A/N: Sorry for the delay. Just a warning, we're now moving into book/movie land. Don't worry, Elora doesn't join the Fellowship. I'll probably go more with the book than the movie. I have read the first book and seen the film numerous times, but haven't been able to read the rest of the Trilogy. So when we get there and something is not canon, remember that I KNOW THAT. Thanks!
Elora's eyes flew open. Something wasn't right; she wasn't sure what it was exactly that had awoken her, just a feeling of general uneasiness. Her eyes darted around the dark room. She had spent most of the nights from the past week here, and already it was beginning to feel as much as home as her own room. A quick visual scan could find nothing out of sorts. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and turned to snuggle closer to Legolas.
Only he wasn't there.
Elora sat up, now wide-awake. "Legolas?"
"I'm right here." She saw him step out of his closet, pulling a tunic over his head.
"What's going on?"
Now, outside, she could hear orders being shouted. Torchlight flickered in the woods. She noticed he was wearing his quiver and holding his bow- his war bow, not his practice one.
"I don't know. I'm going to find out." He leaned down to lay a gentle kiss on her lips. "Go back to sleep. I'll be back soon." With those parting words he left the room.
Elora lay back. She tried to fall asleep but knew it was impossible. After an hour of tossing and turning she got up just in time to watch the sunrise. Pink beams of light slowly traveled over the treetops, and sun rose orange in the cloudless sky.
The door to the room opened. Elora turned and quickly stepped back into the room, expecting to see Legolas.
Instead she found herself face-to-face with the other Prince of Mirkwood.
"Hey!" Fralir looked at her with surprise. "What are you doing here?"
There was no way Elora was going to answer that question to anyone, much less a young boy. "I think the better question, Fralir, is why you are sneaking into your brother's room without his permission."
Fralir looked at her with defiance in his eyes. "Father and Legolas left last night with the other warriors. Father said I was too young, but I'm not! I'm getting some of Legolas' arrows and riding after them."
Even though he was still a child, the determination that burned in his eyes showed that he was not about to be stopped. Elora knew she would have to diffuse this situation very carefully.
"Fralir," she began. "Your father and brother know how capable you are. In fact, they left you here so you could guard the palace."
He looked at her skeptically. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "In fact, Legolas told me you were to act as my personal bodyguard until he returns. Can you do that?"
Fralir looked at her with wide eyes. "He did?"
"Yes."
"Ok, I can do it. But can I guard you in the dining hall? I'm hungry."
Elora smiled. "Lead the way."
Legolas had not returned by nightfall. Nor would he return by nightfall of the next night. During those anxious two days Elora stayed in the palace. She had sent word to her family that she was all right, but was needed there to take care of Fralir. This wasn't completely true. The young prince had nurses that would have watched him, but he seemed to trust Elora more. Also, Elora wanted to be there when Legolas returned home.
Whenever that would be.
At midmorning on the third day, the warriors finally returned. Fralir was reading to Elora in his room when King Thranduil entered.
"Father!" Fralir cried as he ran to embrace the king. "You're home!"
The king returned the hug. "I am sorry I left you, my little one." Over Fralir's shoulder he spoke to Elora. "Legolas is in his room."
"Thank you," she said as she hurried out of the room and down the corridor.
She reached his room in a matter of seconds. Through the open door she could see him folding several tunics and leggings. A small bag lay open on his bed. He shoved them into it, punched the bag angrily, and then walked out to the balcony. Silently, she entered and approached him. She reached out and gently rubbed his tense shoulders.
As soon as he felt her hands he noticeably relaxed, exhaling the breath he hadn't realized he was holding in his chest. He turned around, leaning against the railing and drawing her close, placing his forehead just above her breasts. Elora wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rested her cheek on the crown of his head. They stood like this for several minutes.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
With a long sigh Legolas lifted his head and stood. "I have to go the Rivendell. Father has asked me to seek Lord Elrond's council there."
"Council for what?"
"You haven't heard?"
Elora shook her head. "What happened that night?"
"Gollum. He's escaped."
"Gollum." Just saying the name made Elora tremble. She was never even sure the creature even existed; he was always just as fairy tale to her. "Behave," mothers would warn their young elves. "Or I'll give you to Gollum!"
"We tried to track him but he had to far a start. His trail stops at the river. We looked on both banks, up and down stream, but we could find no trace of him."
"When are you going?"
There was a knock at the door. Legolas released her to walk into the room. An elf Elora didn't know was standing in the open doorway. "My Lord, we are ready when you are."
"Thank you," answered Legolas. "I'll be right down." The elf left. "I guess right now," Legolas said to Elora. "Will you see me off?"
Just outside the palace gates three horses stood. Two elves were already mounted on theirs. Legolas tied his bag to the saddle. Before he mounted he caught Elora in a fierce embrace. "I'm sorry I have to leave you when I promised I never would."
"You aren't leaving me; you're just going on a trip. I'm actually quite jealous of you." She was trying to act nonchalant, but tension still managed its way into her voice. He would be safe in Rivendell, and the trip there was not too dangerous. Why then did she feel this nagging sense of dread?
He kissed her passionately, forgetting for the moment that there were others who were watching. "I'll be back within a month."
Elora nodded. "Be safe."
Legolas mounted his horse and began to ride off. Before he was out of hearing, Elora shouted to him. "Legolas!" He stopped his horse and turned in his saddle. "Don't let Lord Elrond know what a dumb blonde you really are!"
