CHAPTER 2 Legolas was woken up by a delicious smell of freshly cooked sausage. When he looked over to Hope's bed she wasn't there. He got up and walked out into the kitchen. On the table there was a paper. It said "Dear Legolas, I am in the shower. There is some sausage in a pan on the stove. I shall be out soon. Hope." Legolas got a plate and went over to the stove. He grabbed a few sausages and some pieces of bacon. He sat down and was about to bite into a sausage, when he heard a mans voice. Legolas knew that voice. It was Halidar. Legolas sprung up and sprinted to the closed door where Hope was and opened it and shut the door and jumped into the shower with Hope. "AHH.." Hope began to scream but Legolas placed his hand over her mouth. "Halidar is here he is looking for you. If he sees me what will he think? I'm sorry about this." Legolas said. Suddenly he slipped and fell on his back with Hope falling on top of him. "Hope, sweetie?" Halidar said knocking on the door. "Uh. coming." Hope said turning off the water and jumping out grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her body. She hurriedly grabbed her dress and walked behind a curtain and got dressed. She came out dressed and with the towel wrapped around her hair. She quietly walked over to Legolas. "Don't make any noise." She whispered and placed a light kiss on his lips. Hope opened the door and walked out, shutting the door behind her. "Hello my beautiful fiancée" Halidar said. "Fiancée?" Hope asked. "Yes, quitting acting like it is new news. I told you 2 days ago" Halidar said. "Yes you told me that my father might make me marry an elf here. But I didn't think so soon and not with you." Hope said. "Well your father sent a decree that you will be married to me as soon as the wedding can be arranged. And if you refuse you will be locked in a room and will not be fed until you agree to the marriage." Halidar said crossing his arms across his chest, smiling slightly. "Did he I had a certain time to decide." Hope asked taking a seat. "Actual he did. You have till noon." Halidar said walking over to the stove and removing the lid from the pot of herb soup. "This is a lot of food for only one person." Halidar said suspiciously. "Well.. I'm saving it." Hope stuttered. "Yes I'm sure. Oh, and you have two beds on the ground of your room. Don't play dumb with me! I know you had someone else in here last night." Halidar said. "And if I did it would not be any of you business." Hope said standing up. "And now will you please excuse yourself from my home." Hope said. "Gladly, but remember noon is the deadline." Halidar said walking out. When hope thought he was gone she went into the bathroom. Legolas was drying his hair with a towel. "I suppose you heard everything?" Hope said. "Yes I did, and Halidar is a smart elf he will catch on if I don't leave now." Legolas said. While they were talking they did not know that Halidar was listening near by. "Legolas that is who! She was who she was hiding." Halidar thought to himself. "I must tell you something Hope. This journey I'm going on, I may never return." Legolas said. "I know." Hope said. "That is why I am going with you." "What? You can't! I won't let you." Legolas said. "You can't stop me." Hope said. "What will the rest of the Fellowship think?" Legolas said. "I didn't say I was going to travel with you. I'm going with you which means I'll follow behind you and not be seen by anyone." Hope said happily. "NO!!! You are not going. I will make sure you don't." Legolas said. "Fine here is a deal. If you promise to come back I will not follow." Hope said. "Well. um fine, deal." Legolas said. "You promise?" Hope said. "Yes." Legolas said. "Ok I won't follow." Hope said. "I must tell the dark lord." Halidar said standing up and walked toward the east. He was in such a hurry that he did not notice that the letter that he had forged so that Hope would think that she would have to marry him fell from his pocket. "I must go." Legolas said. "Will I see you before you leave?" Hope Asked. "I'm sure for we are taking a path that goes right by your tent." Legolas said. "Great!!!" Hope exclaimed. "I will get your pillow and blanket. Finish eating." Legolas walked out of the bathroom and sat back down at the table. He took a bite of the sausage. It was cold be still good. Hope came into the kitchen with the pillow and blanket. "Got them." Hope said setting them on the table. "Thank you." Legolas said. He finished off the sausage and stood, picked up the pillow and blanket and said. "Farewell beautiful." Legolas bent over to kiss Hope, but Hope said "EW!!! I'm not kissing a man that still has sausage in his mouth." Legolas forgot that he was still chewing some of the sausage. "Just go!!!" Hope said laughing. She led him to the door. "Bye sweetie." Hope said kissing Legolas on the cheek. "Farewell." Legolas said. He turned and disappeared in the morning mist. Hope ran back to her room. From under her bed she grabbed a small bag that was full of food and water. She then dressed in eleven grey. She grabbed her bow and arrows and left the tent. Legolas came to the canopy. The fellowship was already packing up. "Legolas where have you been. We have been looking for you." Aragorn said. "I know! I know where he was!" Pippin exclaimed. "He was with that girl elf!" Merry and Pippin exclaimed. "How would you know?" Frodo asked. "How about you all shut your mouths?!" Legolas exclaimed. They finished cleaning up and went to a breakfast with the Lady and the Lord. "Welcome are you all rested?" the Lady asked. "Please have a seat." The Lord said. They took their seats. Elves brought out plates of food. "The plan is you shall take 3 boats and of food. "The plan is you shall take 3 boats and use them on the river for faster travel." The Lord explained. "We would send Halidar with you to the great falls but he has disappeared." The Lady said. "He has disappeared?" Legolas asked. "Yes, he said he was going to visit Hope for 5 minutes. And it has been nearly a hour since he has left." The Lady explained. After they finished eating, one of the elves was assigned to lead them to the boat dock. As they traveled on a path, they slowly approached Hopes tent. Legolas hoped that Hope would be outside, but she was no where to be seen. As they came to the side of the tent he saw something white. He was at the back of the line. They stopped on the side of the tent because the trail had been slightly steep. He went to the white thing and picked it up. It was a piece of paper. He opened it and began to read. The handwriting was very sloppy. There was a second page but the edges were burnt. The second page said "My trustful servant. I'll help you with this girl. If you bring her to Mordor so that I may see her. Report to me what she said." The letter was not signed. "Mordor?" Legolas said to himself. He couldn't figure it out. Who could have written this? He realized that there was no one else but the dark lord and Halidar was under the dark powers. "Oh no!" Legolas thought. He ran to the door of Hope's tent. "Hope!?" he yelled. There was no answer. He searched the tent. She was no where to be found. "What f he took her when I left." Legolas thought. He walked back out of the tent and back to the group. "What is that?" Pippin asked trying to snatch the letters out of his hand. "It is a love letter. You must get it!" Merry exclaimed. "Hobbits, this is really getting tiring." Legolas said holding the letters over his head. "Stop teasing him." Aragorn ordered. "Leave him alone." They soon began again. When finally they reached the dock, many elves were there to see them off. The Lady was standing by the boats. "My Lady, have you seen Hope?" Legolas asked "No, I thought she was going to meet you by the tent." She answered. "She was no where to be seen." Legolas said. "I am sorry but I have no idea where she might be." The Lady apologized. Legolas tried to keep searching. But she was no where he checked. "Legolas we are leaving!" Aragorn said. "Coming." Legolas said. They each were separated into the 3 boats. They pushed off and began down the river. What Legolas didn't know Hope was sitting in a tree watching them leave.