Elladan and Elrohir tore through the underbrush, they were being guided solely by instinct. The knowledge that their sister was within reach burned brightly in their hearts. The first day there had been no success but they searched through the night and into the next day.
Gilraen was nervous when she woke the next morning. All the men were asleep, save for the guards. The sounds of the forest seemed louder and more frightening to her and she frequently twitched nervously. No one woke until the sun was high in the sky, by which time Gilraen's stomach was twisting in hunger.
The leader approached the girl and squatted in front of her. "Ya hungry, elf?" he asked.
"Y-Yes." Gilraen stuttered nervously.
"Well that's jus' to bad, ain' it?" The man sneered cruely.
Gilraen looked at the ground, she should have known that he wouldn't give her food. She started as the leader slapped her. "You'll look a' me when I'm talkin' to ya!" he ground out. Gilraen looked up at the dark eyes of the leader and he nodded his approval. He grabbed her wrists where they were tied and hauled Gilraen to her feet. She shook a bit but she could stand on her own. "Now," the man sad looking her up and down. "We're headed to a slave marke', where you'll ge' us a pre'y penny." He paused, as if to gather his thoughts. "How'er, yer lackin' pro'er trainin'.
"I'm no one's slave." Gilraen whispered strongly..
The leader slapped her, sending Gilraen to her knees again. "An' tha' kin' o' behavior is wha' I'm talkin' abou'" He let out a breath and called to one of his men before turning to Gilraen. "See 'im?" the man asked, "e'll be teachin' ya 'ow a pro'er slave ac's."
"Not much we can do with her here captain." The man said, he had a far smoother accent. "For proper training we'd need a palace or mansion."
"Jus' take 'er to the men an' fin' ou' wha' tasks need done." The leader said pushing her over to the other man.
"I'm Dem," the young man said. "You're just 'Elf' or 'slave' and you'll respond to both terms. You will call me and every other man in this camp master. Are both of those things clear?"
"Yes, sir." Gilraen said quietly, finding a less demeaning term than master. She was taken aback when the man back-handed her.
"Yes WHAT?" The man yelled.
"Yes master." Gilraen said.
Dem took Gilraen to a group of men. "Is there anything you lot need done?" The man asked.
The men laughed. "a bi' li' yerself a few years back, eh Dem?" one said. Dem tensed.
Gilraen looked at Dem with shock on her face, he had been a slave too!
"Ya' know?" another man said. "A pretty she-elf like her might be able to make a bit nicer dinner than we're used to."
The men all made noises of accent. Gilraen grew concerned. "I have nothing to make food from." She said softly, looking at the ground.
Dem looked at Gilraen, a slight veil of pity on his face. "There's some deer meat in that tent." Dem said pointing out one of the tents. "There's also a cooking fire you can use."
Gilraen nodded, "Thank you," she was shocked when she was not reprimanded and he followed her into the tent. There was no one there. Gilraen looked over the spices they had, it wasn't much. A thought came to her mind, she dug in her pocket and pulled out a small vial, filled with a purple flower. Arwen had shown her that Aragorn had liked it on his meat, perhaps these men would too.
"What's that?" Dem asked.
"It's an herb that sweetens meet," Gilraen said, grabbing a large piece of venison and moving to the fire.
Dem grabbed her hair and yanked her back, causing her to yelp and fall to the ground. "Put some on your tongue," he hissed.
Gilraen uncorked the bottle and put a small portion on her tongue. When it wasn't added to anything it was like eating sweets. After nothing happened, Dem released her and told her to get back to work. Gilraen quickly heated the venison and created a syrup with the purple herb and poured it on. It was surprisingly quick to cook through and in an hour Gilraen was putting it on a tray and bringing it out to the men.
She waited nervously as they all tried it and bit back a sigh of relief when they all approved.
Dem took Gilraen back to where she had been before and retied her. Gilraen sat, staring at the ground. Why did she have to be so stupid and run off like she did. She let tears run down her face as she faded into sleep.
Legolas stared at the fire, overwhelming guilt taking over his body. Neither Aragorn nor Arwen would speak with him. He stared at the fire and reached into his pocket. He felt the ring that he would give to Gilraen one day. He could still remember speaking to Aragorn about it that day, the day that he had planned to propose to Gilraen, the day that she disappeared.
King Elessar was in Imladris for a short visit and a certain elf desperately needed to speak with him. "Estel," Legolas said quietly, "May I speak with you?"
"Of course, Mellon nin." The king said. "What is it?"
"I have already spoken with your father and the twins, but I feel that I also need your opinion and blessing in my venture," Legolas said giving his old friend an almost shy look.
"You speak in riddles my friend," Aragorn said giving Legolas a hard look softened by a gentle smile, "just tell me what is bothering you."
"I wish to ask for Gilraen's hand, officially that is." Legolas sighed, pulling out the ring, "but I fear that she deserves much more than this."
