** Disclaimer: I only own Zana *******************
Thank you for all your reviews!! It's nice to see that people who liked my story at first still like it! Well, maybe this will be the last chapter of the weekend, or maybe not.. it depends on the time I'll have.. classes began to be hard and I must work.. what kind of lawyer would I be if I spent all my life writing and not studying? Although if I had to choose, the choice is obvious : ) Thank you all!
************ ************ ************ **************
Cuz I'm
trying to explain
something's wrong
You just don't sound the same
Why don't you
Go outside
Kiss the rain
Whenever you need me
Kiss the rain
Whenever I'm gone too long
If your lips feel lonely and thirsty
Kiss the rain
Kiss the rain – Billie Myers
The morning was grey, as if all the clouds of Middle Earth were flying above us. The first part of journey was boring, we had to cross the big woods where Lorien ended and the path was too narrow and complicated. The roots from trees made some stages almost impossible, and from time to time, I had to help Gimli, or Legolas and Haldir had to help me. Yes, I already admitted that I'm not in my best shape and that I'm not a sporty person exactly.
A sudden cold wind made me freeze.. and think. Because if that place was cold, I didn't want to imagine how the Land of Eternal Ice would be.. we carried special clothes for it, but I was sure it wouldn't be enough.. the place where I came from was cold and wet, but nothing could be compared to Antarctica or the double it had on that world. I looked at the sky, and then around me.. the forest was silent, no birds, no animals.. and the trees moved with the air, they sounded like a whistle. Legolas was also watching at them, and then, he looked at me.
"What's wrong, Zana?" He asked, walking closer to me. I shrugged.
"I was just thinking about weather and vegetation" Legolas smiled.
"Strange thoughts in those circumstances.." Commented, and then went on walking in silence. At some point the path became too complicated and we had to stop. A huge tree with the huge roots, and Gimli trying to climb them. The problem was the humidity, it was too slippery and complicated to jump. Haldir checked both sides of path, and he didn't find more options. He turned around to face us.
"It's not too risky, just be careful.. Gimli, I'll help you first" He gave his hand to the dwarf, who was complaining.
"This is humiliating, I'm Gimli, a powerful dwarf, able to skip all obstacles from this world" He managed to pass with difficulties, and once in the other side, he looked at us proudly. Legolas climbed slowly, looking back to encourage me.
"Come, Zana. We won't let you hurt yourself, is not that complicated. "I looked at Haldir, who was behind me.
"Come on, it's not that difficult" He smiled, arrogantly, or at least he tried to be arrogant, because I knew that deep inside, he wasn't the same Haldir I had known some days ago. I obeyed and put my hands on the first root.. they were higher than me, stronger than the trunk of any other tree. Then , I put my feet in the same place, moving my hands to reach the next root. Legolas was already in the other side, looking at me. Haldir climbing behind me. And I went on like this, and when I had almost reached the other side, I heard a big crash, and I felt the whole tree falling with me..
Maybe that was the end.. maybe I was going to die, and I didn't say goodbye to them.. everything happened like a dream.. I felt falling all time, roots and leafs over me.. and the end never came.. it was dark, the smell of earth and nature, and I closed my eyes, waiting for the big crash.. and what happened then was completely unexpected. The cold water beated me as if it was ice, and I went under, trying not to open my mouth, my ears were about to explode, and after what it seemed a century, I reacted, and reached the surface, breathing strongly. The view was charming.. I had fallen in a cave.. but the strangest thing was the light inside it.. yellow, green and blue, as if it was full of lamps.. a small green lake, where I had fallen, and all around me were rocks. I swam to reach the edge and then climbed. I didn't feel scared until some minutes passed, the time I needed to check that wonderful cavern.
But I was alone.. completely alone. My heart started to beat so fast. I looked up and saw a small hole in the distance.. too high to distinguish anything.. and I shouted, asking for help. My voice sounded everywhere and I felt a vibration under my feet.. I had made something stupid because maybe the rocks were going to fall over me.. I kept my breath for a while, but couldn't help shouting again when I heard a voice behind me.
