** Disclaimer: I only own Zana. **
I know, I know.. this morning I said that I wouldn't update before weekend.. but here I am again : ) This is another fast and surprise chapter.
And.. what can I say? I'll repeat myself: thank you all for your reviews!! And Priestess of Anubis, you're so fast reading my chapters, you're always the first one with a new review! I'm glad you like the story : )
********* ************* ************* **************
Take a bow, the night is over
this masquerade is getting older
lights are low , the curtains down
there's no one here
say your lines, but do you feel them
do you mean what you say, when there's no one around
watching you watching me, one lonely star
(one lonely star you don't know who you are)
-Take a bow - Madonna
Merwen came in my room, carrying a tray with lunch. I stood up after lying on the bed for some minutes and helped her.
"Thank you very much for bringing me this, Merwen.. I didn't feel very well and I preferred to stay here.. " I tried to put a different voice, like when you're ill and you need a big effort to talk. But she didn't believe me, of course.
"You're avoiding something or someone from the dinning room because it's the second time you want to stay here.. but today I'll help you.. after all, you're leaving us " She smiled at me and left the things over my bed.
"Thank you, Merwen.. you're right about everything, and if you were in my place you would understand me better.. " She suddenly sat with me and looked so serious.
"If I was you I would try to have fun and forget about stupid worries. Now things are becoming serious and you already lost the few days without worries that you had. You lost the best chance because you've been in a palace, treated like a princess, and you spent all time hiding and complaining. If I was you, I would be right now in the dining room facing my problems" She smiled once more, before leaving. "Oh! And have a good journey, I hope to see you here again soon" And she closed the door.
"What a temperament.. " I murmured, and started eating lunch. But I was thinking about what she had told me, and I had to agree with her.. all the times I had wished to be sent to Middle Earth, and once here, I only had worries and problems.. all day wondering about stupid things, all day complaining and making their lives impossible.. somehow I saw the Zana I had been the past days and I felt so ashamed. Yes, I had lost a good chance, never again that party would happen, and never again I would be sent to that place, once in my world. Yes, I wondered why I didn't talk to Merwen more often.. she could have been a great friend, and I really appreciated her advises . But now it was too late.. I wouldn't go to the dinning room . And I felt angry with myself for being so.. stupid.
When I started packing some things, I realised about something.. I couldn't walk wearing dresses, I would need new clothes.. I stood there, thinking.. what I needed where male clothes, if they could be called like this.. because I was sure that the elf- girls only had skirts and things impossible to wear.. but .. who could help me then? I couldn't ask the king, or Legolas.. well, I couldn't ask anybody else because I would feel uncomfortable.. but I had to do it.. Yes, it was time to forget about my shyness for once in my life..
I waited some minutes, more than thirty, until I made sure that all elves had returned from dinning room. I went out of my room, looking in the halls.. there was silence, and I didn't notice Haldir returning.. After closing my door I walked and knocked on Haldir's one. I didn't get an answer.. maybe he was walking somewhere.. I felt more relaxed, I didn't have to face him.
Outside, in the gardens, I couldn't see anybody known.. and of course, I couldn't stop any of those elves and say "Hey, elf, can I borrow a pair of trousers from you?". No, of course not.. I also couldn't ask Gimli, obviously they wouldn't fit and ,in addition, I had my doubts about his hygiene.. I was a bad person, yes.. but the dwarf wasn't exactly what I call a clean person.
After walking some minutes I decided to sit down for a while, I realised I wasn't in my best shape, and I started to have doubts about that journey.. what if I wasn't able to walk all miles per day? And why the hell we didn't bring horses? I had lots of questions for those elves. "Well, lets go on walking.. " I told to myself, and I returned to the palace. It was amazing how fast time passed there.. or maybe it was because there were big distances and the place was so wonderful that I always was so absent minded..
When I was walking under the balconies of the palace, I saw Haldir standing there, under the grey sky. He heard me coming, and moved his hand to greet me.
"So you decided to skip lunch.. you should eat or you won't be able to walk tonight" he said, and I stopped to talk to him. Yes, that would be more comfortable than talking face to face inside his room.. now he was in a first floor and I was in a garden.. perfect.