"My valar, Legolas, where did you get something so beautiful?" Aragorn asked. The ring was a silver color, but it was clearly mithril. It looked like many vines intertwined to form the band. A single gem rested on the top, it was an odd mix of a misty gray and a cerulean blue swirled together.
"Gimli helped me to create the band," Legolas said with a faraway look, "and I found the stone in my room in the Mirkwood palace." He slipped the ring into his pocket. "It seemed perfect, but now I'm not sure."
"She'll love it," Aragorn said, "as she loves you. I know that you could go to her without any ring or jewels and she would marry you, mellon nin, it wouldn't matter what myself or any of the Peredhil family say or do. She would marry you."
"Thank You, my friend," Legolas said sincerely.
"Of course," the man replied, "now, go to her."
Legolas closed his eyes as another, more painful, memory surfaced.
Legolas walked nervously towards Gilraen's room. He knew his plan; all he had to do was invite her to go out on a horseback ride. He would keep her out until sunset, when he would take her to their favorite spot, the cliff above the pond where their romance started. There he would propose.
He arrived at her door and knocked. There was no answer. 'Perhaps she's in the barn.' He thought, she loved her mare, Araya, and often spent many hours with her.
So Legolas walked to the barn, but she wasn't there either. He headed to the library next, no Gilraen. He searched the whole house but the elf was not to be found.
Finally it hit him like a bucket of water as he went to check her room again. As he opened the door a bucket of freezing water fell onto his head and musical laughter filled the room. "Why you!" he muttered before launching himself at her and tickling her unmercifully. Their laughter blended for a solid ten minutes before both laid back on her bed.
"What do you say to a ride?" Legolas asked quietly, playing with Gilraen's soft blonde hair.
She nodded silently while Legolas sat up and proceeded to help her do the same. The two walked out to the stable and mounted their horses. They rode off in no particular direction. Finally, at dusk, Legolas guided Gilraen to the spot. At first, they just sat saying nothing. After a while Legolas stood and turned around. He did a tight turn around and was on his knee with his eyes shut.
"Gilraen" he paused and looked up, expecting to see Gilraen's mystical silver eyes, but they weren't there, she was gone. "Gilraen!" he called. There was no answer. He called many more times and searched the close area of the woods before becoming nervous. He let out a shrill whistle and the two horses came trotting over to him. He swung up onto his stallion, Mellonaur, and took off at a mad pace towards the last homely house.
"She's gone!" He yelled as he came into the courtyard.
An entire month later Gilraen had still not been found. Legolas was sick. In less than an instant she had disappeared and now was gone. After at least five years later the search was called off and Gilraen was given up for dead. Legolas somehow did not die of a broken heart as many had expected. However he withdrew into himself, nothing brought him pleasure. His closest friends tried to cheer him up but it was to no avail. He laughed little and had no love for anyone anymore.
When Gilraen reappeared it had been a dream come true for Legolas, but when he found out that she didn't remember anything he had been hurt terribly. Legolas had told himself that the first thing he would do when she was found was propose and make up for the time lost. Needless to say, that was not what happened.
Legolas sighed miserably, all he ever wanted to do was make her happy, show her love that no other man, elf or otherwise, could. Now he was sure, she deserved so much better than him. He hurt her in a way that made his skin crawl with self-disgust, he had yelled at her for doing something that she probably hadn't understood fully. Yes, Gilraen knew that her horse would take her home on command but Gabrielle did not. Legolas had to admit it to himself; this girl was not Gilraen, not at this point. She was a human that took residence in Gilraen's body. She was Gabrielle and Gabrielle did not love him, Gilraen did.
A voice interrupted his thoughts. "Are you hungry?" Arwen asked. Legolas shook his head. "Well you certainly seem to be punishing yourself. Now, eat. Do you want to find her or not?"
"Maybe it's wrong to continue pursuing her." Legolas said. "Why should we force her into a heritage that she does not and could not fully comprehend? Perhaps she does not want to remember, perhaps she is going back to her cottage and does not want anything to do with us."
"You do not believe that Legolas." Arwen said. "I know that you do not, you would never give up like this. She may be hurt by your words but Gilraen is not that hot-headed."
"You forget that we are not speaking of Gilraen," Legolas said,"we are speaking of Gabrielle, some human in your sister's body."
"What has taken your hope away like this," Aragorn asked, coming into the conversation.
Now Legolas could not stop talking. "I love Gilraen, but this is not her, this is Gabrielle. She took the name to pull me out of my distress and I know that for certain. She has a kind heart. But though I love Gilraen, and through her Gabrielle, she does not love me and therefore I have to let her go and let her find love."
"I believe that she took the name because somewhere in the back of her mind Gilraen has been trying to emerge," Arwen said.
"Even now," Aragorn said, "she would do anything for you."
"Not after what I said to her." Legolas deadpanned.
"Love breaks all barriers." Arwen said. "Remember that Greenleaf."
Legolas nodded.