"Zana, don't shout, are you crazy?" I turned around and saw Legolas, scared.
"Legolas! "I stood up, and walked towards him. And almost hugged him.. ""What are you doing here? How come did you fall with me? You already had crossed!" I was shaking because of wet clothes, and I realised he also had fallen in the water. I was so happy to see him that I was about to loose control.
"I saw you falling and couldn't help jumping with you.." We stared at each other for a while, and my head started to think again.. he had jumped to help me.. he, and not Haldir.. that made me feel sad and, at the same time, happy.. he had risked his life without thinking and now he was there with me.. his blue eyes looking at me, with a worried expression. He put his hand over my shoulder . "Are you OK? "I reacted, blinking, and nodded. I was trying to understand what had happened and everything led me to the same conclusion.. I could count on Legolas for everything.. only on Legolas..
"Thank you" I said, and he smiled. Then he looked around and sighed.
"It seems that the forest pushed us here.. this is the place where the land called Rivers begin.. " He walked towards the lake and looked inside.. the green light on his face made him look so magical, and I couldn't help staring all time. His eyes caught my gaze, and I blushed. "This means we must follow this water.. look" He pointed at a corner. "A small river is growing up there.. it goes parallel to the path of rock.. and it will end up in the surface" He looked at me again.
"I hope that Haldir and Gimli will go on and won't wait for us here.." I didn't hear any noises form the outside, so deep was that place.
"Haldir knows what to do.. we'll meet them in two days in the surface"
"Two days?" I almost shouted, and Legolas took my arm gently.
"Don't worry, it's only a path.. nothing bad will happen here and in short time we'll be outside.. because you trust me, right? "He smiled, and I smiled back, nodding. But I knew how did elves feel about closed places like caverns.. I knew it wouldn't be easy for him neither, and his eyes were darker now.. like when he was thinking about something with concentration.
"OK, so lets go.. although my bag is completely wet and I don't have any dry clothes, all food is spoiled and.." He passed me my bag and I looked at him with interrogative gaze.
"You didn't check the inside, right?" Legolas was smiling again.
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. I took my bag and opened it.. although the outside was completely wet, the inside was dry.. "This is amazing, I didn't know that elves knew about waterproof materials"
"Waterproof?" Legolas seemed not to understand, but I shrugged.
"Forget it.. it's nice to see Earth technologies here" Now he looked disappointed.
"So you already knew about this kind of magic?"
"It's not magic at all, and of course we have many waterproof objects" I couldn't help smiling at his strange look.
"Oh.." He also took his bag and picked up some dry clothes. "You must change before you'll get a cold.." He looked at me, and I blushed a bit.. because there weren't too many hidden places inside that cave.
"Well.. but where can I .. change? " He looked behind and then walked some steps.
"I'll change in this corridor, I'll be back in some moments" He gave me a last look before disappearing. And he left me alone with my thoughts again.
I picked up new dry clothes and also a towel.. it wasn't too cold inside that cave.. in fact, it was warmer than the outside, with that wind and cloudy sky. I wrapped myself with the towel and once I was dried, I put the underwear ( how I missed my nice bras..) and then the trousers and the warm elvish sweater. I left the wet clothes on the ground, wondering if I should carry them or not.. I hear Legolas coming.
"It's better to leave spoiled clothes here.. we don't need them and they won't get dry soon.." He commented, walking and checking me from my feet to the top of my head.
"What?" I asked, blushing.. and he walked a bit closer.
"You look like an elf- boy" He smiled.
"Oh, thank you very much!" I replied with sarcasm. "It's so nice to hear that I won't be in danger locked in a cave with you " Was I talking with irony? Yes, maybe Haldir was making a bigger effect on me than I had thought at first. We started to walk through the corridor, in the company of the nice green and blue river that was shining as if it had lights inside.
