All words spoken by Demi are in elvish please, just thought I'd mention it so there is no confusion.
P.S. For all those confused, this is the bonus chapter for my lyal reviewers, not for the flamers or non reviewers. Nah, just kidding, this is for the non reviewers too, but you have to review or no chocolate! For ever! Muhahahahahaha! Eh, hem.
***In the neck of the woods***
The company went on soon after Legolas' song, further into the woodland realm. Demi felt a wave of warmth under the trees, like a welcome home party. They came across a few large and thick trees. Legolas climbed one of them to find out if they were safe for sleep and cover.
"I am at home amongst the trees. I will see now their size, shape and girth." He said. With a swift jump he caught a branch far over their heads.
"Daro!" shouted a voice from up in the branches and Legolas fell down in shock. Laughter sprung from where the voice was heard, but accompanied by other voices. The first voice was oddly familiar to Demi now that she thought of it. Then the first voice spoke to Legolas in the Sindarin tongue. He answered their questions and turned back to the group.
"They are elves." He said, then turning to Gimli he said. "And they say you, master dwarf breathe so loud they could have shot you in the dark." Gmili just glared at Legolas, muttering something in his own tongue that Demi could have sworn meant. 'Rack off you pansy'. His usual reply. Legolas just ignored him and continued to speak.
"They also say that you need not fear and are friends of Vaira and Aure. They bid the ladies the hobbits and myself to climb into the tree and speak with them so they can decide what is to be done." Legolas said as a silver rope ladder was let down and he climbed it lightly. Demi gave Rhia a confused look and followed after him.
The rope swayed slightly as she climbed it and Demi wasn't too trusting of it, even though it was elvan made. High up in the mellorn tree a flet was built, but it was not a big as Demi's flet she had stayed in. She climbed through the circular hole in the centre of the flet and sat down next to Legolas waiting for the others. On the other side, she noticed three cloaked figures sitting cross-legged and still as stone, their heads cast down, not able to be seen.
Frodo, Sam, Rhia, Merry and Pippin followed soon after and sat down where room would allow. Frodo sat next to Demi with a weedy smile. He was not sure if he could trust these friends of Demi and Rhia, be they elves or naught. Gimli had said that the elves of Lórien were not to be trusted, be then again; he had never liked elves to begin with.
"Mae govannon! Well met and welcome!" said the voice of the first elf that spoke to them below the tree. "I am Haldir and these are my brothers, Rúmil and Orophin."
"Haldir? Rúmil? Orophin? Naa tanya lle?" Demi said smiling broadly in the elvish tongue. Is that you
"Ah, we were not sure we could trust your companions Lirimaer." lovely one Rúmil said, removing his cloak from covering his face, smiling benevolently. Demi just gave an exasperated sigh while Rhia gave a knowing look.
"We heard rumour of your quest by Elrond's messangers, but we have naught heard of or seen half-lings for a long while. We seldom meet with any but our own kindred. You most certainly do not look evil, and being as you travel with our Kindred and friends here, we are willing to befriend you. How many are there in your companionship Legolas?" Haldir said, looking to each of the hobbits then to Demi. He had not changed much, and he still did not think much of Rhia.
"There are ten of us travelling through Lórien, the ladies here; myself; the four hobbits; two men, one who is Aragorn son of Arathorn." Demi said.
"Aragorn is known amongst our people and has the favour of the lady Galadriel. But still, who is your tenth companion?" Haldir asked.
"the tenth is a dwarf." Legolas said. Demi cringed to think what the brothers would say to this.
"A dwarf! In fair lothlórien! They are not permitted in these lands. He will not pass any further." Orophin said infuriated.
"Calm down Orophin, he's not that bad!" Rhia said.
"He is one of Dáin's kin of the lonely mountain an was chosen be Elrond to travel with us. He is both brave and loyal." Frodo said.
The brothers raised their eye brows and spoke together, and then questioned Legolas about him. Demi only caught part of sentences, as she looked around her.
"The dwarf may stay, but if he is guarded for and answered by Aragorn and Legolas. But he must be blind folded!" Haldir said finally. Legolas then left the flet to inform the others, who were to sleep that night in the next tree. The girl's and hobbit's belongings were brought up. Rúmil handed out blankets to them all and stopped finally at Demi, smiling and handing over the last blanket, then settling himself beside her. Demi and Rhia had moved to sit with the brothers to catch up.
