Wow, loads of reviews! Thanks everybody!
Raider-K- I really appreciated your review, and totally agree with you. I have been trying to say it, but haven't been able to put it into words. Thank you so much, it made my day! I don't let the negative reviews get me down, I even laugh at a few!
Radiion- I'm glad you liked Unadith. I might do a sequel, I'm thinking about it. Any ideas? Of course I wouldn't let Legs or Rinamarth die. It wouldn't be right!
Shadow Fox2- Here you go. Enjoy!
crazycruzet212()- Glad you like it. Cool, another new reviewer! ^_^
Chapter 7, Recovery.
Rinamarth woke later. It was dark, and she felt scared. She couldn't remember anything of the past few days. She sat up, and felt the cloak over her slip to the ground. She shivered, and looked around. She could just make out two horses not far away. She got to her feet.
"Not so fast Rinamarth," said a kind voice. She looked round. Standing at her side, was Legolas. His eyes glinted in the moonlight, and beyond him, she could see the stars reflected in the river. He put his arm round her, and sat her back down. He sat next to her, and held her in his arms. She could just see the bandage on his arm.
"Legolas your arm!" she whispered.
"Don't worry it's fine. How's your leg?" She looked at it. It was clean, and there was a bandage round it. The pain had gone.
"Fine thanks. What about your cheek?" She could remember something about seeing his cheek bleeding.
"Stinging a little, but much better now. Go back to sleep." He lay her down, and stroked her forehead. She smiled. "I want to stay with you."
"I'm here, I won't leave, I promise." He gently kissed her, and lay next to her. He put one hand behind his head, and looked up at the stars. The other arm, he kept wrapped round Rinamarths' shoulders. She nestled up to him, and closed her eyes. She felt safe now that he was there. She soon fell back to sleep, and Legolas stayed constantly with her.
The sun rose next morning and her rays hit two figures lying on the ground, both asleep. Legolas could no longer stay awake, and had fallen asleep without meaning to. As the sun touched his face, he woke up. He cursed himself for falling asleep. He looked at Rinamarth. She was still asleep, curled up next to him. He smiled, but stopped because it hurt his cheek. He gently pulled his arm out from under her, and sat up. He looked round. Jaiston and Aistel were a few feet away grazing. He got to his feet, and brushed the bits of grass and leaves from his clothes. He went and splashed his face with water to wake himself up a bit.
As he knelt by the side, Rinamarth woke up. He sat up, and looked round for Legolas. She saw him kneeling at the riverside. She smiled to herself. Her head suddenly pounded with pain. She fell to her knees and held it. She shut her eyes, and saw things. She remembered stumbling blindly along, falling to the ground. Arrows whizzed over her head. Orcs surrounded her. An Elf galloped up, and lifted her onto his horse. She watched him fight the Orcs and come running back. She saw blood on his face and arms. She cried out in pain.
Legolas turned at her cry. He saw her kneeling on the ground cradling her head in her hands. He ran to her and lifted her face up. She had her eyes tight shut.
"Rinamarth, look at me!" he told her. She suddenly went limp, and fell against him. He caught her safely, and laid her down. He brushed her hair out of her eyes, and she opened her eyes.
"What was it?" he asked her softly. She shut her eyes with remembered pain.
"I remembered it."
"Remembered what?"
"Your fight, your blood, the Orcs…" her voice faded as she thought of these things. Her head still pounded.
"My head hurts," she whispered, feeling it. He stroked his hand over her forehead, and the pain eased a little. Her breathing slowed, she had been gasping for air. Legolas got a cloth, wet it, and placed it over her forehead to cool her down. She was boiling.
"You're getting a fever," he said. The cool cloth was comforting to her. She tried to sit up, but Legolas pushed her back down. She looked at him.
"I want to go home," she whispered.
"We'll go when you're better. You're far too weak at the moment. I'll take you to Mirkwood first, it's nearer." He felt her forehead. She was still really hot. He took her cloak off.
"You need to cool down," he told her. She lifted her hand and stroked his cheek. His injured cheek. He winced as she gently brushed her fingers over it, but he felt the pain fade a little. He smiled and held her hand.
"We'll go as soon as we can."
For the rest of that day, Rinamarth rested, and Legolas prepared to leave. He wanted to set off as soon as possible. Hopefully, she would be well enough to ride the next day. The horses were perfectly fine, and ready to leave whenever. He refilled the water bottles, and checked their food supplies were ok. At one point, Rinamarth woke up, and started rummaging in her bag.
"What you looking for?" he asked.
"My dress."
"What dress?"
"This one," she replied, and held up her beautiful long white dress that sparkled silver in the sun. Legolas smiled. He knew that dress. "Why did you bring it with you?"
"It was something to remember you, and the good times we had together by." He went over to her, and felt the dress. He remembered their first dance and their evening by the river. He remembered how wonderfully she had danced, and how graceful they had been together. The people had all stood at the side to let them dance by themselves. It had been a magical night, and Legolas would never forget it.
Rinamarth looked at him fingering the dress. She could see in his eyes the memories he had, good and bad. She saw his face soften as he remembered. She held his hand. He looked up at her.
"Remember?" she asked.
"Of course I do. I'll never forget." They neatly folded the dress up, and put it safely away. As he got to his feet, Legolas' chain slipped out from behind his top. Rinamarth saw it sparkling in the sunlight.
"You still have it," she said. Legolas looked at her.
"What?"
"The chain." He looked down at it. It lay still against his chest, sparkling and glittering. He smiled.
"Obviously, I never take it off." She smiled and stood next to him. She felt much stronger already, and could stand by herself. She held the tiny heart in her hand. As it lay in her palm, the memories flooded back. The dance, the river, the journey to Mirkwood, the kiss… She gently placed back against his chest and looked at him. She slipped her arms round him, and he held her there, his head resting slightly on hers. They stood there together, happy to be finally with each other again.