"If you're interested, I had lunch in my room, Merwen brought it" I replied, with the same irony he had in his voice. And he smiled.
"So you're causing her extra work, I see.. and what are you doing now? You should be resting"
"I'm not tired, and I was looking for help " He looked at me with curiosity.
"What kind of help? " He kept that smile that made me so nervous.
"Well, I can't travel dressed in those clothes, so I wanted to ask an elf, a male elf, for something that could fit me better.. "
"It would be interesting if you walked with those dresses.. I would win the bet for sure"
" So you want me to wear them because it's the only possible way of winning the bet? " I asked, with sarcasm, but he shook his head.
"You know I'll win" An evil bright in his eyes. Yes, he was always so self confident.. that arrogant elf.
"Ok" I said, starting to walk. "Then I'll ask someone else, good bye!"
"Come on, Zana.. don't be like this. Wait one moment" And I saw, surprised, that he jumped from the balcony, he was so agile, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. He noticed my surprise and smiled. "Are you sure you will win the bet? .." He made a pause. "Well, you can ask for clothes to any of the elves, of course, but I'll go with you, because I see you're not brave enough"
"So you wouldn't have any problem to ask an elf- girl for clothes, I see.. you're always so brave" I said, with a smile.
"Well, I would ask her for her clothes if she was wearing them and we were alone in my room" I blushed with his reply, I thought elves didn't make those kind of jokes, I imagined them like a kind of spiritual beings.. but obviously I was wrong.
"It's so easy to make you embarrassed and I love it" He said, with a laugh. And again, I couldn't reply.
"So.. where do we go now? " I asked, trying to change from subject. "Who will lend me his clothes?" We came inside the palace.
"Come to my room.. I knew that if I didn't go with you , you would never come to visit me" He said, taking my arm to lead me to the correct hall.. I was a bit nervous and lost. I followed him.
"You think you know me well, but it's not like this" I said, as we were walking upstairs. He didn't look at me.
"I know you better than you think, and I assure you that sooner or later I'll make you change into a kind and normal human girl, and not the shy and stupid one you're now" I stopped, angry.
"What? " He stopped too, but then forced me to go on walking, and we came in his room. I was shocked. "Ok, I don't want anything from you, Haldir. I'll leave now and look for another elf" He looked at me with a sceptic gaze.
"Don't be silly" He said, giving me some of his clothes. I looked at them and then took the bag. Then he went on packing his own things.
"Thanks" I murmured. And I closed the door behind me, without saying anything else.
--------------- ------------------ ------------------
Legolas went to his room and opened the wardrobe.. he would need his old clothes and some of the things he had used during the war.. it was the first time, after the war, that he was going to make a journey, and he wanted to be ready for anything. He wouldn't stay in Mirkwood, doing nothing, while Haldir and Zana were looking for a kind of adventure.
When he finally finished packing everything, he brought his bag to the gardens, hiding it under a bush.. it would be too suspicious if someone saw him carrying it inside the palace that night.. he chose a place near from the entry of the building.
"Where are you going, Legolas?" Gimli had discovered him, and the elf turned around.
"I can't stay here, Gimli. What if they need help?" The dwarf walked towards him. Legolas looked so strange, so sad.
"Gandalf left because he wanted things to happen , I mean, he didn't want to make them happen.. you should do the same, my friend.. leave your feelings apart, you have to stay here"
"Why? Because my father decided it? No, Gimli, nothing will stop me."
"And you will leave me here alone? With all those horrible elves?!" He was joking, and Legolas smiled.
"You can join me if you want.. but you're too noisy, Haldir could hear you perfectly"
"What do you mean? That I can't be a real warrior? I can be as silent as a cat!" He breathed strongly, so proud of himself.
"Ok, Gimli. You'll leave with me.. but we'll leave one day later.. the distance will be big enough to keep noises separated, and once in Lorien, we'll explain everything to Galadriel. But be sure that I won't stay here. " The dwarf sighed, and shook his head.
"I can't believe that Legolas, the elf who helped Frodo, the elf who helped to avoid the Middle Earth's destruction, is behaving now as a stupid young mortal man.. " Legolas looked very serious.
