Loswen emerged from Mirkwood, the dark trees contrasted sharply with the grassy slopes. It extended for miles! Was the world really this big? She halted her horse and gasped. It had taken them days to travel through Mirkwood, she had never ventured this far from her home in all of her life. It was amazing! Legolas had paused beside her, he smiled at her.
"Come Loswen, if we stay to stare at this all day I fear we shall never reach Rivendell!" He urged his horse forward, to catch up with the men that had accompanied them. Loswen's horse swiftly followed suit.
Legolas stood at the foot of the pass that led into the Misty Mountains, they had set up camp here, braving the mountains tomorrow. This is where his greatest fear for Loswen was. She seemed enthralled by everything around her. She had stared at a dead Orc's body for half an hour, before he had pulled her away. This was strange, he did not remember being drawn to such things and such details when he had first left Mirkwood. True, he had not been so protected as Loswen. The elves that had come with them had been telling her tales of winters they had spent in the mountains and places where it snowed all year around. They were telling her one of these tales now. Legolas listened,
"...when I awoke in the morning, the snow was up to here," The elf telling the story was gesturing to his mid chest, Curudin, Legolas noted, always over exaggerated.
Loswen's eyes shone, she smiled and said, "I hope one day I see snow that is that high...I should like to make a home for myself in the snow. Each day being able to go out and lay in the snow..."
"Surely you would grow weary of it, after sometime," one of the elves said, Aldaedhel.
She shook her head, "I would never grow weary of snow, you could leave me 50,000 years in a land of snow, I'd sleep in it, I'd rejoice everyday as a new layer of snow covered the other layers. To wake up, each morn, and see an untouched paradise, to know it would be made new the next day," she sighed, "yet, now, I find myself longing to see more of Middle-Earth, tis strange, never would I have thought I would have this ...desire..." Loswen trailed off.
There was silence in the group for a few moments, until, one of the elves placed an arm around her and cheerfully replied, "ah! You are young! Tis only growing, nothing to be afraid of, fulfil you desires! See Middle-Earth! 'Tis much to see, and I have seen much but still the sight of Mirkwood warms my heart!"
Legolas watched as this comment seemed to lift Loswen's spirits somewhat. She seemed to be becoming depressed, he had done what she had asked, had he not? Perhaps the snow in the Misty Mountains would lighten her spirits somewhat. He lay down and was swiftly drawn into the realm of dreams.
As the fire died down, Loswen made her way to where Legolas slept, his eyes open, his face peaceful, he was the one thing on which her feelings had not changed. She still loved him and was still as smitten with him as she had been when she had first met him. She remembered the look of horror mixed with relief on his face when he had woken her in the snow. She slid down next to Legolas and whispered him good night.
*
Morning had dawned and Loswen was ecstatic, the Misty Mountains were amazing! There was snow up to her thighs, well, at least it would have been if she hadn't gotten off of her horse to walk in it. The elves accompanying them kept suggesting she get back onto her horse before she freeze. She kept telling them that snow could never freeze her. Never in Mirkwood had she seen so much of something she loved. There was no earth to dirty the snow either, only rocks. The elves were cold, not as much as any other race would have been, though. Loswen, however, was not, the elves escorting them were amazed, never had they seen someone so happy to see snow.
When it came time for setting up camp, Loswen slowly wandered away and went in search of deeper snow, to lie in for a while and think.
Aldaedhel watched his princess wander away from where the others were making the camp, he watched his prince watch her go. He would have been alarmed by her leaving, although, as the prince saw her leave and showed no concern, he was settled. Aldaedhel had never seen an elf who liked snow so much, t'was abnormal! Her love of snow was apparent to someone who did not know her, or had not heard her talk. Her name, 'snow maiden' was the first clue, the next, her colour, she was, by the Valar, one of the palest elves he had ever seen, her hair was faded and washed out and her lips held a blue tinge that he had never seen before. When he had first noticed it, he had thought she was freezing! He had suggested that she mount her horse again. Legolas had calmed Aldaedhel by telling him that her lips were naturally that colour, that the maids reddened them. Aldaedhel's mind wandered on the thought of the prince and princess as a couple. He had never really given any thought to the idea of the prince marrying someone so much younger than himself. Legolas was almost 6 times her age. What a strange couple they made, his shining beauty, as bright as the sun and Loswen, a washed out version of the prince, but only in looks.
Legolas noticed that Loswen had not returned to camp, how strange, she had been gone an awful long time. He followed her small and light tracks and went to find her. After nearly half an hour of walking he rounded a corner and found her asleep on the snow. She had fallen asleep, how dead she looked. Legolas slowly woke her, she looked confused at first and then realised where she was.
"I must have fallen asleep, I'm sorry you had to come to look for me" she told him.
Legolas smiled, "does not matter, what do you think of the world outside of Mirkwood so far?" He asked.