The next day, Rinamarth was well enough to ride, but she had to sit in front of Legolas on Jaiston. He refused to let her ride on her own. Aistel galloped along beside them. They went non-stop all day, and by nightfall had reached the borders of Lórien. They entered, and soon came across Haldir and his company.
"Come, follow me," said Haldir, and he led them to see Galadriel and Celeborn.
They left Aistel and Jaiston at the foot of the stairs up to the flet, and Legolas helped Rinamarth up. It was a slow and hard journey for her as she was exhausted. They finally got to the top, and Galadriel welcomed her warmly. She wasn't as cool and collected as normal. She was clearly frantic with worry about her granddaughter, as was Celeborn.
"My darling child, everyone has been so worried!" she said as she embraced her granddaughter. Celeborn held her too, and Rinamarth bowed.
"It is a long and tiresome story, and I would rather tell it in daylight."
"Of course my child, go now and rest. We will speak more when you are well. Legolas, I would like a word with you please," Galadriel said. Rinamarth was led to a place where she could rest, and Galadriel turned to Legolas.
"We are eternally grateful to you Prince Legolas. Twice you have helped her now, and we can think of no way to repay you. How could we?" Legolas smiled.
"I helped her because I love her. I ask for nothing in return, just a comfy bed tonight." Galadriel laughed.
"Very well. You love her you say? Well, I know she loves you more than anything in this world, and I am glad of this. You will be together forever, I can see it." She bowed to Legolas, and he bowed to her. She kissed the top of his head, and he went to his camp. He was just round the corner from Rinamarth.
When she was changed and washed, Rinamarth went to see him. She peered round.
"Can I come in?" she called. She heard him laugh.
"Yes, as long as you don't mind seeing me topless."
//Ooh!// She hurried in.
He was sat on his bed, leaning against a tree. He was making some new arrows. He looked up as she walked in. She had washed her hair, she was in a lovely long blue dress, and her eyes were sparkling once more. He was in just his leggings! He smiled at her. She looked so beautiful, now she was back to her normal self. She came and sat next to him.
"Do you have to do that now?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I feel like it. Are you ok? You look a bit…upset?" She looked at the ground.
"I feel awful. I cut all my beautiful hair off, and I look horrible now." He put his half-made arrow down, and put his arm round her.
"No you don't you're as beautiful as you ever were. Just because you cut your hair, doesn't mean you look awful! You're beautiful, and you must remember that."
"So, you don't mind that it's short?"
"Of course I don't! I would still love you however long it was." He kissed her. "Are you going to write to your mother and father?"
"Yes, I've started a letter, what do you think?" She handed him a half-written letter. So far, it said;
Mother, and Father,
Don't worry, I'm safe and well in Lórien. Legolas found me on the plains of Rohan. The witch cast spells over me in my dreams, and told me to leave. She tried to kill me using her Orcs, but Legolas came to my rescue. I'll tell you more when I get home.
"That's fine," he said, handing it back to her.
"Not too…formal?"
"No! I'd better write to my father actually." He grabbed a bit of paper and a pen, and wrote;
Father,
I found her! She was wandering the plains of Rohan under a spell that the witch put on her. She was about to be killed by loads of Orcs, but I managed to fight them off. It was extremely lucky I found her at that point, because if I hadn't she would have been killed.
I'll tell you all the details when I get home. I don't know when I'll be back; we're staying in Lórien at the moment. She has written to her parents, and they will get their letter roundabout the same time you get mine. So don't worry, we are both safe and well. See you soon.
Legolas
"Ok?" he asked, showing her. She read it. "Yes. Now, I'll just finish mine, and we'll send them." She quickly wrote the remainder of the letter.
We're in Lórien at the moment, and we're both fine. I'm sorry I left, but I had no control over what I was doing. I'll see you very, very soon, but I might go to Mirkwood first with Legolas. If I do, I'll let you know. See you soon.
Rinamarth xxxxxxxx
They sent them off at the same time.
Elrond received his letter first. He was overjoyed to know she was safe and well. There were great celebrations in Rivendell, and it was no longer silent. It was filled with singing, music, and laughter once again.
When Thranduil received his letter, he too, was overjoyed. He had been deeply worried about his son, as he had had no news from him. But his letter threw all his worries away. The people of Mirkwood were extremely happy to hear that their Prince would be home soon.
Rinamarth and Legolas stayed in Lórien a long time. They did not realise they had stayed so long, until Galadriel told them;
"You had better be going soon, you have already been here a month."
"A month? That went quickly," Rinamarth exclaimed. They prepared to leave in a weeks' time. Rinamarth decided to go straight home, but Legolas was worried. He didn't want her riding in the wild by herself. He consulted Celeborn over this.
"We will send riders with her. We do not want her to ride alone either. She is very special to us, and we would hate to lose her." Legolas immediately felt relieved. She would be safe with other Elves. He would ride alone to his home, but he didn't have to pass the Misty Mountains. That was what he had been worried about, her passing the mountains by herself, and going through The Gap of Rohan. It was not a safe place.
They left Lórien a week later as they had planned. Rinamarth headed Southwest to pass through the Gap, and Legolas went north. They had a fond farewell under the golden boughs of that fair place. Rinamarth vowed she would go to him again, but he said he would go to her first. They promised to write, then they parted again. It was a bittersweet parting, for they were sad to leave each other again, but glad for they knew they were safe. They galloped off in opposite directions, not knowing when they would see each other again.
I have put chapter 8 up as well as this one was quite short. Please read and review! ^_^