"I can't explain you anything now, I'm just following my intuition, and my intuition tells me that I must go with them. Something tells me that the journey won't be as safe as they think, Gimli.." He looked at the sky, his blue eyes reflecting the grey clouds.
"Then, my friend, we must go too.. one more day and the journey will begin."
"Yes, one more day.." Legolas looked at the palace, at Zana's balcony.
------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------- ----- ------------------
It was already night when I finished packing everything.. I put a lot of things inside my bag, including all those shampoos and soaps.. although maybe I couldn't take a bath.. well, of course I wouldn't be able.. but at least I hoped to find a river or something similar.. no, I really needed water and I would find it whatever would happen. In the bag I also put a towel and a blanket, something that would protect me from cold temperatures, in the case that winter would come so fast. And that was all.. I looked around myself, and I felt sad.. I was going to miss that room, that palace.. all the comfortable things on it.. I never had made a journey like that, walking in the nature.. I was a girl who was born in a city and lived all her life among buildings, cars and pollution. I wasn't ready for mountains or dangers or whatever I would find on my way..
I checked my watch, it was time for dinner and it would be my last dinner there.. but I was going to come back, of course.. or maybe not.. what if I found the meaning of the mission and then I had to follow it from Lorien, and never go back? And suddenly, another thing worried me.. what if Haldir, once at home, decided to stay there? What if I had to go on alone, or with unknown elves? Those scary thoughts made me so nervous. After all, Haldir didn't have any obligation towards me.. would he leave me? Sure he would, I was sure, so sure.. or this I thought..
Merwen knocked on my door, and she came in..
"Hello, you come to say goodbye? " I said, smiling, and she smiled back.
"I just supposed that if you didn't want to be there for lunch, sure you wouldn't want to be there for dinner. Although the king wanted to make something special for your departure.. so I came here to force you to go to the dinning room"
"How nice.." I said, with sarcasm. But she was right.. I had to go, it was the last dinner.. for some days, of course, because I would be back in no time.. or this I wanted to believe. "You win, Merwen.. lets go"
We walked in the halls and she stopped before opening the door of the dinning room.
"Zana, I want to wish you good luck and please, come back soon.. try to find out about your mission here and bring us good news" She smiled and hugged me. "Now, come in"
"Thanks, Merwen" I opened the door and walked to my table, where the two elves and the dwarf were sitting.
"Oh, the human girl joins us!" Gimli was shouting and half of the room looked at us. "I'm glad to see that you're still alive"
"Of course I am, Gimli. " I replied, a bit sharp. But then he started to tell some of his stories and we all were laughing with them. And all the bad feelings were gone. The dinner was really good, and I ate more than usual , considering that I would spend half of the night walking.. and with those thoughts I remembered some of my questions.
"By the way.." I said, and they looked at me. "Why don't we go riding a horse , instead of walking? " And Haldir smiled.
"I knew you would find this difficult.. but I have to tell you that this is not a journey for a horse.. we'll be walking in deep forests, crossing rivers and small lakes, and our ways are too narrow and dangerous for an animal" He said, with a mysterious smile.
"Don't tell her lies, Haldir.. you know it's not like this.." Legolas didn't look too convinced, but he tried to smile. Anyway, I didn't feel better.. yes, that would be a difficult journey.
"This would be the perfect mission for a dwarf.. we're strong and brave, we're not afraid of anything!" he was again showing himself as a kind of god, but he was funny and I couldn't help smiling. Although Legolas gave him a warning look that I couldn't understand.. and the dwarf looked back, as if he had said something wrong.
And in that moment the king stood up and spoke to us.
"I want to wish Zana and Haldir a good journey to Lorien, where our friends will take care of them, and we all hope they will come back as soon as possible, bringing good news" All elves clapped and Haldir smiled at all of them, and I smiled too. Then, I looked at him, he was thinking of something, staring at the walls.. as if he was worried or .. well, I didn't know how to "decode" that.. Suddenly he looked at me and smiled kindly. He always surprised me.
