Chapter 5
Joanila was the only one fit to carry Andréa. Legolas was wounded and Aragorn had sprained his shoulder while fighting with his wound. The forest was thick with smoke. There was more then three elves and a man there though. Many elves were fleeing the danger. They had left the fire of Rivendell far behind. It was completely dark now, and the forest was too lush to make it through at a continuous pace.
After a touching reunion, the elves and man were forced to flee. The beasts had returned with dangerous weapons and unpenetrating armor. They had fled through a dark forest that few creatures of the right mind wouldn't enter. But with life and death at their heels, they didn't have much of a choice. Legolas lead the way, then Joanila carried Andréa, and Aragorn brought of the rear. Legolas ran while clutching his wrist. Aragorn did the same to his shoulder.
They ran until there were only the sounds of elves running through the wood. They stopped near a pile of rocks that made a little cave. Legolas sat, breathing deeply on a large rock. Joanila sat Andréa down and Aragorn knelt at the edge of the cave. He was out of breath, like everyone else. He drew his sword and headed inside the cave, kneeling so he would fit. It wasn't all that dark, no stalactites or stalagmites, and a fine layer of sand covered the bottom. It could hold two people only, which meant that he and Legolas would have to stay outside. He exited the cave, crouching low so not to hit his head.
"Joanila and Andréa," he said to the two female elves. "You'll sleep in there tonight.
"But what about you, Aragorn?" asked Andréa. "Where will you and father sleep?" Aragorn smiled and pushed her hair back.
"We'll be sleeping out here, little one." he said gently. Joanila turned to Legolas.
"You're sure you'll be fine?" she asked.
"I haven't died yet, have I?" he smiled and pecked her on the lips. "Go inside, we'll start early tomorrow and seek some kind of shelter."
"We'll have a meal when you girls wake." explained Aragorn. Andréa stood and walked over to her father.
"Good night, father." she wrapped her arms around his neck. Legolas hugged her back.
"Good night, Andréa." he replied. Joanila let Andréa crawl inside first, then she followed.
Legolas and Aragorn were alone. They didn't speak. Legolas began to sharpen his sword on a rock. It sparked. He turned to a different rock that didn't spark. They couldn't start a fire; it would endanger their chances of not getting found out. Aragorn was examining some nearby bushes.
"Do Jert Berries still grow here?" he asked. Legolas paused.
"Maybe, I haven't been through here in ages." Aragorn was silent, and turned around.
"I'm so sorry, Legolas." He started. "I thought that they would move slower because they took the long way here. I cut through this forest to get to your home faster."
"Don't be sorry, Aragorn." replied Legolas calmly. "I should be sorry. I turned on my friend because I needed to blame somebody. I felt so horrible, you have no idea." Aragorn looked at his friend. Legolas sighed and leaned forward.
"So we're both sorry?" asked Aragorn. Legolas looked at him, and smiled.
"Yeah." replied Legolas. Aragorn held out his right hand. Legolas grabbed it, and gave it a firm shake. Aragorn returned his smile.
A crack o f a twig caused Legolas's head to turn. Aragorn stood and drew out his sword. Legolas repeated his motion. Heavy breaths echoed through the forest, and hoof beats erupted all around them. Legolas watched in the southern direction that they just came from.
"They're coming from Rivendell." he said. "Six of them on mounts." Aragorn backed towards the rocks, staring to the south.
"Get behind the rock," he said. Both of them headed to the north side of the rocks, one quarter-turn from the entrance where the girls slept. They pressed their backs against the rocks. Legolas forced his breathing to slow down. The horses whinnied as they drew closer. Aragorn held his sword tightly, waiting.
After five minutes, they appeared. Their steeds were large and black. Similar to the horses of the black riders, but a lot healthier and not bleeding all the time. They were fast, very fast. Several of the beasts followed the ones on horses. Aragorn spotted at the front of the line, Hirmianal.
It took another five minutes for safety to return. Legolas and Aragorn had counted half the army that attacked Rivendell, which meant that the others were left behind for a task, but why? When they took their defense off the rocks, they looked to the south again to see if anything else was coming. The forest was silent once again. Legolas watched the destruction that they had caused just by running through here. Plants were trampled and trees were sliced by loose weapons. Aragorn sighed.
"They're looking for us." He said. Legolas nodded.