"Sut naa lle?" Demi asked them. How are you
"Well and yourselves?" Orophin answered.
"Oh, yeah, you know, slaving away against foul weather and sore feet, but nothing too dramatic, only… well…" Rhia started then stopped mid sentence, fighting back tears.
"What is it?" Haldir asked in alarm.
"Well…you see, Gandalf fell as we passed though Moria, fighting the Balrog. Or so I have been told." Demi answered for her in the soft elvan tongue she was now enslaved to, not that it was a bad thing.
"What do you mean, so you have been told? You did travel all the way with your companions did you not?" Haldir questioned.
"Well, I did but, before Gandalf fell, we were attacked by orcs and a cave troll. I was um…trying to stop the troll attacking Frodo, but it hit me with its club and I hit the wall opposite." Demi replied again in elvish, her eyes downcast as though she was admitting weakness.
"She…she…almost died…" stuttered out, loosing her battle against her emotions.
Rúmil looked worried and looked to Demi as though she was again in the same predicament she had been earlier that day. "Are you all right? Where are you wounded? Can I help?" he asked, searching for any viable wounds.
"Amin quel Rúmil!" Demi replied in, as Rúmil took her into his arms tightly. "Ok…ok…I'm kinda…I need air!" gasped Demi. I am well
"Amin hiraetha!" he said, as though suddenly aware that he had been so bold. He looked away from his brothers who were now smirking.I'm sorry
***
They were awoken during the night by Haldir.
"What is it?" asked Frodo sleepily.
"yrch!" Haldir replied, pulling the rope ladder up.
"Orcs! Here?" asked Rhia, but he and Orophin vanished.
"We shall return soon." Rúmil said, taking Demi's hand, kissing it vanishing after his brothers. Demi stared in wonder. What's up with him lately? The hobbits crawled over to the side to have a look at what was going on whilst Rhia gave Demi the 'look' again.
" Mani?" Demi asked.
"Nothing!" Rhia said in a would-be-innocent way. Demi wasn't fooled. She knew her too well.
Demi heard a hissing noise and peered over the edge next to the hobbits. Something was lurking near the base of the tree, sniffing and scrapping at the bark. She saw two eyes, glowing in the darkness, looking upwards towards them. Demi pulled the hobbits back and hushed them, putting a finger to her lips. The hobbits nodded as she gazed down again, only to find the figure gone.
Haldir came back then, telling them that he saw what they did, but he did not dare attack it so that it would not alert the whole forest. "We cannot risk battle here, the orcs crossed the Nimrodel, searching for something. They must have picked up a scent. We loured them into the wood. Orophin has now gone to alert our people. The orcs will not leave Lórien." He said as Rúmil returned at his side.
***
Demi and Rhia did not sleep after the orc invasion. They were still unsettled by it all. Haldir and Rúmil now led the company onwards. Rúmil seemed to be keeping a close eye on Demi who walked with Rhia to the back of the line.
"You don't see it do you?" Rhia said as they walked on down the path to the left hand side of the Silverlode.
"Mani?" asked Demi curiously. She had to answer saying simple things like this so Rhia would understand.
"Rúmil likes you, how can you not see it?" She said with a smile of triumph on her face.
"Manioio." Whatever Demi said rolling her dark green eyes. She was secretly contemplating her new knowledge. Now that she put it all together, Rhia was right. But Demi didn't want to get into anything like that right now. She had two jobs to do as it was and they were hard enough without anymore drama. She had to focus on getting Frodo to Mordor and practise her magic, she still wasn't strong enough, and there was a great chance she might need it soon.
Haldir led them into the trees and to a river. The Celebrant, strong and swift. "We do not make bridges to cross it in these times, if only rope ones in great need." He said then making a bird call, a length of rope was tossed over to him by an elf donned in the usual grey tunic the males of Lórien wore. Haldir tied the rope around a tree and faced the group. He let out another call and two more ends were thrown to him. He tied one shoulder high and the other waist high. "Follow me!" He said, darting across the rope swiftly and gracefully.
