A Rose By Any Other Name

Once again for the thank yous!

SerenityBlack2000; AzureDragoness; Sister Kitty; Elerrina Rose; and kaitlyn.

Once again, I thank you all so very much for the responses to this fic. They are well appreciated! Keep it up! Now onto the fic! ^^ Enjoy!

~~~ A Rose by Any Other Name ~~~
Chapter Twelve

Ascadholiel woke up slowly, her first sensation was that of swaying gently. She blinked her eyes open and shifted, then tensed and slammed her eyes shut again, whimpering at the sharp paint his sent through her arm and upper chest. She expected to be hit because of this show of pain, her few years away from her abusive life not really registering on her yet, but instead, she was hushed lightly and a kiss was placed on her sweaty and mot just a little dirty forehead. She opened her eyes again to find herself in her bonded’s arms, her wounds bandaged, but the pain still there.

Legolas spoke to her gently in elvish, knowing that even if she could not understand every single word, she knew enough to easily make up for that and hold her own in a conversation. “*Shh… relax. Aragorn has treated your wounds as best as he could for now. We’ll get you to a healer when we reach Lothlorien. For now you need to try and relax and stay still or I fear your wounds might start to bleed again. You scared me so badly my love.*”

Ascadholiel felt even worse now, hearing as well as almost feeling the pain in her lover’s voice as he remembered almost loosing her, and knowing that it was still so close. She answered back in the same language, her accent thick, and stumbling over a few words, but articulating the words and making it quite clear what she was saying, only missing one or two things here or there. In a month’s time or even less, she would be fluent in this fluid language. “*I’m sorry. I should have tried harder. Should have paid attention.*”

Legolas kissed her forehead and hushed her again. “*No. You were wonderful. Even after you were injured you kept calm, and even saved my life. That orc would have surely struck me down had it not been for you.*”

Her whispering voice broke a little with grief as she spoke the next… or tried to at least. “*But, Mithrandir…*”

Legolas hushed her yet again. “*Shh… no more. Rest now beloved. Just rest.*”

And so Ascadholiel did. She couldn’t sleep any more, so she just lay there still and quietly in her husband’s loving arms, and listened to the sounds around her, keeping her eyes closed and her forehead pressed against the pulse in the elf’s throat, biting back the pain as she had done so many times in her life when she had no other choice. She simply enjoyed the feeling of her love carrying her, and tried not to think of Gandalf. She was grateful when Gimli started to speak, his deep voice rough and raspy, though comforting.

“Stay close young hobbits. These woods are bewitched. They say a great sorceress live here. An elf-witch, of terrible power. All who look upon her, fall under her spell, and are never seen again.”

There was a small pause and Ascadholiel couldn’t help but smile as the dwarf continued on bravely. “Well here’s one dwarf she won’t ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox. Oh…”

Ascadholiel opened her eyes as the surprised sound, and immediately tensed, biting her lower lip as the pain flared up from this action. She whimpered a little at the drawn arrows that were pointed right at her and Legolas, only a few inches really from her and her lover’s face. That’s when she first heard that slightly nasal voice that would great on the wrong nerves of the girl for some time.

“The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark.”

The human woman couldn’t help herself as she gritted out, “And it sounds like your head is so full of hot air that you could fly to the moon.”

Legolas scolded her gently, despite the arrows still being pointed at them. “Ascadholiel! These elves are my kin!”

Ascadholiel looked up into his eyes with hers full of pain and warring anger. “I love you Legolas, but I will not let anyone, kin or not, insult any of my friends. Not after what we’ve all just been through. He had no right to say that! I docarecare if he’s god himself!”

Aragorn snapped at them both. “Quiet.” Then he turned to the elf that had spoken. “Haldir o’ Lorien. We need your help.”

Gimli shouted to the ranger from where he stood, ax still hefted. “Aragorn! These woods are perilous! We should go back!”

The elf who had spoken before looked disapprovingly at the stout dwarf. “You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Woods. You cannot go back.”

*****

They were lead a little further into the woods and Ascadholiel had to once again marvel at her husband’s physical abilities, as he deftly carried her up a rope ladder into a sort of tree house/platform called a flet. She convinced him to set her down on her feet at the top with the argument that her injury was not to her legs and she could stand well enough on her own for a while.

Ascadholiel walked slowly around the flet for a little while, trying to keep her mind off the pain and off of Gandalf. She walked behind where Aragorn and the other elf, with whom she had traded insults earlier, were arguing quietly in elvish. She could by now pick up most of what was being said, since she was quickly learning this language, and that is mostly what she and Legolas had done on those long days of him carrying her.

