Chapter Three

The Meeting

He entered passed through the gates and dismounted to take in the beautiful surroundings. He hadn't been to Rivendell and it was more beautiful than the stories told. Lost in his thoughts a young elven girl approached the party of three soundlessly. She watched him as he seemed to look everywhere all at the same time. She smiled to herself and walked to the edge of the wood.

"I welcome you Master of Mirkwood, to the great city of Rivendell." She said with a bow. The elven lord turned to see who spoke and saw a girl standing with a silvery-blue cloak that covered her face. Although as he turned she raised her hands and pulled back her hood to reveal long rich brown hair that had more curl than most elven women had. As she pushed the cloak further back over her shoulders he saw that although her figure was slim it was not without curves. When he looked to her eyes that was what truly amazed him. He had expected to see light blue or green he saw sapphires that seemed to turn black at the pupil.

Seemingly entranced by something the girl said with a smile, "Allow me to lead you to the house of Elrond, Lord of Rivendell."

Her voice breaking through his muddled thoughts he shook his head and said;

"Yes…yes that would be most helpful. Thank you."

With this he walked passed her and mounted his steed. Smiling she glided over to his horse and whispered to him in Elvish. The horse appeared to shake his head and then fell into step behind her.

When they reach the house all three elves dismounted and the girl said bowing, "I shall attend to your horses my self my Lord. Master." She added directing it at someone behind them when they turned they saw Elrond himself striding toward them.

When Elrond started to talk to them she took her leave leading the steeds to the barn. Once there she tended to them with great care. When she was brushing down the last one she felt someone watching her. Turning she saw the elf she had led here herself.

"Is there something I can do for you Lord Legolas?"

"I know you. I don't know why…or how…but I know you."

"That's impossible my lord." She replied turning around to pick up the brushes that she had used. But as she turned he saw a smile on her face. He watched as she placed each brush away and then noticed she limped slightly on her left leg. Then a thought stuck him and he then knew why he knew her.

As he watched her, she limped slightly on her right foot. Then it came to him…there had been someone or something in the woods the eve before his celebration. And now he knew who it had been.

"You were in the woods, that night before my celebration. I knew I had sensed something…but…I didn't think it was a person. I thought it was some wounded animal…" he said looking straight into her eyes locking her in his gaze.

Unable to resist she told him the truth, "I got lost. There was a storm, my horse was scared of lightening and she bucked me off. I tried to follow her but I couldn't and in the process I fell and broke my ankle." Stopping she tore herself from his piercing stare and continued, "I didn't know I was so close to Mirkwood's border…I wasn't trying to trespass…I just needed to rest and get my head together." She was starting to get lose her composer now, rapidly.

"That wasn't what I meant, you were not trespassing anyway. Why would you think that that would be what I was talking about?" he said with a look of utter shook crossing his face.

"What are you not saying?" he replied as he stepped closer.

Slowly raising her eyes to meet his she quietly said, "The last time I crossed an Elven border that wasn't my own…I was almost killed."

The distance between them had sedaly gotten smaller and now they stood meer inches away from each other, when someone cleared their throat.

Stepping away from the maiden, Legolas turned to see a man he hadn't seen in years.

"Aragorn, it has been too long." Striding forward the two embraced as though they were long lost brothers. They exchanged a few words when Aragorn remembered his reason for coming and spoke to the girl.

"Allena, Lady Arwen sent me to get you. You need to dress for dinner, or so she told me." He added with a wolfish grin.

Smiling Allena said, "Of course my Lord, If you will excuse me Master Legolas." Bowing to the Prince of Mirkwood as she exited the barn.

"What did you say to her? I've never seen Allena look so shaken up before." Aragorn asked as soon as Allena was out of earshot.

"I…I don't know really. I recognized her for some reason and then I figured out it was from that one night in the woods, before my celebration. Remember I told you about it…" he said pausing to see Aragorn nod and wait for him to continue. "After saying this she was afraid, well almost, that I was going to punish her or something. Anyway, then she told me something else, something that truly disturbed me, she said that the reason she had been frightened was that she had almost been killed the last time she entered another Elven kingdom."

Looking out across the yard Aragorn took in the story, even though he had already heard it. After a few minutes Aragorn simple said,

"There are a great many things about Allena that no one knows but herself. Most of them she keeps to herself…and it's for a good reason."

"What is that reason?" Legolas pushed a little further.

"The reason is that many would kill her if they found out."

Walking away Aragorn left Legolas to ponder these thought.