by Blanton Cirith~
Chapter 4
Disclaimer: See chapter 1
Credits: Thanks to Maesharif1 for asking about where Winters' name originated, and about her "issues" with Galadriel (keeping her a secret and stuff). I promise you both questions will be answered somewhere along the line of this story, whether this chapter or the next.
SideNote: Some things are taken from the book.
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Legolas awoke to see Aragorn leaning over him. Legolas didn't move; just opened his eyes. he didn't have the strength to do more than that.
"Dejavue..." Legolas said drowsily.
"Yes, but this time Orc blades weren't involved," Aragorn answered. "Here, try to sit up."
Aragorn dragged the Elf upward slightly and let his back rest against a tree.
Suddenly, Legolas remembered what had occurred that day. He looked around, but Winters was nowhere to be found.
"Where is she?" he asked frantically while trying to jolt forward, then grasping his chest and leaning back against the tree once more. His chest ached too much to make any sudden movements.
"You need not worry. She is resting," Gimli said.
"You saved her life again," Aragorn said.
"I didn't even think about it. I just saw her go down, and I jumped in after her," Legolas replied. "But I thought I was dead! How am I here?"
"Boromir saw you both almost come to the surface, and then fall once again. He could see you were drowning, so he rescued you," Aragorn said, and he smiled at the angry and embarrassed look on Boromir's face.
"Boromir?" Legolas exclaimed surprised. He then managed a smirk on his tired face, and took another breath. "I suppose you don't really despise Elves afterall."
Boromir growled, and walked over to Merry on the other side of the fire. He sat down, and began conversing with him.
Legolas took a few more deep breaths, and found the energy to speak again.
"Was it a trap?"
"Yes; and a good one at that. I would have never seen it hither, if it weren't for your boat becoming caught in it," Gimli explained with a laugh.
Legolas sat silent for a moment, just breathing in and out; for he found it more difficult than usual. Then he spoke again.
"But Aragorn was still in the boat. How did you escape? It sank almost immediately."
Aragorn glanced back at the forest, as if remembering something, then turned back to him.
"An Ent held out one of its branches to me, and lifted me out right before it sank."
Legolas' eyes widened. "An Ent? I wish I could have seen it!"
"They are very peculiar," he answered. "Why it was at the Great River, I know not. However, I do know that I am thankful to him for my life."
Legolas closed his eyes from lack of energy, and opened them again a moment later.
'Why am I so weary?' he thought.
Aragorn saw he was still rather drowsy, and decided to leave him in peace for a while.
"I'll let you rest now," he said.
Not long after Aragorn said these words, Legolas was asleep again.
When he awoke again, it was night. The moon was shining down on them, but it was not a heart-warming feeling. The black clouds that swept across the moon sent a shiver down his spine, and he shuddered at the thought of it. He shifted his glance toward the small fire that was infront of him, surrounded by small rocks to keep it confined. Everyone in the Company was asleep, except for Aragorn and Winters, who was laying sideways with her chin in her palm. Aragorn was much taller than she, and it hurt her neck to keep having to look so far upward to speak to him.
Aragorn heard Legolas's movement and turned his head to see him.
"How are you feeling?" Aragorn asked with a false cheerful mood he had obviously put on to comfort Legolas.
"Light-headed. Other than that, I am feeling better. How is Winters?"
"I am fine..." she said while standing. "Thanks to you."
"It was an-an instinct," he said nervously.
Suddenly, Pippin came running from the forest toward Aragorn with his dagger in hand. Legolas was glad Pippin came at that moment. He was afraid of what embarrassment he may have had to endure for those next few seconds.
"Aragorn!" Pippin whispered frantically. "Aragorn, it's Gollum!"
Aragorn didn't waste any time. He unsheathed Anduril and Gimli took his ax in hand. Pippin ran back the way he had come, and Gimli followed. Aragorn darted after them through the woods like a bolt of lightening, and then was gone. The only thing they saw was the glint of Anduril in the distance as he ran.
Winters turned to Frodo with a curious look.
"Who is this Gollum being?" Winters asked.
Frodo paid no heed to her and walked forward a few steps. He stopped, and stared ahead with his hand handling something in his pocket.
Winters decided that whatever this Gollum creature was, it would run and hide from Aragorn and Gimli's rampage. She managed to sneak past Legolas, Boromir, and the remaining Hobbits, and slowly crept through the forest, scanning the trees for any strange entities that could be Gollum. She wondered what this Gollum had done to cause Aragorn and Gimli to dash off so quickly. One thing was for sure: they definitely wanted to catch him.
