Disclaimer: All references to Lord of the Rings Characters and places are the property of J.R.R Tolkien, I have just tried to use them for my own story.

Chapter 4: A Ride In The Woods

It had been almost two months since the Council of Elrond and the scouts had started coming back, although Elrond hadn't told her what they reported, Celebfaer knew that it probably wasn't any different to what she had told him from the spirits.

When they got to Elrond's meeting room, Arwen left her and Celebfaer entered, wondering what Elrond needed to talk to her about.

"You know that all the scouts have finally arrived and their news is much the same as yours with some extra and some unrelated." He said waiting for her to nod before he continued. "I shall announce who will be leaving with Frodo tomorrow, but I wish for you to know now so you can ready yourself. As well as Frodo, Sam and yourself, I am sending Gandalf, Aragorn and Boromir of Gondor will journey with the company to his home in Minas Tirith. From the Dwarves I will send Gimli son of Gloin and from the Elves, your new found friend Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood. And tomorrow I will search for another to travel with the Company. I wish for only nine members to be in the Company." Elrond said and she nodded.

"And when shall we depart?"

"Seven days from tomorrow." He said. "And so you shall be able to prepare yourself, only Aragorn and Gandalf, will know truly what you are. I suggest strongly that you do not do anything to give away what you are unless you absolutely must. And Celebfaer, once you get to Lothlorien you will go straight to Galadriel and you will not continue with the Company. It will be too dangerous for you." He said.

"Yes, but you shouldn't treat me as a young one. I am as old as your daughter!"

"Yes and even my daughter needs instruction sometimes." He said, firmly, frowning as though in deep thought, so Celebfaer decided to leave it lie, even though she knew Arwen was quite capable of looking after herself.

"Thank you for your kindness, my Lord." She said. "Have you any word that you wish for me to bring to the Lady?"

"If I think of something that will not get there before you do then I shall tell you." He said and she turned to leave, but he stopped her. "Celebfaer, you should also know that you will not be taking your horse, as the Company will travel on foot, so if you wish to keep your horse I suggest you send it back to Lothlorien in the next few days before you depart."

"Thank you." She said then she walked out and headed for the stables, straight away, wanting to send her horse off so that he would make it back to Lothlorien before she did.

Celebfaer requested for her horse to be brought out and while she was waiting for the horse, Legolas walked past. Seeing her there, Legolas walked over to where she was standing.

"Celebfaer, are you taking a ride?" He asked and she looked up when she saw him, then smiled.

"Yes. I wish to say goodbye to my horse." She said, noticing that he did not even flinch at her words.

"May I join you then? For it has been some time before my horse has been out for a run." He asked her and she looked at him.

"You wish to join me in riding my horse?"

"It is dangerous past the borders of Rivendell and you are unarmed." He said, truthfully.

Legolas had encountered many foul beings outside the borders of Rivendell on his trip there with the Elves from his home and Celebfaer appeared unarmed. He did not think that Elrond would appreciate it if he let her ride by herself and something happened to her as she seemed to be in Elrond's high favour.

"My hands are deadlier than you think my Prince." She answered him, then as her horse had been brought out, she jumped lightly up onto it. "Well, if you wish to come you had better be quick." She added, then she muttered some words to her horse and the animal took off, leaving Legolas there, to call for his horse to be readied quickly.

The horse galloped at a great speed for a while before she was sure that he could not track her and catch her, and only then did she dare to slow down and let her horse trot for a while.

Celebfaer knew that the only way for her horse to be truly safe would be to cast a spell on the horse so that no evil would harm it. She decided to cast the spell while she was riding because if she got off the horse and Legolas caught up with her, he would ask her what she was doing and throw her concentration, causing the spell to go wrong.

She told the horse first about its journey and then what she was going to do to it, asking it for permission to do so and making sure it was not troubled about it. The horse gave her permission and she nodded then took a deep breath before starting the spell.

