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Chapter 16
Emlineth frowned as hours and hours of running through the forest were slowly wearing her down. Doubt began to build up within her for who did she think she was to join these skilled warriors? She was no match to any of them.
"These are strange tracks…" Aragorn observed as he knelt down to the floor to look at them more closely. Gimli looked around warily.
"The air is so close in here." He commented as he looked around in worry. Emlineth pressed her hands together in a thin line, worry also welling up in her. Her golden eyes observed her surroundings intently, looking for any signs of danger.
"This forest is old. Very old" Legolas noted. Emlineth looked towards him in awe. He was in his element, in sync with nature and this forest. Almost listening to it and understanding it.
"Full of memory and anger…" He continued as he listened intently, tuning into his senses.
A gasp escaped Emlineth as a loud creak startled her, her eyes desperately looking around herself. Legolas sensed her unease and gently took her hand in his, squeezing it for reassurance.
"The trees are speaking to each other." He said, his blue eyes narrowing as he intently listened before he and Aragorn turned towards Gimli.
"Gimli!" Aragorn half shouted, half whispered to gain the intimidated dwarf's attention. "Lower your axe."
"Oh." Was all Gimli could get out, awkwardly looking between Aragorn and Legolas.
"They have feelings, my friend." Legolas explained, his voice soft as he looked up at the trees. "The Elves began it: Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."
He smiled fondly before his eyes fell onto Emlineth, his piercing blue eyes boring into her golden ones. He still held onto her hand, his skin feeling as though it was burning hers. It felt as though she could not catch a breath as he stared at her, her lips turning upwards into a small smile of her own.
"Talking trees –" Gimli uttered and she quickly looked at the dwarf, welcoming his distraction from Legolas' intense stare. "What do trees have to talk about, hm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings." The dwarf frowned before looking in between the trees. Emlineth snorted softly, humoured by his comments. Legolas let go of her hand, abruptly walking deeper into the forest. Emlineth watched him with wide eyes as Aragorn followed closely behind him. Emlineth looked at Gimli who wore a concerned face himself.
"The white wizard approaches." Legolas said quietly, nodding his head behind them. Adrenaline rushed through Emlineth as she readily grabbed onto her sword. Saruman she remembered.
"Do not let him speak." Aragorn instructed promptly, readying the rest for their encounter with the wizard. "He will put a spell on us. We must be quick."
They turned, aiming their weapons at the wizard. Emlineth yelled as she strode towards him before being flung back by thin air. The white light was blinding, almost painful to the eyes as she quickly covered them with her hands. The sound of Aragorn's sword hitting the floor caused her to look up.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits." The white wizard began speaking instead of attacking. Emlineth's heart sunk into her stomach. If Saruman knew of them, there was no hope left for young Merry and Pippin.
"Where are they?!" Aragorn shouted back, his voice firm and challenging.
"They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" The wizard continued. Emlineth's eyebrows furrowed in a frown, the wizard's voice sounding unfamiliar to her despite knowing Saruman.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" Aragorn demanded as he stepped forward.
The light faded, revealing someone Emlineth did not know by name. She stood up from the floor as her golden eyes peered curiously at him.
"It cannot be…" Aragorn trailed off as Gimli gasped beside him.
"Forgive me." Legolas said, a look of guilt on his face. "I mistook you for Saruman."
"I am Saruman." The old wizard corrected him, his head tilting slightly. "Or rather Saruman as he should have been." He added, a small smile covering his face.
"You fell…" Aragorn enquired, his eyes wide with disbelief.
The wizard's face dropped. "Through fire and water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought the Balrog of Morgoth." Emlineth curiously peered at him as he told his story. It dawned on her that he must have been the one the Fellowship mourned when they arrived in Lothlorien. Mithrandir, the elves called him. "Until I at last threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me and I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead and every day was as long as a life age of the Earth." He continued to speak, his eyes falling onto each of them before finally landing on Emlineth. She simply stared, unsure of whether to speak or not. "But it was not the end. I felt life in me again." Mithrandir said and Emlineth felt as though he spoke to her on a different level. She too had felt lost in time, her body being possessed by Sauron. She too had felt life return to her when she came back to life. Her eyes softened and she wondered how much the wizard already knew of her.
"I've been sent back until my task is done."
"Gandalf" Aragorn spoke softly as he stood directly in front of the wizard.
"Gandalf? Yes. That is what they used to call me… Gandalf the Grey. That was my name." His expression was soft as he looked back at Aragorn.
"Gandalf…" Gimli spoke out, Emlineth looked to him and noticed unshed tears in his eyes. Never had she seen the dwarf so happy.
"I am Gandalf the White." He announced. "And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide."
He darted off into another direction, everyone following suit.
