Back in Aida's room, he laid her gently in the bed and sat down to think.
He should call Leida and have her treat Aida's wounds, but he wasn't sure
he wanted her scars to be discovered just yet. Why had she hidden them
from him? How had she been able to bear it alone? All he wanted was to
help her, and she still wouldn't trust him with the burden with which she
needed the most help. He sat deep in thought for a long while, then stood
and looked at Aida's sleeping face. He had two options: wait until she
awoke and ask her yet again about what had happened in her past. She might
finally tell him, now that he had seen the scars, but it didn't seem
likely. There was one other choice, though, and it seemed much more
viable. With a look of purpose on his face, he sent for Leida and strode
out of the room into his private chamber. He had a journey to prepare for.
Aida was immersed in another dream. She was in a dark, tiny room, strapped to a table. She couldn't move, couldn't see, couldn't even scream. Suddenly, she sensed a hulking presence enter the room. Though she heard nothing, she felt as if it was laughing at her. It came closer, and something began glowing red. She started to struggle against her bonds, tearing into her flesh. Blood ran down her fingers and dripped onto the floor. Sweat began to cover her body as the temperature in the room rose. The walls felt like they were closing in on her, and the glowing being approached her, silently mocking. And it was hot, so hot, and she smelled sulfur, and then.... Aida sat straight up in bed, breathing heavily. It was dark, and for a moment she thought she was back in the dream-room. But, looking around, she recognized her own little room in the elvish palace. She gave a sigh of relief and flopped back down on the bed. [She couldn't believe the nightmares were back.] Slowly, as her grogginess receded, she noticed something lying on the mantle. Her curiosity soon overcame the pounding in her head and she managed to stand. Holding one hand to her temple, she strode across the room, grabbed what she now saw to be a note, and collapsed into a chair. After resting a moment, she forced her eyes to focus on the hastily written script.
Aida-I must leave you for a while. I have questions which need answering. Do not, under any circumstances, leave the palace without me. I will return as soon as possible. Legolas.
Aida stared at the message, reading it again to make sure her tired eyes had seen it correctly. After reading it twice more, it was beyond doubt - Legolas was gone. If she hadn't been so inexplicably tired, she would have been furious. How could he just up and leave without even saying why? And where was he going? Suddenly, she gasped. If he was heading out of the forest, then he would be certain to meet the search parties from her village - and he would find out who she was and why she was here. She couldn't let that happen - though she had only known the prince a few days, she liked him and would be ever in his debt for saving her life. She couldn't let him wander around outside the forest asking about her, unwittingly dooming himself to certain death. She had to go after him, no matter what his note said. She sat collecting her strength for a moment, then stood up. Striding quickly around the small room, she gathered her few belongings and tucked Legolas' note into her pocket. Then, after glancing around the bedroom for a short moment, she tried her best to look determined and walked out.
Legolas rode northwest along the dark, narrow path. He wasn't quite sure exactly where he was going, only that he needed some answers - answers Aida was never going to give him. Though he had set an exhausting speed, his horse had not tired in the past hours. The noble mare's name was Ailwing, and she and Legolas had covered many a long league together in the forest and surrounding lands. He rode her bareback, as always, and marveled once again at the way they seemed to fit together, as if they had been made for each other. His thoughts strayed, and he wondered if Aida would fit him as well as Ailwing did. His eyes ablaze, he pursued that thoroughly pleasant line of thought, barely noticing how the trees were beginning to thin out. They rode on, passing suddenly out of the eaves of the forest and into open ground. An eagle which had been flying high overhead saw every detail of them with his sharp eyes: the elf-prince, in his usual hunter's green and brown, bow and quiver strapped to his back, long, fair hair flying out behind him. He was astride a brilliantly white mare whose feet barely seemed to touch the ground as she went along. Together, speeding through the moonlight, they were the very personification of the extraordinary. The eagle looked for a moment longer than she had intended, then shook out her feathers and went about her business. Legolas felt a strange, lonely sensation the moment he left the forest. His mind longed for the absent trees, trees which had cradled him ever since he was a child. After a moment of hesitation, he overcame the desire and spurred Ailwing on. For the first time that night, he felt the first vestiges of a plan began to form in his mind. He had very little knowledge of the lands this side of the forest, and he didn't have time to go looking for Aida's people at random. He needed information, and his thoughts immediately jumped to Beorn. The skinchanger knew every rock and tree around these parts, and had always been friendly to the wood-elves. Judging his direction by the moon, he turned Ailwing north and set off.