That was how Legolas found her, some five minutes later. She was still on her horse but she was in a trance-like state and instantly, Legolas panicked and searched the bushes around for someone or something that could have attacked her. When he found none, he looked back to her and realised that she was not injured in anyway and seemed to be riding the horse with perfect skill. It was as though she were meditating, but her mouth was moving, mummering words that Legolas could neither hear, nor understand and he could not guess what she was doing. Thinking that she was mummering because of fever, Legolas looked around once more for her attacker. Once again her found none and so still unsure he turned back to her, and pulled his horse alongside hers, ready to pick her up and gallop back to Rivendell so that she could be healed if her body went limp. Before he could worry any further, he saw her open her eyes and pat her horse's neck, whispering still more unintelligible words to the animal.

"Celebfaer?" He asked in a very puzzled voice, when he thought she was finished and she jumped at the sound of a voice, then turned to look at him, riding beside her horse. "You took off too fast, though I was able to catch you finally." He said with a smile this time because of her obvious confusion as to how he had gotten there. "What were you doing?"

He had caught her by surprise and she did not know how she would be able to talk her way out of this one, surely he had seen some of her spell casting, or she would have noticed him sooner. However, she wondered how long he had been there and did not want to tell him more than he needed to know, so she played it safe.

"Talking to my horse. I like this horse very much, it has seen me through many long journeys." She responded, looking at him closely, watching for his reaction.

"You are most definitely the strangest Elf I have met. Are they all like you in Lothlorien?" He asked and she laughed.

"No Legolas. I am one of a kind." She replied, then she rubbed her horse's neck again. "Now, seeing as you are here with a horse, I bid you to let me join you as my horse has to leave for it's own journey now and I shall be left without a mount." She told him, then stopped her horse and got off, whispering more words to the horse that he could not make out, before patting it once more.

"If you and your horse don't mind me sitting behind you of course." She said and he frowned.

"Where is your horse going?"

"Back to Lothlorien, for I will not be requiring it for a while and they may need her there. She will be safe for she is strong footed and swift." She said, not looking up from her horse, which she was still patting, stroking its mane tenderly. "Farewell." She said to the horse not long after, then she removed her hands and the horse started forward in a trot, instantly until it was out of sight. "Now Legolas, may I have you hand, to help me up onto your horse?" She asked his confused face and he nodded, then whispered some words to his own horse, asking her for permission.

"She will have you." He said to Celebfaer, before he offered his hand to her.

Celebfaer threw the hood forward as far as it would, then used Legolas's hand to help herself up onto his horse. Legolas, however pulled her up so that she was in front of him, much to her confusion and her hood fell back into it's normal place, not showing him anymore than it normally did.

"Why do you wish for me to be in the front? I have great skill with horses."

"I just do not wish for you to fall and here I can keep an eye on you, my lady." He said sweetly and she nodded, knowing that she would not win an argument with him.

"Back to Rivendell thank you." She said, then Legolas put his arms around her, holding onto her loosely so that she wouldn't fall and holding to the mane of the horse, lightly, before commanding the horse to make its way back to Rivendell, with a click of his tongue.

Celebfaer welcomed the support from him because she was feeling a little tired herself. The spell had been quite easy but it had taken a little of her energy and she needed to rest for a small time before her energy levels would be back to normal.

Legolas had merely put his arms around her instinctively because that was how he rode with his younger cousins, when he was teaching them to ride his arms around them so that they would not fall. Seeing Celebfaer there on the horse in a trance like state had scared him and he had suddenly felt that he needed to protect her.

Celebfaer, watched the horse, noticing how it picked a careful path around the worst bumps and how she moved with a grace that any horse would be pressed to match. She could not believe how well trained the horse was and she closed her eyes, forgetting that Legolas was there for a moment. Closing her eyes was a mistake, because suddenly a wave of fatigue hit her and she almost slipped off the horse, but Legolas was there to catch her and she was brought back to the world.

"Are you ill, Celebfaer?" He asked her, wondering if indeed she did have a fever and if she needed healing.