" Well, if we all already finished, I think we must leave, Zana" Haldir stood up and we all followed him, saying goodbye to the rest of elves. The king shook my hand and smiled.. and then he hugged me.. he was like a father for all of us, or this it seemed.. but he made me feel better.
I came in my room and took all the things. Then, I stepped outside and gave a last look. Maybe I would never come back again.. what if I never saw Legolas? All the times I had wished to meet him and maybe those last minutes were the only minutes left ,for the rest of my life, to be with him.. I felt a kind of pressure in my chest, as if I couldn't breath.. Haldir also left his room ,and stood in front of me.
"Are you ready for the journey, human girl? " He said with his ironical voice.
"I'm always ready" I replied, trying to look ironic too.. but I was too sad in that moment.
Legolas and Gimli were waiting for us in the main door. When I walked downstairs, he looked at me.. and I remembered that scene in the movie "Titanic", when Rose met Jack in the stairs. I never liked that movie, and now I hated it more than ever.
"Well.. so.. I think this is a kind of goodbye.." Gimli said, with a strange voice, and then, to my big surprise, he started to laugh out loud. Legolas looked at him so angry, and I couldn't understand anything. Haldir moved his head.
"This dwarf is impossible.." But he was smiling, and he shook hands with him. Then , he looked at Legolas and did the same. Legolas smiled. And then, his blue eyes stared at me.
"Zana.." he gave me his hand, and took mine. "Good journey.. I hope to see you here soon"
"Sooner than you think.." Gimli sang, in low voice. Haldir gave him a strange look.
"Thank you" I whispered, almost crying. That was too much for me, I couldn't help thinking that maybe I wouldn't meet him again, and I avoided his gaze.
"Well" I said. "Let's go" I went outside and wondered how come Legolas gave me such a cold good bye, after what he had told me the previous night.. I felt so sad, like always.. but this time it was worst.. Haldir joined me and we started to walk. I looked back, to see the palace, and Legolas and Gimli weren't there.. they already left and I wondered if they really would miss me, because at first sight it seemed that they weren't too affected. Then I looked at Haldir, he looked back and went on walking, without saying a word. Great. What a journey..
I know, I know.. this morning I said that I wouldn't update before weekend.. but here I am again : ) This is another fast and surprise chapter.
And.. what can I say? I'll repeat myself: thank you all for your reviews!! And Priestess of Anubis, you're so fast reading my chapters, you're always the first one with a new review! I'm glad you like the story : )
********* ************* ************* **************
Take a bow, the night is over
this masquerade is getting older
lights are low , the curtains down
there's no one here
say your lines, but do you feel them
do you mean what you say, when there's no one around
watching you watching me, one lonely star
(one lonely star you don't know who you are)
-Take a bow - Madonna
Merwen came in my room, carrying a tray with lunch. I stood up after lying on the bed for some minutes and helped her.
"Thank you very much for bringing me this, Merwen.. I didn't feel very well and I preferred to stay here.. " I tried to put a different voice, like when you're ill and you need a big effort to talk. But she didn't believe me, of course.
"You're avoiding something or someone from the dinning room because it's the second time you want to stay here.. but today I'll help you.. after all, you're leaving us " She smiled at me and left the things over my bed.
"Thank you, Merwen.. you're right about everything, and if you were in my place you would understand me better.. " She suddenly sat with me and looked so serious.
"If I was you I would try to have fun and forget about stupid worries. Now things are becoming serious and you already lost the few days without worries that you had. You lost the best chance because you've been in a palace, treated like a princess, and you spent all time hiding and complaining. If I was you, I would be right now in the dining room facing my problems" She smiled once more, before leaving. "Oh! And have a good journey, I hope to see you here again soon" And she closed the door.
"What a temperament.. " I murmured, and started eating lunch. But I was thinking about what she had told me, and I had to agree with her.. all the times I had wished to be sent to Middle Earth, and once here, I only had worries and problems.. all day wondering about stupid things, all day complaining and making their lives impossible.. somehow I saw the Zana I had been the past days and I felt so ashamed. Yes, I had lost a good chance, never again that party would happen, and never again I would be sent to that place, once in my world. Yes, I wondered why I didn't talk to Merwen more often.. she could have been a great friend, and I really appreciated her advises . But now it was too late.. I wouldn't go to the dinning room . And I felt angry with myself for being so.. stupid.
