Aragorn followed the tracks through the forest, but they came across a set
that looked very different from hobbit footsteps. Neither Legolas nor
Aragorn recognized the strange footing. "These are strange tracks." Legolas
knelt to the ground next to an orc, seemingly squashed into the earth, and
laughed.
"They're not being followed anymore."
"The air... it feels so close," Gimli said pulling his axe to his side.
"This forest is old. Very old," Legolas began. "Full of memory... and anger. The trees are speaking to each other."
Suddenly a feeling overcame the elf, not something evil per say, but that something was wrong... someone was hurt. Immediately his thoughts turned to Anarrima. 'She is safe in Lothlorien, it cannot be her,' he thought. But the feeling returned again, but it was a feeling of a great presence approaching. He turned and hastened up a small hill, overlooking a small clearing in the deep shadows of Fangorn.
"Aragorn, nad no ennas!"[Something is out there!]
The ranger immediately turned his attention to Legolas. "Man cenich?"[What do you see?]
Legolas' eyes searched around the forest, watching for anything and everything. Finally his gaze settled on the clearing ahead. "The White Wizard approaches."
Out in the distance a blinding light emerged into the depths of Fangorn. Gimli threw his axe, but to no avail. Legolas let loose an arrow from his bow, but it fell at the feet of the wizard. Aragorn unsheathed his sword, glowing red in his hand he dropped it, clashing back to the ground. There the three stood before the wizard, completely at his mercy.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits. They met someone they did not expect, does that comfort you?"
Aragorn shielded his eyes from the blinding light. "Who are you?" He demanded. "Show yourself!"
The light slowly faded from behind the great trees. There the wizard stood, clad all in white. He was great in stature. Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli stood in disbelief.
"Gandalf?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"One stage of your journey is over, another begins," Gandalf the White led the three hunters out of the forest. "We must ride to Edoras, and make haste. Saruman's hold over king Theoden is now very strong." But suddenly through the trees there came the sound of neighing. A horse appeared out through the shadows. Legolas immediately recognized the steed.
"Dimrost!"
The horse trotted up to the elf, her head bowed in shame. Upon the saddle was Anarrima's bow and empty quiver; but no rider. "Where is she?" Dimrost reared back and turned, riding back through the trees where she came. Quickly Legolas ran after, the fear in his eyes became greater when he noticed Dimrost bore no owner. Aragorn, Gimli and Gandalf followed. Legolas was numb to any other feeling than the ground underneath his feet. His only concern was where Anarrima was, and if she was alive. They came to the edge of the forest and found only Hasufel near the trees where they left their steeds.
"Legolas..." Gimli sadly called to the elf from beside the motionless figure lying on the ground. The horse still layed beside the figure, continuously protecting it from harm.
Legolas came to the limp form and knelt down beside its head. There he noticed the chain around its neck, with a silver ring etched with elvish script. His heart nearly jumped from his chest, and his hands began to shake as he pulled the hood from her face. "Anarrima..."
The touch of her skin was like ice and her color was deathly pale. He placed his ear next to her mouth, praying she was still breathing. He could hear the faint sounds of her breath. She was alive! "She does not have much time!" He gently picked her up in his arms and bid his steed Arod to rise to his feet. With Ana still in his arms Legolas mounted Dimrost and placed her in front of him. "Gimli, you must ride Arod on your own," he said to the dwarf.
"Why of course Legolas," he responded in all sincerity. He cared for Anarrima very much, though she was one of the Eldar; but a friend she was still.
Gandalf summoned Shadowfax, lord of all horses and Aragorn mounted Hasufel. From there they hastened to Edoras with all speed. Legolas held Ana tight as Dimrost thundered over the plains of Rohan. As they moved closer to the city, Legolas finally realized; the stronger Sauron became, Anarrima would weaken. It was her father alone who had doomed her, by promising her hand to the Dark Lord in marriage. Her life was now tied with the fate of the One Ring. Her time was coming.
"They're not being followed anymore."
"The air... it feels so close," Gimli said pulling his axe to his side.
"This forest is old. Very old," Legolas began. "Full of memory... and anger. The trees are speaking to each other."
Suddenly a feeling overcame the elf, not something evil per say, but that something was wrong... someone was hurt. Immediately his thoughts turned to Anarrima. 'She is safe in Lothlorien, it cannot be her,' he thought. But the feeling returned again, but it was a feeling of a great presence approaching. He turned and hastened up a small hill, overlooking a small clearing in the deep shadows of Fangorn.
"Aragorn, nad no ennas!"[Something is out there!]
The ranger immediately turned his attention to Legolas. "Man cenich?"[What do you see?]
Legolas' eyes searched around the forest, watching for anything and everything. Finally his gaze settled on the clearing ahead. "The White Wizard approaches."
Out in the distance a blinding light emerged into the depths of Fangorn. Gimli threw his axe, but to no avail. Legolas let loose an arrow from his bow, but it fell at the feet of the wizard. Aragorn unsheathed his sword, glowing red in his hand he dropped it, clashing back to the ground. There the three stood before the wizard, completely at his mercy.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits. They met someone they did not expect, does that comfort you?"
Aragorn shielded his eyes from the blinding light. "Who are you?" He demanded. "Show yourself!"
The light slowly faded from behind the great trees. There the wizard stood, clad all in white. He was great in stature. Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli stood in disbelief.
"Gandalf?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"One stage of your journey is over, another begins," Gandalf the White led the three hunters out of the forest. "We must ride to Edoras, and make haste. Saruman's hold over king Theoden is now very strong." But suddenly through the trees there came the sound of neighing. A horse appeared out through the shadows. Legolas immediately recognized the steed.
"Dimrost!"
The horse trotted up to the elf, her head bowed in shame. Upon the saddle was Anarrima's bow and empty quiver; but no rider. "Where is she?" Dimrost reared back and turned, riding back through the trees where she came. Quickly Legolas ran after, the fear in his eyes became greater when he noticed Dimrost bore no owner. Aragorn, Gimli and Gandalf followed. Legolas was numb to any other feeling than the ground underneath his feet. His only concern was where Anarrima was, and if she was alive. They came to the edge of the forest and found only Hasufel near the trees where they left their steeds.
"Legolas..." Gimli sadly called to the elf from beside the motionless figure lying on the ground. The horse still layed beside the figure, continuously protecting it from harm.
Legolas came to the limp form and knelt down beside its head. There he noticed the chain around its neck, with a silver ring etched with elvish script. His heart nearly jumped from his chest, and his hands began to shake as he pulled the hood from her face. "Anarrima..."
The touch of her skin was like ice and her color was deathly pale. He placed his ear next to her mouth, praying she was still breathing. He could hear the faint sounds of her breath. She was alive! "She does not have much time!" He gently picked her up in his arms and bid his steed Arod to rise to his feet. With Ana still in his arms Legolas mounted Dimrost and placed her in front of him. "Gimli, you must ride Arod on your own," he said to the dwarf.
"Why of course Legolas," he responded in all sincerity. He cared for Anarrima very much, though she was one of the Eldar; but a friend she was still.
Gandalf summoned Shadowfax, lord of all horses and Aragorn mounted Hasufel. From there they hastened to Edoras with all speed. Legolas held Ana tight as Dimrost thundered over the plains of Rohan. As they moved closer to the city, Legolas finally realized; the stronger Sauron became, Anarrima would weaken. It was her father alone who had doomed her, by promising her hand to the Dark Lord in marriage. Her life was now tied with the fate of the One Ring. Her time was coming.