"One part of your journey has ended, another begins. We must travel to Edoras with all speed." He said as he swiftly moved through the forest.
"Edoras?!" Gimli gasped out loud, eyes wide in disbelief. "That is no short distance.
"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king." Aragorn replied to Gandalf, thinking back to their encounter with the men of Rohan.
"Yes and it will not be easily cured." Gandalf replied. Emlineth noticed the grim look upon his face, concern brewing within her.
"Then we have run all this way for nothing? And we leave those poor hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested-" Gimli was interrupted by the trees' groaning and Emlineth looked around herself warily.
"I mean charming… quite charming… forest." Gimli corrected himself.
"It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn." Gandalf explained as he turned towards the dwarf. "A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."
"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." Aragorn smiled fondly at the wizard before he continued, "You still speak in riddles."
"A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong."
"Strong?" Gimli looked around himself in discomfort. "Oh that's good."
"So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe." He announced before continuing his trek through the forest.
"This new Gandalf is more grumpy than the old one." Gimli mumbled. Emlineth looked to him with a cheeky smirk.
"I am sure he has just told you to stop fretting." She teased him before laughing.
"Don't you start!" He pointed a finger at her before following behind the others.
As Emlineth joined the others she noticed the most majestic white horse approach them, following Gandalf's call. She could have sworn she had never seen such a beautiful creature in her life.
"This is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes is cheated by some spell." Legolas said. Emlineth so wished to have as much as knowledge as the elf. She would have to read more when she got back home.
"Shadowfax. He is the Lord of all horses. And has been my friend through many dangers."
Emlineth took out her flask of water as they set up for camp, pouring some into her hand and letting the horse drink from it as the rest set up camp.
"You must be exhausted…" she spoke softly as her other hand stoked the side of Hasufel's head. "You are a good horse." She smiled as it nodded its head at her, resting her head on the steed's nose. She pulled back and turned around, gasping as Legolas stood not too far behind her.
"Forgive me." the elf spoke softly.
"You need to stop doing that." Emlineth rolled her eyes, more so at herself for getting startled easily than him before smiling.
Legolas' lip twitched upward at seeing her smile before he simply extended his hand filled with some Lembas bread towards her.
"I could not help but overhear your hunger." He said before he nodded towards his hand.
Emlineth subconsciously placed her hands on her rumbling stomach as her eyes widened with embarrassment.
"Forgive me." Legolas said as he noticed her discomfort.
"No, no." Emlineth hurriedly said as she stepped closer to the elf, gratefully taking the bread of him. "I forget that your ears are much more sensitive." She smiled reassuringly at him. He simply stared at her as he returned her smile, his eyes glimmering.
"You should rest." He noted as he gestured towards the others who were laying by the fire, Gimli already in deep sleep while Aragorn was sat up, looking in the opposite direction. He usually liked being on watch first. Emlineth nodded her head as she slowly walked towards the others, taking a bite of the Lembas. She sat down near the fire to keep warm as she looked at Legolas expectantly.
"You should rest, too."
"I do not sleep. Additionally I wish to make sure you rest first." Legolas replied softly.
"Why?" She eyed him curiously, her eyebrow furrowing in a soft frown.
"I have noticed you do not actually sleep."
Emlineth grimaced and looked down at the ground, pressing her lips together firmly.
"Truth be told… I often become scared of sleeping." She admitted, her eyes still avoiding the elf. He moved towards her and then sat beside her, his eyes firmly on her. Her golden eyes eventually met his blue ones before shrugging her shoulders. "So I choose to stay awake."
"What is it that scares you?" Legolas quizzed her, his eyes curiously inspecting her face.
"Memories." She answered simply but he understood. He nodded his head placing his hand above hers in her lap.
"When I was only a young elf my mother used to hold my hand or embrace me to give me comfort." Legolas said, squeezing her smaller hand smiling reassuringly at her.
"She sounds quite excellent." Emlineth complimented, returning his smile. Though her smile soon faded when his blue eyes filled with sadness. He laid back onto the grass, his eyes peering up at the stars which filled the sky. Sighing, Emlineth copied him and laid beside him, her golden eyes still looking upon his face. Even in sadness he was beautiful.
"She was." He said after a moment of sadness, his eyes never leaving the sight of the stars.
Emlineth too turned her gaze towards the stars as her hand stretched out, fingertips finding his. Once she found it she placed her hand over his softly and giving it a gentle squeeze. Legolas turned his head towards her and looked at her with an appreciative expression on his face. She returned his glance and smiled softly at him. Moving his hand he intertwined their fingers, squeezing her hand back as they both openly stared at each other. No words were needed. Emlineth knew he would always support her, as would she support him. They let themselves be beautifully vulnerable together as they both then laid their eyes back onto the stars. It was not long before darkness slowly crept upon Emlineth and she fell asleep.
