Legolas and Gimli took the woman back into Fangorn with them, confident they were not being followed and that no one would wander in a discover them. After all, Fangorn was a cursed place, believed by the superstitious to be haunted. They stopped in a clearing to make camp. Gimli built a fire, while Legolas tended to the woman.
Her injuries were not too severe. Her left arm was broken in several places, probably from her landing after her horse was killed. He splinted the arm between two sticks, then tied it across her chest to prevent her from moving it and making the injury worse. Her left ankle was swollen, but not broken. The abrasions on her cheek and temple were superficial and had already begun clotting. That she was still unconscious worried him.
Then, his agile fingers pushed her long hair from her face to examine the wounds more closely. A sharp intake of breath marked that she could feel him checking the damage. He sensed that she was waking and gently cupped her face in his hands to comfort her in her ascent to consciousness. Her eyes fluttered, then opened slowly. In a quick fluid movement that surprised even the elf, her right hand drew a short knife from her belt and swiped it toward the shadow leaning over her. Legolas fell back to avoid the blade. Gimli was at his side instantly, his axe drawn, but Legolas had already pinned her hand to the ground.
"No, friend dwarf. She does not know who we are." Then leaning toward her, in a gentle voice, he said, "You are safe here. Neither I nor my friend will harm you. Lie still." Her struggle against him ended.
Gimli slid the knife from her grasp before Legolas released her. The dwarf stayed near lest more danger come from their ward. He noticed the elf kept a hand over his shirt where she had struck at him.
She closed her eyes and licked her lips to wet them.
"I can't move my arm," she whispered.
"It's broken. It has been set and tied to your body so it would not become reinjured." He laid his hand over hers. "Can you feel my touch?"
"I can."
"Good. Then you should heal without problem."
"Do you have water?"
He lowered his own bottle to her lips and lifted her head so she could drink.
"Thank you," she said weakly before drifting into sleep.
"Gimli, bring me the blanket from my horse," he said without looking up. Gimli fetched the blanket and handed it to Legolas, who covered the woman. Then, he leaned back so he was sitting on the ground, his arm still pressed against his shirt.
"She's a demon with a blade, that one is," the dwarf said. "even being an elf, it was luck that saved you from its point."
"There was no luck." He moved his arm to reveal the blood that was soaking through.
"You're cut?"
"Scratched. It is only a scratch. The tip of the blade caught me, but it is not deep. It will heal."
"You're sure?"
"Yes. Already the bleeding has stopped." The elf stood and recovered some dried fruit and nuts from his pack. Legolas and Gimli ate a little. The moon had already risen high in the sky. "Sleep Gimli. I will keep watch."
"Watch? Are those bandits men looking for us?"
"No. At least, not nearby. But I will keep watch just in case. We should move on at first light."
It took little more coaxing for the dwarf to lie on the ground. Already he was exhausted from their rescue of the woman. In a few minutes, his eyes were closed and his breathing steady.
Gimli opened his eyes just before sunrise. He sat up and looked around the clearing. His companion was nowhere in sight. He rolled over and looked to where the woman lay. She had slept facing the sky, the blanket draped over her body. He was surprised to see that she was awake as well. Her eyes fell on him, questioningly.
"You are a dwarf?"
"I am. I am Gimli, son of Gloin." Gimli rose from the ground, noticed that the fire was dying and moved the stirred the ashes with a stick
"Where is the elf?"
"Legolas? That I don't know. He'll be back around soon, I'm sure."
"So he really was an elf? I thought I had been dreaming until you awoke."
"He is an elf."
"A dwarf and an elf traveling together. That is a strange mix."
"Aye, I'll grant you that."
"I've always heard you were enemies."
"Our people don't get along, if that's what you mean. But Legolas and I have been through a lot together. We are companions."
"You mean you're friends."
"Yes, we are friends, you could say." Now he found his water and rinsed his mouth. "Now that you know our names, what should we call you?" He brought his water to her and lifted her head so she could drink.
"Shimalya."
Before Gimli could answer, another voice filled the silence.
"It is nice to meet you Shimalya." Legolas had returned silently, betraying no sound to their ears. He carried apples from the forest and led a horse. He dropped the fruit to Gimli, then knelt beside Shimalya. "How are you feeling?" he asked, moving the blanket aside to look at her ankle.
