Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. I only claim my OC and other people/things that do not exist in the books/films.
A/n: Two updates in two days! I thought I would give you guys another chapter, considering I hadn't updated in a while. Enjoy!
Review replies:
Mistwolf: Thank you! :-) I hope you will continue to read and enjoy the story!
Key: Bold text – Speaking telepathically. Italics – Speech in Quenya and Sindarin. Bold and italic – thoughts.
Chapter 14
-LEGOLAS POV-
"We have arrived." I said, slowing to a stop. I put Merry down and continued walking into the wood. The forest floor was strewn with yellow flowers, ones that Nenthel loved. Above us is a roof made of golden leaves, held up by silver pillars – the trunks of huge trees. I could feel the presense of other elves approaching.
"Stay close young hobbits. They say a sorceress lives in these woods. An elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell… And are never seen again!" Gimli said to the hobbits. I chuckled lightly.
"Master Gimli, I believe you will find that is all but a myth, mellonin." I said, not looking behind.
"Mister Frodo?" Sam asked. I turned to see that Frodo had stopped. The young hobbit said nothing and kept walking.
Gimli came up beside me. "Well, here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!" I drew and nocked my bow, aiming the arrow right at the captin of the guard. Other elves surrounded us pointing their arrows at our heads.
"The dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark." Haldir said. The arrows were withdrawn, including my own. Haldir missed the dark look I sent him.
Aragorn came over. "Haldir of Lorien, we come here for your help. We need your protection."
"Aragorn! These woods are perilous. We should go back." Gimli said.
"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back." Haldir said. His eyes rested on Frodo. "Come, she is waiting."
Haldir lead us through the woods. We approached a clearing in the woods, where the land dipped down. Several miles to the South a large hill rose out of the woods. Upon that hill rose many mighty trees, taller than any other. Nestled within the crown of the trees would be the city of Caras Galadhon, a city I have come to know so well.
"Caras Galadhon. The heart of Elvendom on earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light." Haldir explained. We continued walking.
LINE BREAK
It took a few hours to walk to the beautiful city. We now stand on a wide fleet filled with soft light. A significant change in the light caused everyone to look up the staircase before us. Two figures stood at the top of the stairs. Their identity was shielded by the brightness of the light, but I knew it was none other than the Lady of Light and her husband. They slowly desended hand in hand. I bowed my head in greeting as the neared the bottom of the stairs. Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel stood before the fellowship.
It was a moment before anyone spoke.
"The enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Eight there are, yet nine there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him. I can no longer see him from afar." Celeborn said in a loud voice, startling the hobbits. No one answered for a few minutes. Galadriel was the one to answer her husbands question.
"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into shadow." Celeborn looked over to her.
"He was taken by both shadow and flame." I said quietly. "A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria. A young madien was also taken by this creature."
"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his full purpose. As for the young madien, she was a strong warrior of old, one whom shall not be forgotten." Some had a puzzled expression at this, but it was not looked down at Gimi beside me. "Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dum fill your heart Gimli, son of Gloin. For the world has grown full of peril and in all lands love is now mingled with grief."
"What now becomes of the fellowship? Without Gandalf, hope is lost." Celeborn said. My fingers started twitching.
"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all... Yet hope remains while the company is true." Galadriel said quiety, with power behind her words. My hands began to shake.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace." Galadriel said.
-GENERAL POV-
An ear piercing scream stopped Haldir from leading the fellowship away. That scream came from the prince. "Legolas, are you alright?" Aragorn asked.
The princes' whole body shook, making his hood fall off and his golden hair fall loose. His skin went a clamy colour, and one would swear his eyes turned blue. He stopped shaking after a few seconds. His head hung. He looked back up and his eyes were glassy. "She is coming." Was all he said before collapsing onto the ground. A huge force of energy sprung from him, making the lights go out for a few seconds.
Everyone stood still, frozen in shock, and fear. Galadriel ran over to the prince and rolled him onto his back. Thankfully, he was still breathing. She sat next to him whispering something. His skin slowly returned to its original colour.
He sat up breating heavily. "You're alright mellonnin." Galadriel said softly, stroking his hair like a mother would. Legolas lent into her chest trying not to let the tears out. He clutched onto his head.
Haldir lead the others away.
After a few minutes Legolas stood to his feet. "Thank you." He said quietly.
"You are welcome. Your room is free if you wish to clean up." He nodded and walked toward his talon.
LINE BREAK
-Mystery POV-
Time slowed down, almost to a stop. I was falling. Falling away from life, falling away from heaven, falling into hell. I shook myself out of my thoughts. There was a task at hand. I turned and watched my decent. It was not time for me to die. Not yet anyway. No, my death would come later in life, but too soon for anyone's liking. Below me now was water. If I landed in that, travelling at the speed I am, I will surely die. Thinking quickly, I drew my bow and shot an arrow into the water, breaking it and I threw one of my knives as well. I splashed into the water and sunk down. For a few seconds, I blacked out. My whole body shook like it was absorbing new energy from somewhere, energy that would keep me alive. When I reopened my eyes, I grabbed my knife and arrow that lay on the seabed and began to swim upwards. I broke the surface and took a deep breath.