Joanila was the only one fit to carry Andréa. Legolas was wounded and Aragorn had sprained his shoulder while fighting with his wound. The forest was thick with smoke. There was more then three elves and a man there though. Many elves were fleeing the danger. They had left the fire of Rivendell far behind. It was completely dark now, and the forest was too lush to make it through at a continuous pace.
After a touching reunion, the elves and man were forced to flee. The beasts had returned with dangerous weapons and unpenetrating armor. They had fled through a dark forest that few creatures of the right mind wouldn't enter. But with life and death at their heels, they didn't have much of a choice. Legolas lead the way, then Joanila carried Andréa, and Aragorn brought of the rear. Legolas ran while clutching his wrist. Aragorn did the same to his shoulder.
They ran until there were only the sounds of elves running through the wood. They stopped near a pile of rocks that made a little cave. Legolas sat, breathing deeply on a large rock. Joanila sat Andréa down and Aragorn knelt at the edge of the cave. He was out of breath, like everyone else. He drew his sword and headed inside the cave, kneeling so he would fit. It wasn't all that dark, no stalactites or stalagmites, and a fine layer of sand covered the bottom. It could hold two people only, which meant that he and Legolas would have to stay outside. He exited the cave, crouching low so not to hit his head.
"Joanila and Andréa," he said to the two female elves. "You'll sleep in there tonight.
"But what about you, Aragorn?" asked Andréa. "Where will you and father sleep?" Aragorn smiled and pushed her hair back.
"We'll be sleeping out here, little one." he said gently. Joanila turned to Legolas.
"You're sure you'll be fine?" she asked.
"I haven't died yet, have I?" he smiled and pecked her on the lips. "Go inside, we'll start early tomorrow and seek some kind of shelter."
"We'll have a meal when you girls wake." explained Aragorn. Andréa stood and walked over to her father.
"Good night, father." she wrapped her arms around his neck. Legolas hugged her back.
"Good night, Andréa." he replied. Joanila let Andréa crawl inside first, then she followed.
Legolas and Aragorn were alone. They didn't speak. Legolas began to sharpen his sword on a rock. It sparked. He turned to a different rock that didn't spark. They couldn't start a fire; it would endanger their chances of not getting found out. Aragorn was examining some nearby bushes.
"Do Jert Berries still grow here?" he asked. Legolas paused.
"Maybe, I haven't been through here in ages." Aragorn was silent, and turned around.
"I'm so sorry, Legolas." He started. "I thought that they would move slower because they took the long way here. I cut through this forest to get to your home faster."
"Don't be sorry, Aragorn." replied Legolas calmly. "I should be sorry. I turned on my friend because I needed to blame somebody. I felt so horrible, you have no idea." Aragorn looked at his friend. Legolas sighed and leaned forward.
"So we're both sorry?" asked Aragorn. Legolas looked at him, and smiled.
"Yeah." replied Legolas. Aragorn held out his right hand. Legolas grabbed it, and gave it a firm shake. Aragorn returned his smile.
A crack o f a twig caused Legolas's head to turn. Aragorn stood and drew out his sword. Legolas repeated his motion. Heavy breaths echoed through the forest, and hoof beats erupted all around them. Legolas watched in the southern direction that they just came from.
"They're coming from Rivendell." he said. "Six of them on mounts." Aragorn backed towards the rocks, staring to the south.
"Get behind the rock," he said. Both of them headed to the north side of the rocks, one quarter-turn from the entrance where the girls slept. They pressed their backs against the rocks. Legolas forced his breathing to slow down. The horses whinnied as they drew closer. Aragorn held his sword tightly, waiting.
After five minutes, they appeared. Their steeds were large and black. Similar to the horses of the black riders, but a lot healthier and not bleeding all the time. They were fast, very fast. Several of the beasts followed the ones on horses. Aragorn spotted at the front of the line, Hirmianal.
It took another five minutes for safety to return. Legolas and Aragorn had counted half the army that attacked Rivendell, which meant that the others were left behind for a task, but why? When they took their defense off the rocks, they looked to the south again to see if anything else was coming. The forest was silent once again. Legolas watched the destruction that they had caused just by running through here. Plants were trampled and trees were sliced by loose weapons. Aragorn sighed.
"They're looking for us." He said. Legolas nodded.