cautiously. 

She didn't answer and he stepped closer.

Suddenly Elle leaped to her feet and threw herself at the wizard. All she could feel was pure hate. Hate and fear, pumping through her veins like a drug.

She had to protect herself. She had to protect her mother.

She had to kill them, all of them.

"Elle! Calm yourself!" A sudden pain snapped through her leg as Elle drove forward and she gasped, falling hard to the floor with a thump. Stars danced before her eyes.

"Elle!"

What was she doing?

Elle snapped back to reality and pushed herself up, scrambling back. She stared in horror at her hands. What... what was she doing?

She looked up, right into the sharp eyes of the elven lord. Then over to the old man, who seemed to stare deep into her soul.

"I- I don't," Elle stumbled over her words. She couldn't explain it, she didn't know how.

"Gilraen."

The word slipped from her lips before she could stop it. She wasn't sure why she was telling them anything, Elle didn't even feel like she was in control over her body anymore.

"Her name was Gilraen."

The words seemed to hang in the air.

Then suddenly the door of the room burst open and Elle snapped over to see the Ranger standing in the doorway. His eyes were wide with shock.

Aragorn let Legolas stand closer to the door. The elf could hear better than he ever could, blue eyes narrowed he listened intently to the conversation coming from the inside.

"What are they talking about?" Aragorn pressed, leaning closer.

Legolas gently nudged his friend back, closing his eyes in concentration. "I cannot hear a thing around your human stench, I need my space."

Aragorn gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes, but reluctantly took a step back. "Better?"

For a moment, Legolas didn't answer.

Then he opened his eyes with a small smile. "They're questioning her about her past. And her parents." He leaned closer to the door.

Then the smile on his face vanished.

"What is it?" Aragorn leaned closer and this time, Legolas didn't try to push him away.

"Her name was Gilraen."

Aragorn froze. He wasn't sure he had heard right.

What was she talking about?

"Aragorn," Legolas started to speak but his friend jerked away.