Legolas sat in Anarrima's healing chamber beside her bed, holding her hand.
She was now sleeping, regaining her strength slowly. Dimrost was in the
stables with the other horses, and Aragorn was speaking with King Theoden,
who was healed from the spell of Saruman. When Legolas looked upon Anarrima
he wondered why; why did she follow them? She could have stayed in
Lothlorien where she was safe. But she risked her very life to find them.
She traveled for days without food or water, and Sauron looking for her all
the while.
Then there came a soft knock at the door and Gandalf entered quietly. He looked upon the sleeping Ranger and smiled. "She is indeed a special person." The wizard pulled up a chair next to Legolas and set his staff against the foot of Ana's bed. He could see in the elf's eyes the questions he held.
"Mithrandir, do you remember when you told me about your knowledge of Anarrima's coming?" Legolas asked still looking upon the sleeping form. Her color had returned and now her hands were warm and soft.
Gandalf sat in thought for a moment then nodded his head and smiled. "You wish to know more about her?"
"I do."
"Well," the wizard began, "when Middle-earth was made and the Children of Ilúvatar awoke under the starlight Manwë set aside one of the Maia from Valinor to be the first to dwell in Middle-earth. That Maia was Nenuial, the Lady of the twilight. She was to one day bare a child that would aid in the destruction of the dark power many years to come. Daedeloth, her husband, was descendent of the Moriquendi, the most wise and skillful Elves in all of Middle-earth. Together they bore the child of pure light, the one who would break the evil doings of the Moriquendi and end the darkness upon Middle-earth forever."
"Anarrima..." Legolas said, "she is the child of light?"
"Yes," Gandalf smiled.
"But what of her mother?" Legolas inquired, "Anarrima said that her mother died shortly after she left for Mirkwood."
"Her mother did not die, Legolas," Gandalf said solemnly, "she was killed."
Legolas' eyes widened at the wizard's words, "Murdered?"
"When Daedeloth went under the command of Gil-galad and of the Last Alliance he sent his daughter to be in the care of your father. After the defeat of Sauron Daedeloth was captured by the servants of the enemy. He promised full power by Sauron the Deceiver if he completed two tasks; have Daedeloth's only daughter, the Child of Light, be the Dark Lord's wife, and that Anarrima's mother be killed as to not interfere in the marriage ceremony. Daedeloth was released from Mordor on a mission; kill Nenuial under any means necessary. He took her out into the wilds of the East, tortured and killed her. Then he came to Mirkwood..."
"To deliver Anarrima to Sauron," Legolas finished in anger.
"Yes, it was her stubborness that saved her life... and you saved her from utter capture."
"How?" the elf looked at Anarrima again, his love for her growing as he learned more about her family.
"If she had stayed in Mirkwood like she wished, Daedeloth would have come back for her. But even now Sauron still searches for her whilst searching for the One Ring. And if he finds both," Gandalf began in all seriousness, "may the Valar protect us all. He must never find both, or he will be unstoppable."
Legolas sat for what seemed like a lifetime in silent contemplation. Anarrima was the one the Valar perceived as the Child of Light.
"Then she left Lothlorien..."
"To come back to you, Legolas Greenleaf."
The wizard rose from his chair and grabbed his staff. He placed a gentle hand on the elf's shoulder and looked upon Anarrima once again. "It was not mere coincidence that brought Anarrima to Mirkwood, you two were meant to be together."
With that the wizard left the healing chamber to find and speak with King Theoden and Aragorn about the upcoming war with Mordor. Legolas sat still in quiet amazement. The one who slept before him was a true blessing upon this earth, and she doesn't even know it. Getting up he placed her hand upon her chest then leaned over and kissed her lips. He brushed her hair from her face and smiled before leaving the room after the wizard.
Then there came a soft knock at the door and Gandalf entered quietly. He looked upon the sleeping Ranger and smiled. "She is indeed a special person." The wizard pulled up a chair next to Legolas and set his staff against the foot of Ana's bed. He could see in the elf's eyes the questions he held.
"Mithrandir, do you remember when you told me about your knowledge of Anarrima's coming?" Legolas asked still looking upon the sleeping form. Her color had returned and now her hands were warm and soft.
Gandalf sat in thought for a moment then nodded his head and smiled. "You wish to know more about her?"
"I do."
"Well," the wizard began, "when Middle-earth was made and the Children of Ilúvatar awoke under the starlight Manwë set aside one of the Maia from Valinor to be the first to dwell in Middle-earth. That Maia was Nenuial, the Lady of the twilight. She was to one day bare a child that would aid in the destruction of the dark power many years to come. Daedeloth, her husband, was descendent of the Moriquendi, the most wise and skillful Elves in all of Middle-earth. Together they bore the child of pure light, the one who would break the evil doings of the Moriquendi and end the darkness upon Middle-earth forever."
"Anarrima..." Legolas said, "she is the child of light?"
"Yes," Gandalf smiled.
"But what of her mother?" Legolas inquired, "Anarrima said that her mother died shortly after she left for Mirkwood."
"Her mother did not die, Legolas," Gandalf said solemnly, "she was killed."
Legolas' eyes widened at the wizard's words, "Murdered?"
"When Daedeloth went under the command of Gil-galad and of the Last Alliance he sent his daughter to be in the care of your father. After the defeat of Sauron Daedeloth was captured by the servants of the enemy. He promised full power by Sauron the Deceiver if he completed two tasks; have Daedeloth's only daughter, the Child of Light, be the Dark Lord's wife, and that Anarrima's mother be killed as to not interfere in the marriage ceremony. Daedeloth was released from Mordor on a mission; kill Nenuial under any means necessary. He took her out into the wilds of the East, tortured and killed her. Then he came to Mirkwood..."
"To deliver Anarrima to Sauron," Legolas finished in anger.
"Yes, it was her stubborness that saved her life... and you saved her from utter capture."
"How?" the elf looked at Anarrima again, his love for her growing as he learned more about her family.
"If she had stayed in Mirkwood like she wished, Daedeloth would have come back for her. But even now Sauron still searches for her whilst searching for the One Ring. And if he finds both," Gandalf began in all seriousness, "may the Valar protect us all. He must never find both, or he will be unstoppable."
Legolas sat for what seemed like a lifetime in silent contemplation. Anarrima was the one the Valar perceived as the Child of Light.
"Then she left Lothlorien..."
"To come back to you, Legolas Greenleaf."
The wizard rose from his chair and grabbed his staff. He placed a gentle hand on the elf's shoulder and looked upon Anarrima once again. "It was not mere coincidence that brought Anarrima to Mirkwood, you two were meant to be together."
With that the wizard left the healing chamber to find and speak with King Theoden and Aragorn about the upcoming war with Mordor. Legolas sat still in quiet amazement. The one who slept before him was a true blessing upon this earth, and she doesn't even know it. Getting up he placed her hand upon her chest then leaned over and kissed her lips. He brushed her hair from her face and smiled before leaving the room after the wizard.
