And here is the sequel to The Daughter of Elrond! I don't plan for it to be that long. Really it is just what Eleryna goes through during the two or three years before Galadriel, Gandalf, and Elrond sail. Enjoy!
She looked at the leaves and branches above her. It had been almost a year since she had destroyed the Ring and defeated Sauron. She and her husband had decided to stay in Lothlórien so she could continue to heal. The wound she had received from her final battle had been both Morgul and filled with dark magic from Sauron. She had been in a coma for three months where she had believed that she was his prisoner. That was according to everyone else. She knew that Sauron had survived. She had fought with him when she had woken. She had called him by name in Minas Tirith when she was surrounded by her friends and family. Legolas and Haldir had both tried to tell her that it was Gandalf she had seen and not Sauron. In her fit, she had seen only enemies around her. But she knew the truth. She knew that she had seen Sauron. She would have disappeared with him if she hadn't turned to fight off Elrohir whom she had thought one of Sauron's servants trying to subdue her again. She had tried telling all of this to Legolas and Haldir. They would both say that what she had thought to be real was only the result of her fighting off the last of Sauron's magic. Even her grandmother said that she had been fighting with Gandalf and not Sauron.
Eleryna turned to lay on her side and tried to sleep. Rest had not come easily to her since she had woken in Minas Tirith. Not when she knew that Sauron was still alive and preparing his next attack on Middle Earth. She had to find him. There was no other choice for her. In order for her to be at peace, she would have to find and kill Sauron, if only in her own mind. Maybe everyone was right and he was dead. If he wasn't, he would have surely laid waste to the Golden Wood looking for her already. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
Legolas opened his eyes and saw the golden leaves above him. He knew that they should be returning to Mirkwood to ensure that it had remained unharmed in during the war. But Eleryna's health was more important. It was the reason they had returned to Caras Galahon rather than to Mirkwood. Mirkwood was too close to Mordor for the moment. He couldn't afford to have the woman he loved fall back under the darkness that still seeped from that forsaken place. It had done much harm to her already. She was forever scarred on her cheek, elbow, side, and chest. The chest wound had caused them all much grief. It was that wound that had left Eleryna in a limbo while she fought off the last of Sauron's dark magic. He had been scared that he would lose her that time. He was glad that he hadn't and that he had woken up with her at his side for the past six months, since the funeral of Théoden, late King of Rohan. Once she was healed, they would return to his father's halls for a time and then they would take some Elves and return to Ithilian and help rebuild, as he had promised Aragorn. He knew they wouldn't be able to stay long in Ithilian since Eleryna would soon have to take up her grandmother's task as Lady of the Golden Wood until they sailed.
Legolas reached over to pull his wife close to him. He did this every morning, an assurance to her that she was safe with him in Lórien. His hand landed on cold sheets. He sat up quickly and looked for his clothes. He worried about her, worried that she would fall into another fit and leave, searching for something that only she believed existed. He hated that he could not protect her from Sauron and his magic. It had damaged her mind and the damage was slow in healing. He wondered if it would ever heal or if she would be forever scarred by the journey she had taken upon her own shoulders. He found his clothes folded neatly on a chair, left by Eleryna no doubt. She had gotten into the habit of picking things up if she couldn't sleep at night; picking up the pieces in her mind he guessed. As he dressed, another thought crossed his mind. Perhaps she had left early and was with Haldir. She had a habit of sparring with her guardian or going on patrols with him in an effort to find peace. But he wasn't content with that. He had to know for sure. He was still too worried about her to wait for her to come back from a patrol.
Legolas climbed down the stairs from Eleryna's talan which was near the top of the tree. They would soon be living in the top if they didn't move to Ithilien first. He had noticed things beginning to disappear from his in-laws' talan, personal things.