She had no idea how long she had been scouting the area, but thought it best to rest for a few minutes. She found a nearby tree stump, and rested there. Winters noticed two boats floating side by side in the water near her, and realized she was by the river.
"Back at the River..." she mumbled to herself.
Sitting silently and solitary for a while was relaxing to her. It was something she did not do very often. Winters was just yielding to the temptation to drift off to sleep when a dark shape, hardly visible, floated close to one of the moored boats. A long whitish hand could be dimly seen as it shot out and grabbed the gunwale; two pale lamp-like eyes shone coldly as they peered inside, and then they lifted and gazed up at Winters, who was still sitting on the dead tree stump, not daring to move. They were not more than a yard or two away from eachother, and Winters heard the soft hiss of intaken breath. She stood up, drawing her dagger from the rim of her boot, and faced the eyes. Immediately the eyes' light was shut off. There was another hiss and a splash, and the dark creature shot away downstream into the night.
She stood there aimlessly for a moment, then ran back through the woods, and finally came to the campsite. Out of breath, she leaned against the tree and looked around. The sun was slowly coming up, and Legolas was the only person there.
"Where is everyone?" she asked.
He was poking at the fire with a small twig, and seemed extremely tired. She guessed he had been keeping watch.
"They are discussing where to proceed from here; whether to Minas Tirith, or on with Frodo," he said. He paused a moment, and then added something he was thinking of earlier.
"You don't need to go either way. Since we won't be taking the River, you can go back to Lorien. You only came as a guide for the River."
'Lorien?' she thought to herself. 'How could I go back to Lorien and leave you to bitter quest alone?'
"I am supposed to wait here for you, and give you your pack to return to Lorien. You should be able to make it if you follow the river up the bank; but I'm sure you know your way," he said. Winters could make out a tone of depression sounding in his words. She walked over and stood by where he was sitting. Legolas spoke again.
"Winters, may I inquire something that I have been wondering for a while?"
"Ofcourse," she said with a smile.
"Why has Galadriel kept you a secret all your life?"
Winters sighed, as if remembering something she had hoped to forget.
"When Celebrìan and I were born, it was also a dark time. Incase something happened to one of us, Galadriel would still have one daughter left to be the Lady of Mirkwood when she passed beyond the light. Consequently, since I was the first-born, I was chosen to be the 'secret' daughter. It was saddening: seeing everyone make such a fuss over Celebrìan because she was the daughter of Galadriel who everyone knew and loved. Everyone would pay full attention to her, and I would receive no notice. I was thought of by others as a simple maid to Galadriel. The worst result was..."
She paused, realizing what she was about to say and closed her mouth.
"What?" he asked.
"No, I won't bore you with simple reminiscing."
"Why can't you tell me?" he asked curiously.
She took a deep breath, and began again.
"The worst result, and most painful of all, was a long time ago when a gathering of some kind was held at your Father's royal dwelling in Northern Mirkwood. My mother introduced to us the King, and -ofcourse- the Prince. Celebrìan was blushing so much, I thought she would transform into a cherry. Then, at dinner, I noticed you were often casting your eye on her; ofcourse any Prince would because she is the daughter of the Lady of Mirkwood."
Legolas lifted an eyebrow and interrupted.
"I was not looking at Celebrìan. I had figured she received enough attention without my gaze. I was glancing at a certain maid sitting on Galadriel's left. I was wondering why she was so melancholy during the entire evening."
"Oh really?" she said skeptically with a frown. "Prove it."
"I suppose I will have to," he said, and cocked his head. "You were stepping on my feet."
"What?" she said.
"It was my 'duty', as my father put it, to dance with some of the guests; you obviously had no idea what to do. My feet were sore after that night because you kept stepping on them," he stated, still smiling. The surprised expression on her face gave away what she was thinking: That he had actually remembered.
"Now, I must go and join the others in deciding our fate from here...You are free from your obligation, and may return to Lorien" Legolas said gloomily.
He stood, and took her hand in his. He lifted her hand and kissed it. His eyes shifted up and met hers. For a moment, they remained motionless in the light of dawn.
"Goodbye," Legolas whispered, still looking into her eyes, and he brushed the hair away from her face.
With that, he turned slowly and walked away through the trees, and was gone. For a while, she just stood there; staring in the direction Legolas had gone, even though he was nowhere to be found.
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Next Chapter: Hopefully, I'll get to Legolas and Aragorn's big decision (it's mentioned in the summary).
Ok, I realize that was WAY shorter than my last chapter, but I've kinda got stuff to do. I have a speech due monday, and I just finished up with finals. After I graduate (June 1) I'll have plenty of time this summer to write write write.