I could feel heat in the water, but I could not sense the presense of the source. Where did they go? I swam up to a bank and hauled myself out. It took me a few minutes to gain my breath back. I saw a beam of sunlight hit the water. Where is that coming from… I climbed up the rock face to see an opening in the mountain side, just big enough for me to get through. I crawled through to the other side, and found myself half way up the cliff face of the Misty Mountains. I could do nothing, so I sat by the opening for a few hours, brainstorming of a plan.
I hear the call of an eagle. One so very familiar. I looked up and saw Gwalhir approaching. He swooped down and landed a few feet away from me.
"I have come on behalf of Lord Elrond and the Lady Galadriel. Come."
I climbed on to its back, and he took off.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To the Great Eastern Gate of Moria. From there, Shadowfax will bear you to Lothlorien."
It wasn't long before I was riding on horseback through the wilderness. I left the mines behind and rode toward the city of Caras Galadhon. Shadowfax beared me through the night, not needing to stop. I was thankful for this. I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes, we were weaving though the familiar trees of Lothlorien. Shadowfax came to a stop.
"Thank you dear friend." The horse trotted away. I turned and ran. I felt good to get my legs moving again. The center of the elven realm was close. After a few minutes of running, I had made it to the edge of the city. Not wanting to be seen, I climbed to the top of the trees and climbed through them until I reached Lady Galadriel's talon, the highest talon in the city.
I knocked on the door, and yes, I realised it was the middle of the night, early morning one could assume. Galadriel herself opened the door. Her eyes widened at the sight of me, and she took me straight in. I collapsed on to the nearest counch out of exhaustion. The lady drew me a bath. She stripped me of my clothes and helped me into the warm bath. She washed me as a mother would wash her newborn child. The blood was washed from my hair, the dirt and grime from my body, the tension rubbed out of my shoulders.
When I got out of the water, it was black and cold. I was wrapped into a cloth while Galadriel found me appropriate attire. I had told her of the events that have taken place in the hours and days before. She had listened to me without interruption and I was thankful for that.
Galadriel returned with a simple nightgown. I slipped it on. She braided my hair quickly and effortlessly. After she was done, she took me over to a day bed.
"Sleep well mellonin. I will stay close by tonight." She kissed my forehead. I found sleep within seconds and my eyes glassed over.
The next morning, or ealry afternoon rather, Galadriel woke me up and told me to get ready for the meeting. I knew of what she spoke, as we had discussed it in the night. I pull on the dress that she had laid out for me. It was a navy blue dress with something similar to diamond sown into the dress, symbolistic of a clear night and bright stars. Upon my head was placed a twisted mithirl crown which showed my place in Lothlorien beside the Lady of Light.
"You look beautiful." Galadriel said as I turned around. I smiled.
"It is time." Celeborn said. He took his wife's hand, and they walked out before me.
LINE BREAK
-LEGOLAS POV-
The hobbits began to settle down for the night. Gimli had already fallen asleep and was snoring loudly. I could hear other elves singing in the tree tops. I had bathed and pulled on my tunic that Galadriel gave to me. I replaced my hood with my circlet of Mirkwood.
"A lament for Gandalf." I say. Merry glanced up into the tree tops.
"What do they say about him?" He asked.
"I have not the heart to tell you. For me the greif is still too near." I said looking him in the eye.
"I bet they don't mention his fireworks," Sam said standing up, "there should be a verse about them:
The finest rockets ever seen
They burst in stars of blue and green
Or after thunder, sliver showers…
Came falling down like a… rain of flowers." He stopped and sighed. " oh, that doesn't do them justice by a long road." He sat back down.
I waited for Nenthel to say a compliment like she would, but of course that was not going to happen anytime soon. So I said something instead.
"That was very good Master Sam. I think Gandalf would have liked that. It would have been his favourite." I say, crouching beside the hobbit.
"Do you really think so Mister Legolas?" He said looking up slightly to meet my eyes.
"Yes. Get some rest now. Nothing will harm you whilst in these borders." I stood and walked back over to my bed roll. I sat, unable to get any sleep. Aragorn approached me.
"Mellonin, are you alright?" I knew that he referred to my espisode from earlier.
"I am fine. Nothing is wrong. I do not know what caused me to do that." Well, I actually do know, but I cannot tell you. Not now, it is too dangerous.
"Alright. I bid you goodnight my friend."
"Good night Aragorn."
Soon enough everyone was asleep but I. I lay on my bedroll staring at the tree tops. I heard soft foot steps come towards me. I sat up to see none other than Lady Galadriel by my side.
"Drink this Legolas, my friend. It should help you sleep." She whispered. I took the small cup and drank the contents in one go. My head drooped and I felt her soft hands guide my torso to the ground. I felt her take the cup from my hand as I fell into a dreamless sleep.
LINE BREAK
I was woken by the dwarf – Gimli. "Lad, I think you should get up." I stood up and saw Haldir in the clearing. He turned to me.
"Lady Galadriel has requested another gathering with you." Was all he said before leaving. I could feel something anew in my chest.
Once everyone had gathered in the center of our clearing I said, "Follow me." I walked away, and the fellowship followed.
A/N: So how was that?! Tell me what you think!