When I started packing some things, I realised about something.. I couldn't walk wearing dresses, I would need new clothes.. I stood there, thinking.. what I needed where male clothes, if they could be called like this.. because I was sure that the elf- girls only had skirts and things impossible to wear.. but .. who could help me then? I couldn't ask the king, or Legolas.. well, I couldn't ask anybody else because I would feel uncomfortable.. but I had to do it.. Yes, it was time to forget about my shyness for once in my life..
I waited some minutes, more than thirty, until I made sure that all elves had returned from dinning room. I went out of my room, looking in the halls.. there was silence, and I didn't notice Haldir returning.. After closing my door I walked and knocked on Haldir's one. I didn't get an answer.. maybe he was walking somewhere.. I felt more relaxed, I didn't have to face him.
Outside, in the gardens, I couldn't see anybody known.. and of course, I couldn't stop any of those elves and say "Hey, elf, can I borrow a pair of trousers from you?". No, of course not.. I also couldn't ask Gimli, obviously they wouldn't fit and ,in addition, I had my doubts about his hygiene.. I was a bad person, yes.. but the dwarf wasn't exactly what I call a clean person.
After walking some minutes I decided to sit down for a while, I realised I wasn't in my best shape, and I started to have doubts about that journey.. what if I wasn't able to walk all miles per day? And why the hell we didn't bring horses? I had lots of questions for those elves. "Well, lets go on walking.. " I told to myself, and I returned to the palace. It was amazing how fast time passed there.. or maybe it was because there were big distances and the place was so wonderful that I always was so absent minded..
When I was walking under the balconies of the palace, I saw Haldir standing there, under the grey sky. He heard me coming, and moved his hand to greet me.
"So you decided to skip lunch.. you should eat or you won't be able to walk tonight" he said, and I stopped to talk to him. Yes, that would be more comfortable than talking face to face inside his room.. now he was in a first floor and I was in a garden.. perfect.
"If you're interested, I had lunch in my room, Merwen brought it" I replied, with the same irony he had in his voice. And he smiled.
"So you're causing her extra work, I see.. and what are you doing now? You should be resting"
"I'm not tired, and I was looking for help " He looked at me with curiosity.
"What kind of help? " He kept that smile that made me so nervous.
"Well, I can't travel dressed in those clothes, so I wanted to ask an elf, a male elf, for something that could fit me better.. "
"It would be interesting if you walked with those dresses.. I would win the bet for sure"
" So you want me to wear them because it's the only possible way of winning the bet? " I asked, with sarcasm, but he shook his head.
"You know I'll win" An evil bright in his eyes. Yes, he was always so self confident.. that arrogant elf.
"Ok" I said, starting to walk. "Then I'll ask someone else, good bye!"
"Come on, Zana.. don't be like this. Wait one moment" And I saw, surprised, that he jumped from the balcony, he was so agile, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. He noticed my surprise and smiled. "Are you sure you will win the bet? .." He made a pause. "Well, you can ask for clothes to any of the elves, of course, but I'll go with you, because I see you're not brave enough"
"So you wouldn't have any problem to ask an elf- girl for clothes, I see.. you're always so brave" I said, with a smile.
"Well, I would ask her for her clothes if she was wearing them and we were alone in my room" I blushed with his reply, I thought elves didn't make those kind of jokes, I imagined them like a kind of spiritual beings.. but obviously I was wrong.
"It's so easy to make you embarrassed and I love it" He said, with a laugh. And again, I couldn't reply.
"So.. where do we go now? " I asked, trying to change from subject. "Who will lend me his clothes?" We came inside the palace.
"Come to my room.. I knew that if I didn't go with you , you would never come to visit me" He said, taking my arm to lead me to the correct hall.. I was a bit nervous and lost. I followed him.
"You think you know me well, but it's not like this" I said, as we were walking upstairs. He didn't look at me.
"I know you better than you think, and I assure you that sooner or later I'll make you change into a kind and normal human girl, and not the shy and stupid one you're now" I stopped, angry.
