Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to or are inspired by the Great Tolkien.

This story is being written thanks to two incredible people whom I feel the need to acknowledge.

First, TreeHugger: She was the first to encourage me to try my hand at writing. Without her words, I would not have gained the courage to write this story. She also helped in translating my title. Thank you so much, nin mellon!

And most definitely, Melian: She is an incredible person. I think we are kindred spirits. She has devoted so much of her time beta'ing, translating my title, assuring me that this story should be told, and giving me the confidence to do so. I feel she has invested herself in this story almost as much as I have. She has been and continues to be a trusted guide as I write this story. I owe you a world of gratitude, but that would still not be enough.

Enjoy the story and please review! Thanks!

El gwedh enni
(A) Star is binding me

Chapter I–Discovery


Legolas followed the now faint trail of white light with his eyes. He wondered about it—what it was, where it was going. To him, it looked like a star, a star that had grown tired of the heavens and decided to come down to rest upon the earth. But he quickly shook his head to free it from the absurdity of the thought, for stars lasted forever and their light never seemed to fade.

At this his mind turned to his people. Ai, Elbereth, if only this was true for the elves, for too quickly is our time in Middle-earth coming to an end. It was with great sadness that Legolas pondered the journey he would soon make to the shores of Valinor. Though his heart desired it greatly, he had other desires as well. The fates were cruel to him—seven years ago, he had begun his journey with the Fellowship, and though it was difficult and fraught with danger, he did not regret his participation in the quest. He had seen first-hand and fought the great evil that inhabited Middle-earth and was sickened by the atrocities that both Sauron and Saruman had wrought on the land and its people. At the same time, he had beheld many of the wonders—places and beings alike—that Middle-earth still had to offer. It was the first time in his many years that he had experienced life so fully. But at the cry of that one lone gull, his soul was forfeited to another being, and he was now filled with emptiness because of it.

However, Legolas would not make his journey across the sea yet. He still had some strength of heart and mind to tarry in Middle-earth. With each passing night though, Legolas felt his light fade a little. He knew some day soon he would have no choice but to leave behind those that he loved. If only I was like Thranduil in this...I would have never let myself enjoy the companionship of the man, and most especially of the dwarf. But it was his choice to open his heart to them, and it was an unspoken promise made to both that he would remain in Middle-earth for a while longer. With that settled, Legolas pulled his cloak tighter around his body to protect him against the slight chill of the early spring night. He let his mind drift into the world of dreams—dreams which he knew would once again be filled with the roar of waves crashing on the shore and gulls crying their sad sweet song, beckoning him to make his journey to the West.

~~~


Legolas woke when the first rays of the sun graced his fair face with their warmth. As he stretched his body to remove the last remnants of sleep, he looked around to see where his two companions had decided to spend their night. Finally, his eyes caught their movements. One had chosen the beech tree beside his. The other was found in the same tree Legolas had chosen, only further down its branches. Typical, Legolas thought, slightly irritated. He takes his role much too seriously.

"Will we journey further west today, or shall we return to the village, my prince?"

Legolas scowled at the blatant use of his title. He knows it annoys me as much as the dwarf does. "We will return ere sunset tonight, but first let us journey a little more. I wish to see for myself the new life that has sprung forth in this land." His companions smiled at Legolas' request. They were both well aware of his growing need to see and feel connected to the land. They would not deny him this chance, for it had been many months since the prince had the opportunity to escape the duties of his position as Lord of the Elves of Ithilien.

From the branch where he still stood, Legolas formed his lips into a tight circle and whistled shrilly. His companions followed suit and let loose whistles of their own. They had barely reached the forest floor when three horses came trotting towards them. Legolas smiled as Arod nuzzled his chest, and the elf scratched behind the horse's ears to return the greeting.

"Come my friend, we will not journey long; tonight, you will find yourself enjoying the comforts of home," Legolas whispered to the horse and leapt lightly onto Arod's back. He looked back at his companions to find they had already mounted their horses and were ready to follow the prince's lead. Nodding to them both, he turned and coaxed Arod into a swift gallop.

