1
The Elvin prince stopped, and looked down at the form below him. It was strange for him to see anyone in this part of the woods, especially at this time of day. He didn't know who it was. He thought about calling out to them, perhaps they were an elf. But something in him didn't feel right, and he decided against it. Suddenly the form started to cry, and he realized that it was a girl. Surely this wasn't an elf. He hadn't known any elves in his lifetime who would cry like that. He wanted to comfort her, find out where she had come from, and why she was there. But he was uncertain and decided to watch her a little more. He drew his cloak around himself and grabbed a seat on a nearby log to wait and watch.
Bel couldn't remember ever feeling so cold and alone. She had run from the group never stopping to look back; she hadn't even grabbed a cloak in her haste. She had strayed from her brother's side, but only for a minute, and when she had turned around he was gone. Her mother had warned her everyday about this. "Never go off by yourself. You never know what could happen." But what she did not do as a small child, she had managed as a young woman. Bel shivered at the thought and began to cry. It sickened her. This weakness when she really needed to be strong. A million questions were coursing through her mind. Would she ever get away and find her brother again? And the growing sense that she was not alone gnawed at her.
Legolas watched her intently. This small being who mumbled to herself and asked questions the trees could give no answers to. Though try as they might he sensed they could not help her. Legolas was not sure how old she was, or even where she came from. As far as he knew there were only Elves now in and around Mirkwood. He shivered as the sun sank lower on the horizon. Something was going to have to be done about this stranger. Whoever she was. Legolas stood up and looked in the direction of the setting sun. After a minute he turned back to look at the girl, but there was no one. A feeling of panic rushed through him, and then confusion set in. Where had she gone?
Bel started to walk. It was the only thing she could think to do. So she left her spot on the forest floor and started walking. She didn't know where she was going. But right then she figured that it would be better than just sitting there crying. She tried to be as quiet as possible, hoping that she would go unnoticed. But she had no idea that her efforts at silence were all in vain, for she was being followed by Legolas the whole time. For a few hours she walked until she came upon a small stream. She felt hopeful, because she had always thought that if you followed a stream, you would eventually get out of trouble. A silly belief from child hood that she refused to give up.
As night wore on Bel felt herself growing very tired. She sat down close to the stream and leaned against a tree so that she might find some rest. Almost at once, from a combination of her fatigue, sorrow, and the gentle noise from the stream, Bel slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep. Legolas crept slowly up beside her. "She is daring to venture this far into Mirkwood on her own, and without even a small blade to protect herself with," he thought. She carried no weapon as far as he could tell. Legolas was not sure what he should do. Finally he decided that it would be best for him to stay there and watch over her that night. But just for that night. Somehow he had to get her out of the wood and back to where she had come from. But where had she come from? The question came back to worry him. No answers came to him from the dark and he looked at the girl. She was small, so small that Legolas could have easily carried her in his arms if he had to.
He began to wonder. If this was a human, she would have the curved ears. When he was young, Legolas' brother, who had journeyed far and seen many beings in his years, had entertained Legolas with stories of far off lands and battles fought long ago. It was the takes of the humans that had captivated Legolas' attention and imagination. They had seemed like such fantastic creatures. Capable of such beautiful things and at the same time, unspeakable horrors. He sat now, pondering this strange girl. He had to know, he had to be sure.
Slowly he moved, till he was close enough to feel the breath from her sleeping form. And carefully, barely enough for the girl to think it was only the wind, he pulled her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. It was round. Not pointed like the ears of the elves, but round like he knew a human's to be. Legolas' long, careful fingers had barely grazed the top of her ear but he could still feel how warm she was. He looked at her face for the first time. She was no great beauty, he could easily see that. But there was a peace in her that he could sense that held his attention. Her face was framed by dark hair that grew straight and smooth. In the night it looked black, but in the setting sun, he had seen it become brown and reflect the shades of fire before turning brown again. So, this girl was a human after all. At least that riddle was solved. Now came the question of how she came to be in Mirkwood. A passing band of travelers maybe. That seemed to be the most logical of all explanations.
The longer he sat and watched her sleep, the more certain he became of what he must do. In the morning, when the girl awoke, he would be there, waiting for her, and he would take her to his father. He would know what to do. Legolas would have left immediately to seek the counsel of his father, but he had decided it was best to look after the girl. So he settled in to wait until the sun would creep over the hills again.