Taking a few seconds to recover Celebfaer shook her head. "I am sorry, Legolas. I let my mind wonder for a few moments and forgot where I was. Your horse has been trained so well that I feel as though I am floating above the ground." She said and she realised that his arms were holding her a little tighter now.

"I took the pleasure of taming her myself. We found her one day in the wild and she would come to no Elf, except myself. My father then gave her to me and I trained her to do exactly as I command." He replied softly and Celebfaer smiled.

"But she is intelligent. I can see it in the way that she picks her path along the road, looking for the smoothest path possible."

"That is what the horses in Mirkwood are trained to do." He said and they fell silent for a time.

"Why did you follow me out here?" She asked him eventually.

"As I said in the stables. For your protection as the woods are dangerous, particularly for a lone, unarmed she-elf." He replied and she knew from the tone that he had a smile on his face, even though she could not see it.

"Legolas, you may loosen your grip, for I will not fall again." She said, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable having him so close to her.

"I would not like to take the chance, as I may not be able to catch you in time." He replied lightly, not loosening his grip and she sighed. "If my grip makes you uncomfortable, my lady I shall loosen it, but I wish only to ensure your safety." He said and she laughed.

"It is alright, my lord. I have just never had another being this close to me before and it makes me a little uncomfortable."

"I am sorry." Legolas said, then he loosened his grip a tiny bit, which was enough to give her space, but also enough to catch her if she drifted off once more.

Another silence fell, and again Celebfaer broke it. She enjoyed his company because even though he was constantly testing her, he spoke wisely and did not judge her merely by her appearance.

"Master Greenleaf, not meaning to offend, but I wish to ask you a question."

"You may ask your question and I shall answer it to the best of my ability." He said with a smile, that showed in his tone. She had used those words not that many hours ago though she acted as though it did not phase her.

"How old are you?" She asked rather bluntly and she felt the muscles in his arms jerk in surprise.

"My age? That is not simply discussed." He replied, a little shocked that she had asked it so plainly and she laughed.

"I do not think you can be as old as Elrond, or the Lady Galadriel for your eyes appear rather young, but you are many years past your childhood."

"Indeed, I am. But I will answer your question if you yourself tell me your age also."

"Agreed."

"I am but 70 years off 3000 years old. Though that is a great amount of time to live, according to Men's standards, I have experienced many things, but I feel as though I need more in my life before I can be truly happy." Legolas replied after a brief silence and Celebfaer was shocked. He was but a few years older than herself, yet he seemed much older. "And now I believe it is your turn." He added.

"I shall have walked upon this world for 3000 years in but 75 years time and the majority of my life has been spent in Lothlorien. However, I wish that I were able to see more of the world myself rather than reading about it in books, or hearing about it from the Lady." She replied.

"Celebfaer, your eyes possess wisdom way beyond your years for when I saw you at the Council, I believed you to be closer to 4000 years, if you do not take offence." He said quickly and she laughed.

"I also thought you to be older than you tell, so I will take no offence, unless you do yourself." She replied, smiling.

The rest of the way they rode in silence and they did not make it back to Rivendell until dusk. Celebfaer did not mind that so much because she was glad to be in the company of an Elf that was of similar age to herself, that did not despise her because she was in high favour of the Lady or knew that she was not an Elf.

When they were outside the stables, Legolas jumped off first so that he could help Celebfaer down, so once more, she pulled the hood forward before allowing him to help her down and the hood fell back into its normal place on her head.

"Thank you for the ride back Legolas and for your protection in the woods." She added and he nodded, then took her hand and kissed the top of it softly.

"It was a pleasure my lady." He said. Then, being true to his word of protection he even escorted Celebfaer back up to her room, which she thought was too much but she knew it would be dishonorable to decline his offer of protection.

Once they made it to her room she bid him a good night then entered. She waited a few more minutes to make sure that he was definitely gone before she stripped off the cloak she was wearing. Then, Celebfaer walked over to her bed and sat down whispering words of protection once more for the horse and willing it to make a swift and safe return to Lothlorien with the message for the Lady.