~~~


The three companions spent the morning riding west towards the Anduin. They were still several leagues from the banks of the great river, but it was not their intent to journey there. Legolas was only concerned with the progress the elves had made in restoring the life to the land of Ithilien. During the War of the Ring, orcs and other foul creatures had destroyed much of the beauty found in the forests and on the plains. At the request of Prince Faramir of Ithilien and with permission from his sire, King Thranduil of Eryn Lasgalen , Legolas established a colony of elves in the forests of Ithilien. With the presence of the Eldar race, the once war-ravaged land was quickly regaining its beauty. The elves had first rid the area of the remaining bands of orcs that had still dwelt there. They had found it to be easy and enjoyable work as the orcs lacked a master and thus an overall purpose. They were disorganized and careless in their ways, and it took the elves merely a year to purge the land of their unwanted presence. Once the infestation was taken care of, the flora and fauna were eager to come into their fullness. Trees and flowers painted the landscape with vibrant colors of greens and crimsons and yellows and violets. The abundance of vegetation ensured the animals of ample food and shelter, and they quickly increased their numbers. If one had the patience to quietly sit and watch, the rough play of fox cubs or the graceful run of a stag through the forest could entertain them for several hours of the day.

It was a doe and her fawn that Legolas currently watched from his low perch in a tree towering over a wide clearing in the forest. The fawn was just a few days old and still struggled to stand on his four lanky legs next to his mother. The mother was quite aware of their visitor, but was unafraid as the visitor was an elf and would bring no harm to her or her young one. She gingerly munched on the lush leafs of the bushes that were scattered throughout the clearing. Instinctually, the doe turned her head in Legolas' direction at the approach of one of his companions, despite the silent footfalls.

"Legolas, Talathion has discovered something most unusual. He wishes you to come see."

Legolas landed lightly on the grass. The fawn, startled by the sudden appearance of the elf, quickly lost his balance and fell clumsily to the ground. The mother eyed Legolas as if scolding him for his carelessness.

"My apologies, friends," Legolas spoke to the animals as the fawn tried to regain his footing. The mother turned her head away in disdain and resumed her foraging of the leaves. "Is something wrong, Celebhil? I did not feel anything amiss here," he said, turning to his friend and gesturing for him to lead the way.

"Nay, we are not in danger, but it is a strange sight. Neither of us expected to come across what we have," Celebhil said as he walked towards the far edge of the clearing.

Legolas spotted the blond head of Talathion peeking above the dark green of the bushes that separated the clearing from the wood. As they passed silently through the foliage, Legolas could see that the elf stood rigidly, his eyes fixed upon the ground, the steel of his long black-handled knife glinting through the leaves.

"I thought you said nothing was wrong, Celebhil. Talathion's actions speak otherwise," Legolas said, walking slightly faster to discover what held his warder's attention so completely.

"He is simply protecting his prince, Legolas; you know this well," Celebhil resplied with light mirth in his voice. Talathion had been a trusted companion and guard to the youngest of Thranduil's sons since Legolas had reached his majority and participated in the hunting parties of Mirkwood. To him, the King had given the great responsibility of protecting the prince and had made it very clear that should any harm come to Legolas while under his watch, the same harm would be inflicted upon him. Talathion took his position seriously and had chosen to accompany Legolas to Ithilien. Legolas held his warder in the highest esteem, for he was a fierce warrior and a trusted advisor. It was the latter role that the prince appreciated most now that he had become Lord of the Elves of Ithilien. It was known to all those who had dwelt in Mirkwood that Legolas had spent most of his younger days not in the courts of his father, but in the trees beyond the palace walls. On the rare occasions when he could not escape the duties of his title, the prince paid little attention to the discussions of the council and instead passed the time planning ways in which to create mischief at the next royal feast. When Legolas had told Thranduil of his plans to establish an elven colony in Ithilien, the King had laughed heartily, but had given him leave to do so, glad the youngest prince had finally begun to embrace his nobility and desiring to see how his son would fare in the new role.

