*Just to clarify to any confused readers, this is all a flashback by Legolas when he was returning home from the War of the Ring. That's why he and Nimue are going to Rivendell, this is in the flashback, it's when Legolas goes to deliver the message of Gollum escaping to Elrond.*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Beorn

The two elves' travel was silent as they rode along the Great River the next day.

Legolas began to sing softly to himself as they rode, for he enjoyed doing that sort of thing, especially when there was naught else to do.

Nimue unconciously tilted her head, concentrating on the song that gently poured from Legolas' lips.



A! Elbereth Gilthoniel!
silivren penna miriel
O` menel aglar elenath
Gilthoniel, A! Elbereth!


"Beautiful . ." Nimue murmured.

"Le hannon," Legolas said, nodding his head in acknowledgement of her compliment. (I thank thee).

Suddenly a crashing sound, of heavy footfalls in the brush nearby, of the small woods they were riding through, sounded.

"Yrch!" Legolas said with open contempt. (Orcs) "About five, I think."

Nimue leapt off of her horse and unsheated her sword, swinging it before her, then holding it upright at a readied stance near her opposite shoulder.

Legolas drew out an arrow from his quiver and calmly, but quickly, notched it to the string. He pulled back the bowstring, feeling the tension mount as he pulled.

Nimue wondered as she stood there, sword in hand, how Legolas could stay so calm before a battle. Her heart would always flutter in anticipation and, she hated to admit, fear.


The orcs burst through the foliage and stopped short at the sight of the elves. Then, grinned evilly when they took a longer look Nimue. Legolas marked their notice of her and he glowered darkly at the foul creatures of Mordor.

Nimue heard the orcs murmer amongst themselves for a moment. She picked up the rising and the falling of the Black Speech and shivered.

Then the orcs turned to them.

"How much for the fire-headed one?" A particulary ugly orc said in the Western tongue to Legolas. He was jesting of course, but it was a crude jest. It boiled Legolas' blood.

"Leave us," Legolas commanded.

"We would rather fight, first. We'll kill you and take the elf maid as our prize."

"Gurth an glamhoth!" Legolas cried fiercely, letting loose an arrow which flew into the heart of the insulting orc. The rest of the orcs drew their crude weapons and charged. (Death to the din-hord *orcs*)

Nimue thrust her sword out as one of the orcs rushed toward her. She spun around, lobbing off her attacker's head.

Legolas was felling many with his swift arrows.

Nimue swung her sword over her head bringing it down upon another orc. Out of curiosity, she glanced over at Legolas again. She marvelled at how fast he could shoot the arrows. She had never seen any elf let arrows fly so quickly.

Suddenly, she was knocked down to the ground by a filthy orc. Blast it! She let herself get distracted!

"Nimue!" She heard Legolas cry.

"I'm fine!" She yelled back. She lifted her knees and shoved the orc off with her feet. Nimue then jumped up and plunged her sword into it.

When she pulled out her Rhiw she grimaced at the dark blood staining it.

Nimue looked around when she realized that it was suddenly quiet.

Legolas was standing with an arrow in his hand, which he promptly put back in his quiver. All the orcs were dead.

Nimue wiped her blade on the grass and re-sheathed it.

Just then, another loud crashing came through the brush.

Legolas readied his bow, Nimue unsheathed her sword again.

Out from the trees emerged the biggest bear Nimue had ever seen. It stood up on it's hind legs and roared.

Nimue heard the bowstring of Legolas stretch, ready to be loosened.

"Daro! Hon avo dhago!" Nimue commanded. (Stop! Don't kill it!)

"Man?" Legolas asked, hesitantly lowering his bow. (What?)

"Tiro!" Nimue exclaimed pointing at the bear. (Look!)

Legolas' eyes widened as the beast's features began to shift and change into that of a large and burly man, with a black scraggly beard.

"It's Beorn . ." Nimue whispered.

"Aye, it is!" said the great booming voice of Beorn. "Now, you will put that bow away young elf, I will not hurt you . . unless you shoot at me that is, then I would have to break your neck.

Legolas gave a slow, hesitant smile as he put his arrow away and shouldered his bow.

"Now, where may you be headed, my young elves?" Beorn asked.

"To Rivendell, the House of Lord Elrond," Nimue answered. Legolas had not yet found his voice.

"Ah! Rivendell! Lovely place I hear!"

"Yes, it is," Legolas said, his voice finally returning to him.

"I'm not usually a very hospitable sort on such short notice, but I will make an exception seeing how I rarely have First Borns gracing my hall with their presence."

"We are honored, sir," Legolas said, bowing.

"Come now! None of this "sir" nonsense. It's Beorn, my friends, and don't you be forgetting that! Now, what might your names be?"

"I am Prince Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm of Mirkwood."

"`Tis an honor to make your acquaintance, my lord." Beorn bowed.

"And I am Nimue Elenath, daughter of Eohric, Swordmaster of Mirkwood."

"It is a great honor to meet you both! Now, come to my home. You shall eat and rest. I'll take your horses for you."

Beorn then proceeded to tuck both horses under his arms and carried them off like babes toward his house.

Nimue stood rooted to the ground for a moment, her jaw hanging open.

"Nimue," Legolas' voice broke the spell, "tolo." (come)

"Yes, hir nin," she replied forcing her legs to walk.

Soon the group cleared the foliage and came upon a large clearing.

There they beheld the Hall of Beorn, just as Bilbo beheld it so many, many, years ago.


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