Angel's Curse

By: Minyalaithien

Disclaimer: I don't own LotR or it's characters… darn. Allaina is my own fictional character.

Chapter 5: Angel's Surprises

Dawn had come and Legolas was awake. He had been waiting for Allaina to wake, so they could start into Lothlorien. Both were excited to see the place with their own eyes. In their own lands, the Elves sang songs of Lothlorien and of its beauty but neither Elf had seen it themselves.

As they went farther and farther into the forest, they noticed the trees around them grew higher and higher. They became so thick they could only see patches of the blue sky which by this time was turning dark blue, purple, and pink.

"Do Elves not dwell here? Where are they?" Allaina asked. As she said this, high in a tree above someone yelled for them to stop in elvish. Legolas steadied his bow and raised it, yelling, "Are you of the Elves of Lothlorien?" The stranger replied with yes and climbed down. He was a tall and broad elf, with blonde hair and ice blue eyes, kind of like Legolas, but older and wiser.

"The lady knows you are here. She wishes to speak to you," the elf said. He started walking along a path to the Golden Wood, Lothlorien. He led them up narrow steps that wound around one of the highest trees to a room at the top. The Lady Galadriel walked up to them. The accompanying elf bowed to her and the two from Rivendell did the same.

She looked at Allaina and spoke softly yet firmly to her. "Princess of Rivendell. You have come a long way and yet have farther to go. You wish to stay here or go back, but you know you cannot. You travel with the noble Prince of Mirkwood." Her eyes traveled to Legolas who looked down. She stared at him for moments until she smiled at Allaina. 'Prince and Princess traveling alone? Do not let your emotions take power of you. You still have a journey, and you must focus on that. If not, war will never end and Rivendell will cease to exist.' Allaina could hear her voice in her head but Galadriel's lips did not move. "Beware of shadows in the dark and the evil in Mordor. Do not forget your task for another. You may rest here, your journey is long." She turned and left them, climbing another set of steps to a white-draped room. Allaina and Legolas looked at each other and followed the wood elf down the steps to their own rooms silently. Allaina sat on her bed next to a silver dress and ran her fingers over it. She changed into it and folded her green dress and again sat on the bed. She thought about everything Galadriel had said to them. She thought about her family and Rivendell, and her sister. Allaina clenched the green dress in her hands as her eyes watered and she lye on her bed silently crying.

*

Legolas went into the room the Lothlorien elf pointed to and looked around. On the wall lye a new bow and arrow, along with a dagger. Beside the bed was a small pitcher for water. On the bed lye a silver tunic on the silver sheets. Legolas changed into the tunic and unbraided his hair, letting it fall around his face. He picked up the pitcher and left to find a fountain. He passed by Allaina's room and heard soft weeping. Curious, the blond elf walked slowly into her room. She was lying on her bed facedown and crying into her green dress, which she clenched in her fair hands. Legolas sat at the foot of her bed, making her jump up, surprised. Her face was stained with tears. She scooted up to the headboard and wrapped a pillow in her arms. "What are you doing in here?"

"I heard you crying. I got worried is all," Legolas said and stood. Allaina noticed his silver tunic, which seemed to make him glow like an angel. He turned and walked to the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Allaina asked as she noticed the pitcher in his hand.

"To find a fountain. Would you like to walk with me?" Legolas asked her. Allaina nodded and followed Legolas. They walked along a path to a fountain of clear water, where Legolas filled his pitcher and set it beside it. Allaina looked at the ground sadly and stood still with her arms to her sides. Legolas stood in front of her. "You know I will not let you out of this meadow until you tell me what is wrong," he said playfully.

Allaina was silent for a while. Legolas urged her to tell him her troubles. "My sister. My father. My land. My feelings. I'm worried about all of it. I do not know if I can do this. I cannot stand all the weight I have to burden. It is so hard to know the existence of your home could be gone in a matter of seconds if you do not finish the task you have to do." Allaina sobbed out the last sentence and covered her face with her hands. "Why is it me who has to this," she cried out. "Can I not just go home? I cannot do this…" she sobbed.

Legolas held pity in his eyes and watched her cry. He took her arms in his strong hands and drew her to him, embracing her. Allaina looked up at him as her heart beat quickly against his chest and pushed him away. She walked past him and whispered "I'm sorry" as she ran down the path to her room. Legolas watched her leave and picked up the pitcher.

'My voice…'

*

Allaina ran into her room and stopped, looking back. She did not see Legolas, but sat down on the bed with her head in her hands, as she whispered to herself. "I just want to go home. I cannot do this. I cannot stay with him… Legolas… Legolas…" Allaina layed on the sheets and fell into a deep sleep.

*

Legolas walked slowly up the path and stopped beside Allaina's room. He listened to her talking to herself as she cried herself to sleep. He questioned himself as he went to his own room. Why did she push him away when he tried to comfort her? Was it because she thought he was being too affectionate? And why did she not want to continue their journey together? Legolas was awake most of the night troubled with his thoughts. When dawn came he got up and went on a walk. The elf thought about his troubled night and when he returned, Allaina was in his room waiting for him. She still looked depressed. Legolas did not say anything to her. He did not know what to say. He leaned against the doorframe, looking at the forest outside. Allaina crossed the room to stand behind him and spoke to him.

"I am so sorry I made you go through that last night. I did not mean to do that. I know you were trying to comfort me and I should have known that, but I went with my emotions as Galadriel told me not to. I am sorry, Legolas. Please understand?"

Legolas turned and faced her. "She told you that? Did she speak with her mind?"

Allaina looked surprised that Legolas knew this. "Yes. She did. Did she do the same with you?"

The blond elf nodded, "but I cannot tell you what she has told me. Not yet." Allaina smiled as if she understood. "You do not have any reason to apoligize. I probably scared you with my actions. I was simply trying to comfort you with an embrace is all; you know that." Legolas smiled at the brown haired elf who was a head shorter than he. The two elves decided to have breakfast and be off. Galadriel ate with them at a grand table in one of her chambers at the top of a tall tree. She kindly gave them cloaks and daggers; to Legolas, she gave a bow and elvish arrows. She let them use a small boat to travel as far as they could down the Great River. As the two left, Galadriel said goodbye and watched them go. For hours they traveled down the river. Allaina ran her fingers over the smooth side of the small boat. Legolas sat behind her, paddling swiftly with the current.

Allaina brought up Legolas' home, Mirkwood. He told her about his land, and of his family, which Allaina enjoyed listening to. She told Legolas of her land and family as well. After a long ride, the two reached Parth Galen, a small old lawn, now covered with a dying forest. They brought the boat up to the edge and hopped out. Allaina looked around at the dead trees around her.

"It looks like they were burnt down," She said as she searched for anything strange.

Legolas drug the boat onto land. "We can rest here for now. It's out of harms way-" but he was cut off as Allaina let out a cry from behind one of the trees. Legolas grabbed his bow and arrow and ran up to where Allaina was crouched. She was staring at the body of an elf of Rivendell, Zelgatis.