Aida was immersed in another dream. She was in a dark, tiny room, strapped to a table. She couldn't move, couldn't see, couldn't even scream. Suddenly, she sensed a hulking presence enter the room. Though she heard nothing, she felt as if it was laughing at her. It came closer, and something began glowing red. She started to struggle against her bonds, tearing into her flesh. Blood ran down her fingers and dripped onto the floor. Sweat began to cover her body as the temperature in the room rose. The walls felt like they were closing in on her, and the glowing being approached her, silently mocking. And it was hot, so hot, and she smelled sulfur, and then.... Aida sat straight up in bed, breathing heavily. It was dark, and for a moment she thought she was back in the dream-room. But, looking around, she recognized her own little room in the elvish palace. She gave a sigh of relief and flopped back down on the bed. [She couldn't believe the nightmares were back.] Slowly, as her grogginess receded, she noticed something lying on the mantle. Her curiosity soon overcame the pounding in her head and she managed to stand. Holding one hand to her temple, she strode across the room, grabbed what she now saw to be a note, and collapsed into a chair. After resting a moment, she forced her eyes to focus on the hastily written script.
Aida-I must leave you for a while. I have questions which need answering. Do not, under any circumstances, leave the palace without me. I will return as soon as possible. Legolas.
Aida stared at the message, reading it again to make sure her tired eyes had seen it correctly. After reading it twice more, it was beyond doubt - Legolas was gone. If she hadn't been so inexplicably tired, she would have been furious. How could he just up and leave without even saying why? And where was he going? Suddenly, she gasped. If he was heading out of the forest, then he would be certain to meet the search parties from her village - and he would find out who she was and why she was here. She couldn't let that happen - though she had only known the prince a few days, she liked him and would be ever in his debt for saving her life. She couldn't let him wander around outside the forest asking about her, unwittingly dooming himself to certain death. She had to go after him, no matter what his note said. She sat collecting her strength for a moment, then stood up. Striding quickly around the small room, she gathered her few belongings and tucked Legolas' note into her pocket. Then, after glancing around the bedroom for a short moment, she tried her best to look determined and walked out.
Legolas rode northwest along the dark, narrow path. He wasn't quite sure exactly where he was going, only that he needed some answers - answers Aida was never going to give him. Though he had set an exhausting speed, his horse had not tired in the past hours. The noble mare's name was Ailwing, and she and Legolas had covered many a long league together in the forest and surrounding lands. He rode her bareback, as always, and marveled once again at the way they seemed to fit together, as if they had been made for each other. His thoughts strayed, and he wondered if Aida would fit him as well as Ailwing did. His eyes ablaze, he pursued that thoroughly pleasant line of thought, barely noticing how the trees were beginning to thin out. They rode on, passing suddenly out of the eaves of the forest and into open ground. An eagle which had been flying high overhead saw every detail of them with his sharp eyes: the elf-prince, in his usual hunter's green and brown, bow and quiver strapped to his back, long, fair hair flying out behind him. He was astride a brilliantly white mare whose feet barely seemed to touch the ground as she went along. Together, speeding through the moonlight, they were the very personification of the extraordinary. The eagle looked for a moment longer than she had intended, then shook out her feathers and went about her business. Legolas felt a strange, lonely sensation the moment he left the forest. His mind longed for the absent trees, trees which had cradled him ever since he was a child. After a moment of hesitation, he overcame the desire and spurred Ailwing on. For the first time that night, he felt the first vestiges of a plan began to form in his mind. He had very little knowledge of the lands this side of the forest, and he didn't have time to go looking for Aida's people at random. He needed information, and his thoughts immediately jumped to Beorn. The skinchanger knew every rock and tree around these parts, and had always been friendly to the wood-elves. Judging his direction by the moon, he turned Ailwing north and set off.