"It's wonderful!" She exclaimed, "is there really snow here all year?"
"Aye, there is, and there's goblins too," she gasped, Legolas did his best goblin impression and she laughed.
***
"Come Loswen, if we stay to stare at this all day I fear we shall never reach Rivendell!" He urged his horse forward, to catch up with the men that had accompanied them. Loswen's horse swiftly followed suit.
Legolas stood at the foot of the pass that led into the Misty Mountains, they had set up camp here, braving the mountains tomorrow. This is where his greatest fear for Loswen was. She seemed enthralled by everything around her. She had stared at a dead Orc's body for half an hour, before he had pulled her away. This was strange, he did not remember being drawn to such things and such details when he had first left Mirkwood. True, he had not been so protected as Loswen. The elves that had come with them had been telling her tales of winters they had spent in the mountains and places where it snowed all year around. They were telling her one of these tales now. Legolas listened,
"...when I awoke in the morning, the snow was up to here," The elf telling the story was gesturing to his mid chest, Curudin, Legolas noted, always over exaggerated.
Loswen's eyes shone, she smiled and said, "I hope one day I see snow that is that high...I should like to make a home for myself in the snow. Each day being able to go out and lay in the snow..."
"Surely you would grow weary of it, after sometime," one of the elves said, Aldaedhel.
She shook her head, "I would never grow weary of snow, you could leave me 50,000 years in a land of snow, I'd sleep in it, I'd rejoice everyday as a new layer of snow covered the other layers. To wake up, each morn, and see an untouched paradise, to know it would be made new the next day," she sighed, "yet, now, I find myself longing to see more of Middle-Earth, tis strange, never would I have thought I would have this ...desire..." Loswen trailed off.
There was silence in the group for a few moments, until, one of the elves placed an arm around her and cheerfully replied, "ah! You are young! Tis only growing, nothing to be afraid of, fulfil you desires! See Middle-Earth! 'Tis much to see, and I have seen much but still the sight of Mirkwood warms my heart!"
Legolas watched as this comment seemed to lift Loswen's spirits somewhat. She seemed to be becoming depressed, he had done what she had asked, had he not? Perhaps the snow in the Misty Mountains would lighten her spirits somewhat. He lay down and was swiftly drawn into the realm of dreams.
As the fire died down, Loswen made her way to where Legolas slept, his eyes open, his face peaceful, he was the one thing on which her feelings had not changed. She still loved him and was still as smitten with him as she had been when she had first met him. She remembered the look of horror mixed with relief on his face when he had woken her in the snow. She slid down next to Legolas and whispered him good night.
*
Morning had dawned and Loswen was ecstatic, the Misty Mountains were amazing! There was snow up to her thighs, well, at least it would have been if she hadn't gotten off of her horse to walk in it. The elves accompanying them kept suggesting she get back onto her horse before she freeze. She kept telling them that snow could never freeze her. Never in Mirkwood had she seen so much of something she loved. There was no earth to dirty the snow either, only rocks. The elves were cold, not as much as any other race would have been, though. Loswen, however, was not, the elves escorting them were amazed, never had they seen someone so happy to see snow.
When it came time for setting up camp, Loswen slowly wandered away and went in search of deeper snow, to lie in for a while and think.
Aldaedhel watched his princess wander away from where the others were making the camp, he watched his prince watch her go. He would have been alarmed by her leaving, although, as the prince saw her leave and showed no concern, he was settled. Aldaedhel had never seen an elf who liked snow so much, t'was abnormal! Her love of snow was apparent to someone who did not know her, or had not heard her talk. Her name, 'snow maiden' was the first clue, the next, her colour, she was, by the Valar, one of the palest elves he had ever seen, her hair was faded and washed out and her lips held a blue tinge that he had never seen before. When he had first noticed it, he had thought she was freezing! He had suggested that she mount her horse again. Legolas had calmed Aldaedhel by telling him that her lips were naturally that colour, that the maids reddened them. Aldaedhel's mind wandered on the thought of the prince and princess as a couple. He had never really given any thought to the idea of the prince marrying someone so much younger than himself. Legolas was almost 6 times her age. What a strange couple they made, his shining beauty, as bright as the sun and Loswen, a washed out version of the prince, but only in looks.
Legolas noticed that Loswen had not returned to camp, how strange, she had been gone an awful long time. He followed her small and light tracks and went to find her. After nearly half an hour of walking he rounded a corner and found her asleep on the snow. She had fallen asleep, how dead she looked. Legolas slowly woke her, she looked confused at first and then realised where she was.
"I must have fallen asleep, I'm sorry you had to come to look for me" she told him.
Legolas smiled, "does not matter, what do you think of the world outside of Mirkwood so far?" He asked.
"It's wonderful!" She exclaimed, "is there really snow here all year?"
"Aye, there is, and there's goblins too," she gasped, Legolas did his best goblin impression and she laughed.
***