"What? " He stopped too, but then forced me to go on walking, and we came in his room. I was shocked. "Ok, I don't want anything from you, Haldir. I'll leave now and look for another elf" He looked at me with a sceptic gaze.
"Don't be silly" He said, giving me some of his clothes. I looked at them and then took the bag. Then he went on packing his own things.
"Thanks" I murmured. And I closed the door behind me, without saying anything else.
--------------- ------------------ ------------------
Legolas went to his room and opened the wardrobe.. he would need his old clothes and some of the things he had used during the war.. it was the first time, after the war, that he was going to make a journey, and he wanted to be ready for anything. He wouldn't stay in Mirkwood, doing nothing, while Haldir and Zana were looking for a kind of adventure.
When he finally finished packing everything, he brought his bag to the gardens, hiding it under a bush.. it would be too suspicious if someone saw him carrying it inside the palace that night.. he chose a place near from the entry of the building.
"Where are you going, Legolas?" Gimli had discovered him, and the elf turned around.
"I can't stay here, Gimli. What if they need help?" The dwarf walked towards him. Legolas looked so strange, so sad.
"Gandalf left because he wanted things to happen , I mean, he didn't want to make them happen.. you should do the same, my friend.. leave your feelings apart, you have to stay here"
"Why? Because my father decided it? No, Gimli, nothing will stop me."
"And you will leave me here alone? With all those horrible elves?!" He was joking, and Legolas smiled.
"You can join me if you want.. but you're too noisy, Haldir could hear you perfectly"
"What do you mean? That I can't be a real warrior? I can be as silent as a cat!" He breathed strongly, so proud of himself.
"Ok, Gimli. You'll leave with me.. but we'll leave one day later.. the distance will be big enough to keep noises separated, and once in Lorien, we'll explain everything to Galadriel. But be sure that I won't stay here. " The dwarf sighed, and shook his head.
"I can't believe that Legolas, the elf who helped Frodo, the elf who helped to avoid the Middle Earth's destruction, is behaving now as a stupid young mortal man.. " Legolas looked very serious.
"I can't explain you anything now, I'm just following my intuition, and my intuition tells me that I must go with them. Something tells me that the journey won't be as safe as they think, Gimli.." He looked at the sky, his blue eyes reflecting the grey clouds.
"Then, my friend, we must go too.. one more day and the journey will begin."
"Yes, one more day.." Legolas looked at the palace, at Zana's balcony.
------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------- ----- ------------------
It was already night when I finished packing everything.. I put a lot of things inside my bag, including all those shampoos and soaps.. although maybe I couldn't take a bath.. well, of course I wouldn't be able.. but at least I hoped to find a river or something similar.. no, I really needed water and I would find it whatever would happen. In the bag I also put a towel and a blanket, something that would protect me from cold temperatures, in the case that winter would come so fast. And that was all.. I looked around myself, and I felt sad.. I was going to miss that room, that palace.. all the comfortable things on it.. I never had made a journey like that, walking in the nature.. I was a girl who was born in a city and lived all her life among buildings, cars and pollution. I wasn't ready for mountains or dangers or whatever I would find on my way..
I checked my watch, it was time for dinner and it would be my last dinner there.. but I was going to come back, of course.. or maybe not.. what if I found the meaning of the mission and then I had to follow it from Lorien, and never go back? And suddenly, another thing worried me.. what if Haldir, once at home, decided to stay there? What if I had to go on alone, or with unknown elves? Those scary thoughts made me so nervous. After all, Haldir didn't have any obligation towards me.. would he leave me? Sure he would, I was sure, so sure.. or this I thought..
Merwen knocked on my door, and she came in..
"Hello, you come to say goodbye? " I said, smiling, and she smiled back.
"I just supposed that if you didn't want to be there for lunch, sure you wouldn't want to be there for dinner. Although the king wanted to make something special for your departure.. so I came here to force you to go to the dinning room"
"How nice.." I said, with sarcasm. But she was right.. I had to go, it was the last dinner.. for some days, of course, because I would be back in no time.. or this I wanted to believe. "You win, Merwen.. lets go"
We walked in the halls and she stopped before opening the door of the dinning room.