Ascadholiel stood between two other blonde elves, who stood a few feet behind and on either side of the first blonde elf. She looked out at the forest for a little while before turning around and watching the argument. Without thinking abwhatwhat she was doing, she leaned over to the one on her right and whisper in elvish, quietly enough for only the two elves at her sides to hear, not taking her eyes off the elf and ranger, “*Is he always that pigheaded? Does he have to try to be that arrogant, or does it just come naturally to him?*”

The stoic looking elf to whom she spoke effortlessly cracked into a huge grin and chuckled quietly so as not to disturb the aent,ent, and answered in kind. “*He has always almost been like that. I should know, he is my eldest brother.*”

Ascadholiel looked up at him as if realizing for the first time what she had said and to whom. “*Oh I’m sorry. I mean, not for what I said, but for if I have offended you. I’m sure he’s a very wonderful brother, I just acquire the notion that he is not one much inclined to be active, agreeable conversationalist.*”

The elf finally turned his face towards her and still smiling said, “*You give no offense for speaking your mind. I appreciate your openness and your honesty. You are correct though. He is not one inclined to civil conversation when he does not agree with you.*”

Ascadholiel smiled a little and nodded, still watching what was happening in front of her, and being careful not to jar her injury. She then turned back to the elf on her right whom she had been speaking to. “*I am called Ascadholiel.*”

The elf smiled. “*I am Rumil. The elf on the other side of you is my elder brother Orophin.*”

The woman turned to look at the elf on the other side of her and saw him nod and smiled slightly to show his amusement and agreement to the conversation she had been holding with his younger brother.

Rumil went on talking quietly when she turned back to him. “*And the afore mentioned stubborn elf who is currently arguing with Aragorn is our eldest brother Haldir.*”

Ascadholiel smiled. “*Well, it is a pleasure to meet you both.*”

They nodded back to show the same and Orophin finallyke uke up. “You have a heavy accent, and one can tell that you are still learning our tongue.” It was a question as well as a statement.

Ascadholiel nodded and smiled brightly, signaling to Legolas, who she knew had been keeping an eye on her, to come over. “I have a very good teacher. Legolas, my bonded, has been teaching me.*”

Legolas reached them and took her outstretched hand without hesitation. He spoke politely. “*Well met. It has been a long time since last I was in your company Orophin, Rumil. Of course I see that my wife has made fast friends with you both.*”

The two elves nodded and Rumil said, “*She is delightful, if not a bit sardonic. She must keep your hands full.*”

Legolas smiled. “*My hands…*” then he looked down at the woman with love shining in his blue eyes, which she echoed in her own as she reached up and swept an imaginary strand of hair back behind his ear, caressing the fine tip as she did so. “*And my heart.*”

This made Ascadholiel smile wider with joy as a blush swept across her features.

Orophin drew her attention back with his next words to her. “*You are human, yet you have an elvish name.*” Once again a question and a statement.

Ascadholiel nodded and leaned against Legolas, who wrapped his arm around her, his other hand still holding onto her smaller one. She was feeling a little feint again and her wound was flaring up. She closer eyr eyes tiredly. “*Legolas gave it to me. I needed a new name, and he gifted me with one. It was the first thing he ever gave me.*”

Legolas’ brow knitted as he watched his lover. He took her gently by the uninjured shoulder and guided them both to sit down, worry clearly showing in his eyes. He pulled her against him and kissed her temple. “Lean against me herves nin. (my wife) You are still injured.” He has slipped back into Westron, which the two brothers, unlike their eldest brother, did not know, but they figured it out anyway.

Orophin knelt down in front of them, setting his bow, which he had been holding in his hands to the side. “*May I take a look? No doubt, Aragorn, being raised by Lord Elrond as he was, is an accomplished healer, but there is also no doubt that the wounds were seen to hurriedly if what you say is any indication.*”

Legolas quirked an eyebrow. “*But what if Haldir refuses or fellowship help? You would go against your brother and commanding officer?*”

Ascadholiel kept quiet and simply listened, her eyes shut as she focused on bearing with the pain.

Orophin shook his head. “*Normally I would not, but you are kin, and she is your bonded and a delightful, if not human woman. Besides, she is not part of the original fellowship now is she? I would not in unnecessary pain and danger when it is within my power to soothe it.*”

“*Nor would I.*” Rumil said as he knelt down as well and placed a satchel of medical supplies beside his brother.*”

Ascadholiel opened her tired eyes and smiled at them. “*May the blessings of the Valar be with you for your kindness.*”

They smiled brightly at her at this form of formal thanks and blessing, as Legolas beamed at his wife.

Ascadholiel nodded at Orophin and the elf looked up and got the same nod from Legolas. Orophin gently peeled the bloodstained, slashed clothing from her arms and chest and slowly unbound the wound.

Legolas held the clothing up just enough to cover the tops of her nipples with his arm held across her breasts, Ascadholiel not minding her husband’s hand there at all, his right hand seeming to cer ler left breast unconsciously as he covered his wife’s dignity. She was after all, only for his eyes now.

Ascadholiel leaned her head back and turned her face into the smooth column of Legolas’ neck, not wanting to see the wound again, already knowing how deep it was, as well as fearing the pain that she was sure would come with it’s tending. She closed her eyes and whimpered a little, biting her lip, barely keeping from crying out as the gentle Orophin began bathing her wound.