Rúmil followed next before waving to Demi. Then followed Legolas, Merry, Pippin (who was surprisingly sure footed), Frodo, Sam, Demi, Rhia, Gimli (who cursed the elves of their 'unethical' ways'), Boromir and Aragorn.
They cautiously edged their way across the rope save Legolas who followed it as well as haldir. Demi found it a little easier than what she thought, though not realising until she was across that she was half elvan and it shouldn't have been such a big problem. Sam took a mighty long time as her was rather scared out of his wits. He kept muttering to himself: "Don't look down Samwise you fool! You're almost there. Gaffer would definitely say to me if knew what a wimp I was being: Live and learn Sammy boy, though I think he was talking more of Gardening."
They all met on the east bank. Rúmil then turned to the others and said. "I must now return to the Nimrodel to keep watch. I am sorry lothamin." He said turning to Demi, taking her hand. She blushed and smiled back, wishing he wouldn't treat her so; she did not have the same feelings. He then darted back across the rope and left, taking two lengths with him. Haldir kept the other.
"Now I will blind fold Gimli and we may continue." Haldir said.
"Blind fold me!" raged Gimli. "I will not go forth a prisoner. I would no more betray you then Legolas!"
"I do believe you, but it is the laws of these lands and I cannot break them any further than what I have already just for you master dwarf." Haldir replied firmly. "Dwarves!" he muttered under his breath.
"Gimli will not be singled out my firend, we shall all be blind folded. Yes you too Legolas." Aragorn said at the look on Legolas' face. Gimli laughed openly.
"This will be quite a sight!" he said.
Haldir bound all their eyes in soft elvan cloth and told them to all hold onto the rope as he led them through the forest and over the Silverlode again. They walked on until evening. Rhia grumbled all day.
"This is so stupid. We have seen the woods! We have lived here!"
Demi nodded her head. She too thought it rather silly, but she didn't want to leave the others out.
That night they slept with the cloth still over their eyes, but Haldir took Demi's off when all were asleep.
"I see no reason for your eyes to be bound this night." He said as he led her over to a little way off from the fellowship so they could talk without being heard. Demi told Haldir of their journey and how she had learnt a small bit of magic. She pulled out her spell book and passed it to him.
"This is a gift indeed! And you say you can perform some?" He asked her curiously. He wasn't as distant with her since she returned. Obviously because she and his brothers (Rúmil in particular) got on so well.
"Well yes, But some of these are more complicated, especially healing. I will have to mastered that before I leave." She said said, still in elvish.
"You mean to go with the fellowship still then?"
"Uma. It is my…Hey, I can speak westron again! Wohoo! Uha! Oh yeah! Um…sorry, I meant, it is my path." She added bashfully.
"What do you mean?"
"After I woke up yesterday when Aragorn revived me, I could only speak elvish. Must have something to do with my accident."
***
The next morning, word had been brought to Haldir in the early hours that the creature below Demi's flet could not be found as the captain and young elf-witch spoke. Haldir roused the fellowship. "You are to walk free by the command of the Lord and Lady."
The fellowship's blind-folds were removed, much appreciatively. "Behold Cerin Amroth! We will wait here til dusk then enter the city of Galadrim."
They stayed seated, looking around them in wonder. Yellow Elanor and the white nephredil were found all around them in the green grass. The bluest sky could sky could be seen through the leaves of the trees and the day was bright. They spoke little, lost in their own thoughts.
Demi found herself confused still about Rúmil. "What should?" she asked herself.
"Follow your heart," a distant voice sounding much like her own replied. Demi recognised it as her own subconscious voice. She had heard it before. "But it will lead you astray, at least til the end of it all…"
"End of what?" Demi asked, but she was given no reply.
***
Its that time of the chapter again for (Drum roll please) THE AUTHOR'S NOTE!!! With your loveable author…angelic elf!!! (Please don't ask, just for the love of god and your sanity, don't ask!)
End of what? Huh? What does that mean? Well, maybe some of you will figure it out. I'm not going to say what now cause…I won't so there! (pokes tongue out) Ha ha! Anyhoobies: You'll have to wait for the next chapter, and that may be a few days coz I'm kinda busy this week, but I'll try and squeeze one in Thursday or Friday. If I'm lucky that is.