He reached the bottom of the tree and looked around. The Elves were talking and smiling. There was definitely more cheer than had been when they had come through with the Ring. But there was also a sense of leaving. Many of the Elves of Lóien would be moving northward towards Mirkwood and the Silverlode. Celeborn and Thranduil had negotiated an agreement that Lórien would get some of the land they had freed and his father would move his borders south. There was a stretch of land called the Narrows that separated the two realms. There was peace for the moment which allowed for Legolas and Eleryna to live in Lórien while she healed and then for them to move to Ithilien.
Legolas smiled to the Elves he passed, asking some about Haldir until he was finally pointed to the other side of the tree. Haldir was curled in his cloak and asleep. Legolas scowled. One would think that Haldir had not slept in months the way he snored now. The Elf Prince nudged the sleeping Elf's side and waited. Haldir didn't move except to turn over, away from the foot. Legolas frowned. He didn't have time for this. If Haldir was here, then he didn't know where Eleryna had gone. Of course, her current disappearance would be blamed on Legolas who had been with her overnight. Legolas kicked the other's back and Haldir jumped up with a shout. He turned in circles, unwrapping himself from his cloak and finally saw Legolas.
"Legolas, I wasn't expecting you."
"I doubt you would have expected anyone while snoring like that." Legolas said. Haldir raised an eyebrow. "You were supposed to be guarding Ryna."
"She was asleep with you."
"Until morning. After that, she generally stays with you and gains her strength. Did you send her out on a patrol?"
"I haven't seen Lady Eleryna since last night when she and you retired to bed." Haldir checked his weapons to make sure that none had been taken as a prank. His brothers enjoyed toying with him, especially when he had to take care of Ryna.
"She was gone this morning and I have spent the last half of the day looking for you." Haldir looked at Legolas. The prince nodded. They both knew what this meant. If Ryna was not with her grandparents or somewhere within the city or the surrounding areas, she was gone again. It had been months since her last fit. Then, she was convinced that Sauron had sent Orcs to take the Golden Wood in their lulled caution. Haldir and Legolas and Galadriel had been unable to convince her that the war was over and that no Orc army was coming to take the Golden Wood. The next morning, she had been gone. Legolas and Haldir had found her a few days later, standing at the northern border of Lothlórien, swords drawn. They had had to knock her unconscious and then carry her back where she was placed in the healing houses with athelas water to calm her mind. She became withdrawn for the next few days and would only talk with her grandmother, learning her duties as Lady of the Golden Wood. This time, there was no telling what would happen. She hadn't given any indication that she was getting ready to leave again.
Haldir left to find Galadriel while Legolas returned to her talan. He thought that maybe she had returned while he had been looking for Haldir. The talan was empty and he noticed what he hadn't noticed that morning. Her things were gone. Her armor, her swords, and her pack. As captain, Haldir would have known if a patrol had gone out. He sat on the bed and thought. If she wasn't with Galadriel, which he was beginning to doubt that she was, where would she have gone? She hadn't given any sign that she was becoming agitated again. She had been pacing more lately and always looking east, towards Mordor. Then she would pretend it hadn't happened. He had thought that it was just her remembering the war and trying to get over it. But there was another reason. No one had seen Gandalf since he had disappeared while fighting Ryna in Minas Tirith. If she had been looking towards Mordor, it meant that she still didn't believe them about Sauron being dead. He doubted seeing the ruins of the tower would convince her. But if he knew that she was going to Mordor, there was a chance that he could catch her before she got there. He had to. Otherwise she would get herself killed trying to kill something that was already dead and had been for almost a year. He hated to think of what would happen if she got to Mordor and whatever of Sauron's magic still lingered worked its will on her. She was powerful. If she began using the dark magic of Sauron, he doubted that even Galadriel would be able to save her granddaughter.
Legolas began packing quickly. He needed to find his wife before she did something she would regret or that killed her.
Like I said, I don't plan on this fic being very long, but then again, it might be. For sure, Legolas and Haldir are going to be traveling together which should be fun. hehehe. Thanks for reading and please review.