Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Lord of the Rings. I'll let you know when I do. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: sorry it took so long to update...real life keeps getting in the way, AND I had writers block. But the story gremlins are back in business now!!! Also, please note that this story is slightly A/U because I have twisted some of Tolkien's ideas around a bit. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 3- Nyri

Barely a second after the cry sounded, strange men leapt from behind the trees and began attacking the elves as they scrambled to their feet, knives and bows in hand. Legolas, too, jumped to his feet and grabbed for his bow and quiver. A thousand thoughts were running through his head. What is this? How did we not hear them surrounding us? This is strange. His thoughts were interrupted when a snarling man leapt at him, with a sword. Legolas quickly parried a blow to his head and drove one of his long Elven knives into the man's heart. Two more men came running at him. Legolas quickly finished them off, but they were skilled warriors and put up quite a fight. The fighting continued for several more minutes. Then, as abruptly as it had begun, it stopped. The men dropped their weapons and turned to face the center of the clearing where a tall woman with reddish brown hair was standing, yelling to the men "HALT! CEASE ATTACK!" The men and the elves had all turned to face her. "I did NOT give the command to attack! What were you THINKING?!" she cried. The men dropped their heads and began mumbling their apologies. "Please, may I see whomever is in charge of these troops?" the woman called to the elves. Legolas pushed his was to where the woman was standing. "That would be me." Legolas said, standing before her. "I am so sorry that my men attacked. I did not give them permission to do so. I only wanted to know who you were. I do hope no elves were killed." The woman said, loud enough for all to hear. An elf came up and tapped Legolas on the shoulder. "We lost three warriors, my Lord." He said. Legolas' eyes darkened, and he turned to face the woman. "We lost three good men because of this attack." The woman looked genuinely sorry. "I am deeply sorry. I do not know how to make amends for what happened. Perhaps.I could accompany you, as your personal servant, to wherever you were going?" Legolas just stared at her. "That is not necessary. Just take your men, and go." "As you command, sir. But first, what is your name?" the woman inquired. "I am Legolas Greenleaf." The woman nodded, and then gestured for her men to follow her out of the clearing. Legolas watched until every last one was gone. He sighed and turned to face his men. "Go back to sleep. We will remain here for the remainder of the night." He told them, and they complied.

***Later that night***

Legolas stood at the edge of a grove of trees. He had been woken by a soft cry of pain. It sounded as if someone was dragging themselves across the forest floor. He grabbed a torch from beside one of the dying campfires and carefully made his way into the forest. He had not been walking long when he came to a bloody figure, huddled in a fetal position on the ground. He bent down to get a closer look. When the light from the torch illuminated the persons face, he took in a sharp breath. It was the woman who had stopped the attack on the elves. She had a deep stab wound in her stomach, and a gash on her forehead. The woman opened her eyes and saw Legolas kneeling over her, his face creased with worry. "L-Legolas?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper. "Aye, it is me. Here, lay still." He closed his eyes and stretched out his hands over her. A bright light flashed, and then Legolas opened his eyes and put his hands back to his sides. The wounds on the woman's head and stomach were gone. "Y-you're a healer!" She cried. "That I am. What happened to you?" Legolas asked. "My men.they revolted against me. They were angry that I stopped the attack tonight. They attacked me and left me hear for dead. I have nowhere to go now." She said, keeping her eyes downcast. "Thank you for saving me life." She whispered. "You are welcome. Perhaps you should come back to camp with me." Legolas said. "Could I? I do not wish to be a burden." She said. "You will be no burden. Besides, you need to heal still. What is your name?" "Nyri," she said. "Well, come with me, Nyri. You will travel with us, to Rivendell." Nyri looked up sharply. "Rivendell?" "Yes. Now come, you must get some rest before the morning." Nyri stood with the help of Legolas and slowly trudged back to camp.

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