The Elvin prince stopped, and looked down at the form below him. It was strange for him to see anyone in this part of the woods, especially at this time of day. He didn't know who it was. He thought about calling out to them, perhaps they were an elf. But something in him didn't feel right, and he decided against it. Suddenly the form started to cry, and he realized that it was a girl. Surely this wasn't an elf. He hadn't known any elves in his lifetime who would cry like that. He wanted to comfort her, find out where she had come from, and why she was there. But he was uncertain and decided to watch her a little more. He drew his cloak around himself and grabbed a seat on a nearby log to wait and watch.
Bel couldn't remember ever feeling so cold and alone. She had run from the group never stopping to look back; she hadn't even grabbed a cloak in her haste. She had strayed from her brother's side, but only for a minute, and when she had turned around he was gone. Her mother had warned her everyday about this. "Never go off by yourself. You never know what could happen." But what she did not do as a small child, she had managed as a young woman. Bel shivered at the thought and began to cry. It sickened her. This weakness when she really needed to be strong. A million questions were coursing through her mind. Would she ever get away and find her brother again? And the growing sense that she was not alone gnawed at her.
Legolas watched her intently. This small being who mumbled to herself and asked questions the trees could give no answers to. Though try as they might he sensed they could not help her. Legolas was not sure how old she was, or even where she came from. As far as he knew there were only Elves now in and around Mirkwood. He shivered as the sun sank lower on the horizon. Something was going to have to be done about this stranger. Whoever she was. Legolas stood up and looked in the direction of the setting sun. After a minute he turned back to look at the girl, but there was no one. A feeling of panic rushed through him, and then confusion set in. Where had she gone?
Bel started to walk. It was the only thing she could think to do. So she left her spot on the forest floor and started walking. She didn't know where she was going. But right then she figured that it would be better than just sitting there crying. She tried to be as quiet as possible, hoping that she would go unnoticed. But she had no idea that her efforts at silence were all in vain, for she was being followed by Legolas the whole time. For a few hours she walked until she came upon a small stream. She felt hopeful, because she had always thought that if you followed a stream, you would eventually get out of trouble. A silly belief from child hood that she refused to give up.
As night wore on Bel felt herself growing very tired. She sat down close to the stream and leaned against a tree so that she might find some rest. Almost at once, from a combination of her fatigue, sorrow, and the gentle noise from the stream, Bel slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep. Legolas crept slowly up beside her. "She is daring to venture this far into Mirkwood on her own, and without even a small blade to protect herself with," he thought. She carried no weapon as far as he could tell. Legolas was not sure what he should do. Finally he decided that it would be best for him to stay there and watch over her that night. But just for that night. Somehow he had to get her out of the wood and back to where she had come from. But where had she come from? The question came back to worry him. No answers came to him from the dark and he looked at the girl. She was small, so small that Legolas could have easily carried her in his arms if he had to.
He began to wonder. If this was a human, she would have the curved ears. When he was young, Legolas' brother, who had journeyed far and seen many beings in his years, had entertained Legolas with stories of far off lands and battles fought long ago. It was the takes of the humans that had captivated Legolas' attention and imagination. They had seemed like such fantastic creatures. Capable of such beautiful things and at the same time, unspeakable horrors. He sat now, pondering this strange girl. He had to know, he had to be sure.
Slowly he moved, till he was close enough to feel the breath from her sleeping form. And carefully, barely enough for the girl to think it was only the wind, he pulled her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. It was round. Not pointed like the ears of the elves, but round like he knew a human's to be. Legolas' long, careful fingers had barely grazed the top of her ear but he could still feel how warm she was. He looked at her face for the first time. She was no great beauty, he could easily see that. But there was a peace in her that he could sense that held his attention. Her face was framed by dark hair that grew straight and smooth. In the night it looked black, but in the setting sun, he had seen it become brown and reflect the shades of fire before turning brown again. So, this girl was a human after all. At least that riddle was solved. Now came the question of how she came to be in Mirkwood. A passing band of travelers maybe. That seemed to be the most logical of all explanations.
The longer he sat and watched her sleep, the more certain he became of what he must do. In the morning, when the girl awoke, he would be there, waiting for her, and he would take her to his father. He would know what to do. Legolas would have left immediately to seek the counsel of his father, but he had decided it was best to look after the girl. So he settled in to wait until the sun would creep over the hills again.