"Zana, I want to wish you good luck and please, come back soon.. try to find out about your mission here and bring us good news" She smiled and hugged me. "Now, come in"
"Thanks, Merwen" I opened the door and walked to my table, where the two elves and the dwarf were sitting.
"Oh, the human girl joins us!" Gimli was shouting and half of the room looked at us. "I'm glad to see that you're still alive"
"Of course I am, Gimli. " I replied, a bit sharp. But then he started to tell some of his stories and we all were laughing with them. And all the bad feelings were gone. The dinner was really good, and I ate more than usual , considering that I would spend half of the night walking.. and with those thoughts I remembered some of my questions.
"By the way.." I said, and they looked at me. "Why don't we go riding a horse , instead of walking? " And Haldir smiled.
"I knew you would find this difficult.. but I have to tell you that this is not a journey for a horse.. we'll be walking in deep forests, crossing rivers and small lakes, and our ways are too narrow and dangerous for an animal" He said, with a mysterious smile.
"Don't tell her lies, Haldir.. you know it's not like this.." Legolas didn't look too convinced, but he tried to smile. Anyway, I didn't feel better.. yes, that would be a difficult journey.
"This would be the perfect mission for a dwarf.. we're strong and brave, we're not afraid of anything!" he was again showing himself as a kind of god, but he was funny and I couldn't help smiling. Although Legolas gave him a warning look that I couldn't understand.. and the dwarf looked back, as if he had said something wrong.
And in that moment the king stood up and spoke to us.
"I want to wish Zana and Haldir a good journey to Lorien, where our friends will take care of them, and we all hope they will come back as soon as possible, bringing good news" All elves clapped and Haldir smiled at all of them, and I smiled too. Then, I looked at him, he was thinking of something, staring at the walls.. as if he was worried or .. well, I didn't know how to "decode" that.. Suddenly he looked at me and smiled kindly. He always surprised me.
" Well, if we all already finished, I think we must leave, Zana" Haldir stood up and we all followed him, saying goodbye to the rest of elves. The king shook my hand and smiled.. and then he hugged me.. he was like a father for all of us, or this it seemed.. but he made me feel better.
I came in my room and took all the things. Then, I stepped outside and gave a last look. Maybe I would never come back again.. what if I never saw Legolas? All the times I had wished to meet him and maybe those last minutes were the only minutes left ,for the rest of my life, to be with him.. I felt a kind of pressure in my chest, as if I couldn't breath.. Haldir also left his room ,and stood in front of me.
"Are you ready for the journey, human girl? " He said with his ironical voice.
"I'm always ready" I replied, trying to look ironic too.. but I was too sad in that moment.
Legolas and Gimli were waiting for us in the main door. When I walked downstairs, he looked at me.. and I remembered that scene in the movie "Titanic", when Rose met Jack in the stairs. I never liked that movie, and now I hated it more than ever.
"Well.. so.. I think this is a kind of goodbye.." Gimli said, with a strange voice, and then, to my big surprise, he started to laugh out loud. Legolas looked at him so angry, and I couldn't understand anything. Haldir moved his head.
"This dwarf is impossible.." But he was smiling, and he shook hands with him. Then , he looked at Legolas and did the same. Legolas smiled. And then, his blue eyes stared at me.
"Zana.." he gave me his hand, and took mine. "Good journey.. I hope to see you here soon"
"Sooner than you think.." Gimli sang, in low voice. Haldir gave him a strange look.
"Thank you" I whispered, almost crying. That was too much for me, I couldn't help thinking that maybe I wouldn't meet him again, and I avoided his gaze.
"Well" I said. "Let's go" I went outside and wondered how come Legolas gave me such a cold good bye, after what he had told me the previous night.. I felt so sad, like always.. but this time it was worst.. Haldir joined me and we started to walk. I looked back, to see the palace, and Legolas and Gimli weren't there.. they already left and I wondered if they really would miss me, because at first sight it seemed that they weren't too affected. Then I looked at Haldir, he looked back and went on walking, without saying a word. Great. What a journey..