She sat on her bed like that for some time, deep in thought until there came a knock on the door.

"Who comes forth?" She asked, wearily.

"It is I, Aragorn, son of Arathorn requesting to speak with the lady Celebfaer." He called through the door and she got up and walked over to the wardrobe to get out another cloak.

"Come in Aragorn." She called getting the clean cloak out, so he entered and saw her pull the cloak out of the wardrobe. He was speechless for a few seconds at the sight of her horribly battered, torn and useless wings, she noticed, but turned to face him so that he would be spared the sight. "What news do you bring Aragorn?" She asked.

"Those Orcs had no right in damaging things of such beauty." He said almost as though he was dreaming and she frowned at him.

"Aragorn what is done is done, now what news do you bring?"

"Arwen requests the presence of the spirit child for dinner with herself and I, if you have no other plans, that is." He said back to his normal self once more.

"I will come, for I have no other plans. Just let me don my cloak." She said.

The cloak this time was a deep green colour and she made Aragorn wait until she had fixed it properly before she turned and nodded to him.

"I am ready."

"Does it not hurt your wings to have the pressure of the cloth on them?"

"I cannot feel them any longer and the cloth is light. My wings are damaged beyond repair except by one road, now lead on, for Arwen is not one to keep waiting." She said and he turned, then led the way to the door of her room. "And no more talk of my wings Aragorn, remember where we are." She added, just before he opened the door.

"As the lady wishes." He replied and he led her to dinner with Arwen.

After the dinner and a few glasses of mead, she was quite happy and ready to start dancing or something, but Arwen stopped her with a simple hand movement.

"I think it is best that you went to bed." Arwen said and Celebfaer laughed.

"You have never seen the dance of a fairy have you Evenstar?" She asked and Arwen shook her head.

"But now is not the time, nor here the place. You have had a little too much mead and Aragorn shall have to escort you to your room in case you do something foolish." Arwen said and Aragorn stood up in response to the request made by Arwen.

"Come my lady. For tomorrow will be a tiresome day indeed." He said taking her hand and Celebfaer just laughed, but it was a sad laugh.

"Aragorn, I long to dance as is the fashion of my people but I no longer have the use of my wings and they play a great part in dances of that sort." She said sadly.

"You should be careful of whom you say that to spirit child, sometimes there are ears where there shouldn't be and the ears of an Elf are most sensitive even to the lowest sounds." He said, and they fell silent as he led her to her room.

Once there, Celebfaer looked around cautiously. "Aragorn, I tire of not being able to do what I like, when I like in fear that the Elves will find out what I am. Isn't almost 2500 years long enough of hiding?" She asked and shook his head.

"That is something you should take up with the Lady on your return to Lothlorien. I am sure she eagerly awaits your arrival." Aragorn said. "Goodnight and may the Valar send you pleasant dreams." He said then she opened the door and went into her room, knowing he would already be on his way back to Arwen.

It was that moment that Celebfaer felt the loneliness once more. This time however, it hit her even harder than before. She longed to have someone to love and who would love her back as much as Arwen loved Aragorn and he loved her. Seeing the two of them together normally made Celebfaer a little depressed and more lonely each time. She did not know she felt so lonely at that moment, but she had been alive for almost 3000 years and she had never felt the touch of someone that truly loved her. And she longed to have a companion that would travel with her and look at her as though she was the only being in the world that satisfied them. Though she wanted the companion to know the exact truth about her race and she knew that while she dwelt in Lothlorien with the Elves she would not be able to have that.

Though she knew if she went back to her people they would not accept her because of her wings alone and she longed to be accepted by them. This longing for Celebfaer was far greater than the longing for a companion because she knew if she took an Elf or another being for her lover, the rest of her folk, the fairies, would never accept her and she would be outcast from the dwelling. If that happened she knew she would never be able to go back to the fairies or the elves and she would prefer to travel the world by herself, forever living with her sorrow.

So, Celebfaer removed her cloak, then sat by the window, looking at the stars and wept for quite some time before she finally fell asleep.