Legolas found her hand with his free hand, holding, and she clenched it as he watched with saddened and angered eyes while Orophin, with the assistance of Rumil took care of her.

Orophin then numbed the wound with a paste he spread in it made from many things, including athelas.

Ascadholiel relaxed a little and glanced down, a little surprised as most of the pain seemed to flee… just in time to see Orophin slip a threaded needle into one side of the gaping wound on her breast, just about two or three inches above where Legolas’ forearm covered her. She gasped and turned her head back against Legolas’ neck again, gasping and then muttering and groaning in disgust. “Oh gross! That was a pleasant sight.”

Legolas rubbed her arm soothingly and kissed her brow.

Rumil spoke, not bothering to keep the astonishment from his whispering voice. “*That is a grievous wound. You must be quite strong to hold up so well to such pain.*”

Ascadholiel opened her eyes and turned her head from Legolas’ neck just enough to at at Rumil out of the corner of her eye, giving him a shaky smile. “*You give me too much credit. I’ve just developed a high threshold for pain through my life.*”

Legolas smiled and kissed her brow again. “*You belittle yourself my love.*” So he went on to tell the two brothers how he and the rest of his fellowship had met the human woman and about her incredible bravery in the mines as she saved his life. As he finished the tale, he wondered why his wife had said nothing in objection to his blatant praise of her, as was her wont to do. He looked down at her and noticed then that she had fallen asleep against him and that Orophin was cleaning the blood from around the new sutures on her chest and arm and was placing a poultice of herbs and the like against the wounds before rebinding them with fresh linens.

Legolas wrapped her in one of their blankets, not really bothering to readjust her clothing as the blanket would hide her partial nudity, and held her close to him just as Aragorn and Legolas stopped arguing.

Haldir looked at each other fellowship in turn, obviously sneering at some, simply looking down his nose at others. “We will stay here for tonight then continue on to Caras Galahdon in the morning. Since this flet is not large enough to house all of you while you sleep, we will split you into others and then regroup in the morning.”

So it was that the hobbits shared one flet, Boromir and Gimli another, and Aragorn, Legolas and Ascadholiel the one that they were currently on.

Ascadholiel, waking up just before the others climbed down the ladder to move to other flets, happily took to Legolas’ bedroll, now hers as well, Legolas saying that he would stay up for a while, elves needing little sleep, and watch for things below as the other elves were doing.

The elven prince tucked his wife in tenderly, taking care of her wounds, and kissed her lips, then her brow softly. “Sleep melamin. I shall be close by.”

Ascadholiel smiled and nodded, her eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. “Be careful Legolas. Amin mela lle.” (I love you)

Legolas nodded back with a smile and kissed her cheek gently, not caring of the dirt still there, aware that his own features were not much cleaner thanks to the mines. He tenderly brushed the hair out of her face. “Amin mela lle, cuiamin. (I love you, my life) Shut your eyes and sleep.” He ran the pad of his thumb gently along her eyelids making her shut her eyes. He kissed her lips again briefly, then she didn’t even have to open her eyes to know that he was gone from where he had been kneeling at her side.

Ascadholiel let out a sigh and then opened her eyes again when she felt a gentle hand on her left shoulder.

She turned her eyes there to see Aragorn as he sat by her, his back resting against the trunk of the tree.

The rugged ranger smiled warmly at her. “Worry not. Legolas eas ever known what he is doing, especially now that he is here among his own kind.”

Ascadholiel sighed again and whispered back. “I know, but he is mine to worry about now. It’s a wife’s duty to worry about and look after her husband and those she loves, if she truly loves them. It’s a wife’s duty to wonder and wait eagerly for her husband to return to her when fate must lead him from her physical side a t a time. It is her duty to always send her thoughts mind and heart to him, no matter the distance. It’s in the unspoken job description, and I do so now even for my Legolas, my dearest, beloved Greenleaf. He is my husband, to be a wife to for now, and for always.” She yawned and shut her eyes again, easily falling asleep, feeling the loving presence of her bonded close by and always attentive to her.

**********

A.N.: So? How did you like chapter twelve. I promise there will be much good things in the next chapter! Still more angst to come, but much joy as well. Damn… after typing this, my brain has just gone… “PLLLLLLLL! Fuck you, I’m not workin any more! Get your own fucking story ideas from somewhere else! Pull ‘em out a your ass fer all I care! I’m shuttin’ down now weather you like it or fucking not!” *Sighs and mutters* stupid fucking brain… *Brain kicks her in the ass* *Grabs ass and prostrates self before all-might-in-thecesscess-of-shutting-down-brain, and wails pathetically* I’M SORRY! I didna mean it! Forgive me almighty-com-fucking-pleately-shut down brain! I’m so sorry! Please don’t take your ideas from me!!! *Looks up* okay…. Now that’s just scary… I think I’m going to let you guys go now. Review ne?! Much luvs! Namaarie!

~Celesta Hellewise Harman