"Shut up you stupid red-head!" And with one last smile and wave, he resumed riding and was soon was gone.
Elora's eyes flew open. Something wasn't right; she wasn't sure what it was exactly that had awoken her, just a feeling of general uneasiness. Her eyes darted around the dark room. She had spent most of the nights from the past week here, and already it was beginning to feel as much as home as her own room. A quick visual scan could find nothing out of sorts. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and turned to snuggle closer to Legolas.
Only he wasn't there.
Elora sat up, now wide-awake. "Legolas?"
"I'm right here." She saw him step out of his closet, pulling a tunic over his head.
"What's going on?"
Now, outside, she could hear orders being shouted. Torchlight flickered in the woods. She noticed he was wearing his quiver and holding his bow- his war bow, not his practice one.
"I don't know. I'm going to find out." He leaned down to lay a gentle kiss on her lips. "Go back to sleep. I'll be back soon." With those parting words he left the room.
Elora lay back. She tried to fall asleep but knew it was impossible. After an hour of tossing and turning she got up just in time to watch the sunrise. Pink beams of light slowly traveled over the treetops, and sun rose orange in the cloudless sky.
The door to the room opened. Elora turned and quickly stepped back into the room, expecting to see Legolas.
Instead she found herself face-to-face with the other Prince of Mirkwood.
"Hey!" Fralir looked at her with surprise. "What are you doing here?"
There was no way Elora was going to answer that question to anyone, much less a young boy. "I think the better question, Fralir, is why you are sneaking into your brother's room without his permission."
Fralir looked at her with defiance in his eyes. "Father and Legolas left last night with the other warriors. Father said I was too young, but I'm not! I'm getting some of Legolas' arrows and riding after them."
Even though he was still a child, the determination that burned in his eyes showed that he was not about to be stopped. Elora knew she would have to diffuse this situation very carefully.
"Fralir," she began. "Your father and brother know how capable you are. In fact, they left you here so you could guard the palace."
He looked at her skeptically. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "In fact, Legolas told me you were to act as my personal bodyguard until he returns. Can you do that?"
Fralir looked at her with wide eyes. "He did?"
"Yes."
"Ok, I can do it. But can I guard you in the dining hall? I'm hungry."
Elora smiled. "Lead the way."
Legolas had not returned by nightfall. Nor would he return by nightfall of the next night. During those anxious two days Elora stayed in the palace. She had sent word to her family that she was all right, but was needed there to take care of Fralir. This wasn't completely true. The young prince had nurses that would have watched him, but he seemed to trust Elora more. Also, Elora wanted to be there when Legolas returned home.
Whenever that would be.
At midmorning on the third day, the warriors finally returned. Fralir was reading to Elora in his room when King Thranduil entered.
"Father!" Fralir cried as he ran to embrace the king. "You're home!"
The king returned the hug. "I am sorry I left you, my little one." Over Fralir's shoulder he spoke to Elora. "Legolas is in his room."
"Thank you," she said as she hurried out of the room and down the corridor.
She reached his room in a matter of seconds. Through the open door she could see him folding several tunics and leggings. A small bag lay open on his bed. He shoved them into it, punched the bag angrily, and then walked out to the balcony. Silently, she entered and approached him. She reached out and gently rubbed his tense shoulders.
As soon as he felt her hands he noticeably relaxed, exhaling the breath he hadn't realized he was holding in his chest. He turned around, leaning against the railing and drawing her close, placing his forehead just above her breasts. Elora wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rested her cheek on the crown of his head. They stood like this for several minutes.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
With a long sigh Legolas lifted his head and stood. "I have to go the Rivendell. Father has asked me to seek Lord Elrond's council there."
"Council for what?"
"You haven't heard?"
Elora shook her head. "What happened that night?"
"Gollum. He's escaped."
"Gollum." Just saying the name made Elora tremble. She was never even sure the creature even existed; he was always just as fairy tale to her. "Behave," mothers would warn their young elves. "Or I'll give you to Gollum!"
"We tried to track him but he had to far a start. His trail stops at the river. We looked on both banks, up and down stream, but we could find no trace of him."
"When are you going?"
There was a knock at the door. Legolas released her to walk into the room. An elf Elora didn't know was standing in the open doorway. "My Lord, we are ready when you are."
"Thank you," answered Legolas. "I'll be right down." The elf left. "I guess right now," Legolas said to Elora. "Will you see me off?"
Just outside the palace gates three horses stood. Two elves were already mounted on theirs. Legolas tied his bag to the saddle. Before he mounted he caught Elora in a fierce embrace. "I'm sorry I have to leave you when I promised I never would."
"You aren't leaving me; you're just going on a trip. I'm actually quite jealous of you." She was trying to act nonchalant, but tension still managed its way into her voice. He would be safe in Rivendell, and the trip there was not too dangerous. Why then did she feel this nagging sense of dread?
He kissed her passionately, forgetting for the moment that there were others who were watching. "I'll be back within a month."
Elora nodded. "Be safe."
Legolas mounted his horse and began to ride off. Before he was out of hearing, Elora shouted to him. "Legolas!" He stopped his horse and turned in his saddle. "Don't let Lord Elrond know what a dumb blonde you really are!"
"Shut up you stupid red-head!" And with one last smile and wave, he resumed riding and was soon was gone.