"I do know this well," Legolas said dryly. "Just as he knows that I do not need his constant mothering," he finished softly, his dark blue eyes flashing as he approached the tall, muscular figure. The prince was indeed grateful to Talathion for the protection and advice he offered, but desired many times to be free of the ever-watchful eyes of the elder elf. For his part, Talathion was well aware of Legolas' desire, and this only made the warder more tenacious to his duty of protecting Thranduil's son.

As Legolas finally drew clear of the last of the bushes, his eyes traced the invisible path of Talathion's gaze. While concern and wonder predominantly filled his mind, Legolas could not resist chuckling at the Eldar's reaction to the female whose naked body lay on the grass.

"I doubt your knife will be needed, Talathion. It is quite obvious she bears no weapon," Legolas said as he knelt down to take a closer look at the unconscious female.

"I see no harm in caution, my prince." The warder's tone reminded Legolas that he too would be wise to show care. "We know not who she is, nor how she came to be here. My concern is not so much for the female, but for others who may have brought her here or caused her to be in this state."

"And yet your eyes were fixed upon her," Legolas observed. "But your words are true. It is a strange thing you have found. Know you of any who were said to be in this area?" The prince surveyed the clearing from where he still knelt beside the female. There was no sign of any other presence save the doe and her fawn and a hawk circling lazily in the blue sky.

"Nay, the patrols have reported nothing out of the ordinary. And I have heard nothing of any missing elves," Talathion answered, noting that they had yet to determine whether the female was human or elf as her body was curled tightly in the fetal position and her long hair concealed much of her face.

"It would be an ill thing indeed if she is one of our own. I do not see any wounds; she appears unhurt. Perhaps she is merely sleeping," Legolas wondered out loud as he reached to pull her hair back from her face.

As his fingers brushed against the female's temple, Legolas suddenly found himself enveloped by a sudden brightness. Though it was painful at first because of its abruptness and intensity, the elf quickly found the experience to be quite agreeable. The light was white and hot and swirled around him. Tongues of light extended from an unknown source to caress his body, leaving Legolas with an overwhelming sensation of contentment and peace. As his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he was able to discern that he no longer knelt beside the female nor was he in the clearing. Instead, he seemed to be floating within a pocket of brilliance, fully surrounded by the radiating light. Beyond that he could see nothing; it was completely dark there, void of air and life. But here…here, I am safe.

"Legolas?"

At the sound of Celebhil's voice, Legolas pulled his hand away from the female. He was back in the clearing. Nay, he had never left the clearing. Though he felt he had been held within the strange light for hours, he realized only a few moments had passed as the hawk was still enjoying his effortless flight above the clearing.

"It was nothing," Legolas said softly, more to himself rather than to his companions, and shook his head to rid himself of the lingering feeling of the light.

"She is not an elf," Celebhil remarked, gesturing to the woman's ears.

Talathion rolled his eyes at the young elf's observation. "How did this mortal woman come this far unnoticed into the wood and so close to the colony? The patrols have not been lax in their duties," Talathion assured his prince.

"I know not," Legolas replied, aware that an explanation was not expected of him. "It is indeed clear that she is not an elf, Celebhil," he continued, turning toward his friend whom he could always depend upon to state the obvious. "But I do not think she is a daughter of man," he finished as he removed his cloak.

"It is true that neither of us have had the encounters with mortal women that you have, Legolas," Talathion said with a light jest. "But even the eyes of a dwarf could tell she is of the race of Men."

"Her body may appear to be that of a mortal woman, my friends, but I sense there is something more, something different underneath her skin," Legolas explained as he bent down to wrap the woman in his cloak. A light flashed before him as soon as his hands touched her body, but he was not held by it as he had been before. Blinking his eyes, Legolas shifted the woman and enfolded her body fully in his cloak. He whistled for their horses as he rose from the ground, the woman held securely in his arms. "Come. We will bring her to the village where she can be examined by the healer. There we will discuss the possible explanations for her presence in this wood and decide her fate when she wakes and we have some answers."

The matter resolved by the prince's terse words, the three elves moved to mount their horses. Legolas gently placed the woman on Arod's back and leapt onto the white horse. Holding her firmly, the prince urged Arod into a steady canter toward the village of the Elves of Ithilien.