"Better," she answered. "My arm hurts and my head is throbbing, but I am better.
"Good." He handed her an apple. "Can you ride today?"
"Ride? Where am I going?"
"Away from here." He stood and spoke more loudly so Gimli could hear. "Those men were discovered by their friends. We should move as soon as possible."
"What men?"
"What men?" cried Gimli. "The men who were going to use you for entertainment, as they put it. The one's we rescued you from."
"What do you remember?" Legolas asked.
She rubbed her eyes with her good hand. "I was riding with my escort to Minas Tirith. Some men began pursuing us, so we ran for the forest. They were chasing us. My horse fell and I saw the ground crashing toward me. Then you hovered over me." Her eyes suddenly fell on the slice in the elf's shirt. "Is that from me?"
"An accident," came his answer. "You did not know who we were."
"Did I cut you? I'm sorry."
"A scratch, and you are already forgiven."
Gimli interrupted. "So you're traveling to Gondor? I'd like to see Aragorn and Arwen again, Legolas. It has been many moons since we've seen our companions."
"So we shall. Gimli and I will see you to Minas Tirith, Shimalya. We shall be your escort." He smiled at her.
Legolas helped Shimalya to sit up so she could eat. She sat with her eyes closed until the vertigo passed, then ate a little of the apple the elf had passed her. Then, they loaded their horses to begin their journey. Legolas helped her onto her horse since she had the use of only one arm, mounted his own, and the three were on their way.
They rode in a single file through the forest, Legolas and Gimli in front, Shimalya behind, saying little, as conversation was difficult in the line. When they reached the edge of the forest, they were able to ride side by side.
Gimli was jolly on the ride, excited to see the ranger again, and spoke nonstop about their adventures of the previous year.
"You are very brave warriors," she commented when he finished, "to risk so much on such a desperate mission."
"You can always count on a dwarf in times of desperation," Gimli answered. "We may not be as tall as Men and Elves, but we are certainly not at the disadvantage."
"The risk," Legolas added, "was in doing nothing. Either way, we were all in great danger."
"You are brave, nonetheless."
"Where do you hail from, Lady?" Gimli asked.
"Torrech, north of Lorien," she answered. "There is some land there where many men went to live in peace after the fall of Sauron so long ago. Our families have lived there quietly for almost three thousand years."
"That's near to Mirkwood, my home," Legolas told her.
"I have heard of it, but never seen it with my own eyes. Is it very beautiful?"
"It is."
"And yet your people are leaving?"
"A yearning for the Sea has awakened in my people. We are going to our elder lands."
"Elder lands?"
"Aman. The land from whence we came. It is a calling home."
"And will you go?" She looked at him curiously.
"One day. Even now, I feel the calling, like a whisper on the winds, beckoning me to the land of my people."
"Why haven't you left?"
"My father and my kin are here. I am not ready to leave, but I feel I will soon."
"Soon for a human? Or soon for an elf?"
Legolas smiled. "We do not count time much differently. Elves just have more to count." His eyes scanned the horizon, ever on the lookout for danger. "But it will probably be some years before I go."
The three fell silent for some time as they rode, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Shimalya spoke up.
"So elves live very long lives. How old are you? You don't appear to have seen many winters."
"I have seen many more winters than most men ever will, but I am still very young."
The sun was beginning to set and the group halted to make camp. Shimalya stumbled slightly as she slid down from her horse, but refused help. Legolas made a small fire to keep them warm in the cool night, and the three of them sat quietly, eating dried fruits and berries from their satchels. Presently, Gimli fell asleep a small distance from the fire, preferring the cooler air to the heat for sleep. Legolas looked across the fire and noticed that Shimalya stared into the fire, not moving, with the blanket had wrapped about her the previous night wrapped tightly around her.
"Is your arm paining you?" he asked. She jumped at the question, as if she had been far away in thought.
"No. Yes." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Riding is always hard on injuries. it jars the bones and allows much time to think on them." Legolas nodded when she said no more.
"Why do you travel to Minas Tirith?"
She stared up at him.
"I am a messenger, and of that I can speak no more."
Legolas rose.
"Get some sleep. We still have much ground to cover before we reach Gondor."
"And what about you?"
"I require less sleep. And I am not recovering from injuries. Close your eyes. I will keep watch."
Shimalya did as he bade and sleep came swiftly to her.
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