"Don't get angry.." He was smiling again, and then he whispered. "Or maybe you already forgot about all what I told you after dancing in your balcony? " I looked at him and blushed. "I see you didn't "He said, with a mysterious smile. I wondered what those two days were keeping for both of us.. and suddenly all the security about my feelings almost disappeared.. I needed to see Haldir.
--------- -------------- ------------ -------------- ----------- ------------ -------- ---------
"Nooo!!" Haldir shouted, when he saw Zana falling. His blue eyes widened when Legolas jumped after her. "Legolas, what are you doing?" He tried to follow them, but one of his feet was locked under a root. He felt a big pain when he tried to move, and felt so useless when he realised that he had to stop and free his leg first. Then, Legolas and Zana disappeared. Completely shocked, he looked through the hole, but he only saw darkness. And suddenly, the tree moved and the space became smaller.. it was impossible to see anything. He jumped to the other side, where Gimli was speechless, pale..
"Haldir.. what had just happened? What the hell did Legolas? Is he crazy? And Zana? Where is she?" But Haldir didn't reply at once. He sat on the ground and covered his face with his hands, breathing deeply. The dwarf sat with him.
"She fell and I let her go.. I didn't react like Legolas, I can't believe I didn't jump after her!" He shouted, angry. "Why that stupid root.. stopped me?? Why do I have to pass so many proofs? What does destiny want from me? I can't help anybody if those things happen to me!!" He was mad, his blue eyes shining with anger, looking at everywhere.
"Haldir, everything happened too fast, you couldn't predict this! If you had jumped, maybe you would have broken your leg, and maybe you would have died too!"
"Don't say that!! Nobody died here!!" Haldir stood up, taking Gimli by his clothes, threatening him with his gaze.
"I know, I know.. but first, put me on the ground again, please, and control yourself" Haldir obeyed.
"I'm sorry, Gimli.. but I can't help thinking that maybe they both won't ever return here and.. this is killing me. "For some seconds they were in silence.
"What do we do now? Maybe we must return to Lorien.. Galadriel could help us" Gimli said, looking at the elf , worried. Haldir had changed in the past hours, and he couldn't tell what was different on him.. but there was something he didn't like. Haldir walked around the tree, then he kneeled and put his ear on the ground, listening carefully. He heard the sound of water.. and voices. His face lightened with a smile.
"They're alive!" He shouted, standing up. "I also heard water.. we must follow it. I'm sure they will make the same. Probably the land of Rivers starts here.. so let's go, Gimli. We can't loose more time, Zana is alive and the hope has come again" Haldir started to walk so fast, and Gimli was trying to follow him.
"You forgot about Legolas.." He murmured, a bit angry. Haldir wasn't his best friend exactly. They both disappeared in the woods.
"We'll arrive in two days.. I won't ever forgive myself if something bad happens to her.. "He was murmuring, and Gimli sighed.
"Haldir, I told you that it wasn't your fault. Blaming on you won't solve anything.. remember that Galadriel warned Zana about pessimistic thoughts.. so follow her advice.. come on, you're an elf! And I'm a dwarf and, at this moment, I'm more reasonable than you"! Haldir couldn't help smiling at those words. He stopped and looked at Gimli.
"Thank you, Gimli. You're not so horrible" He went on walking, and the dwarf frowned.
"Did you call me horrible?"
Thank you for all your reviews!! It's nice to see that people who liked my story at first still like it! Well, maybe this will be the last chapter of the weekend, or maybe not.. it depends on the time I'll have.. classes began to be hard and I must work.. what kind of lawyer would I be if I spent all my life writing and not studying? Although if I had to choose, the choice is obvious : ) Thank you all!
************ ************ ************ **************
Cuz I'm
trying to explain
something's wrong
You just don't sound the same
Why don't you
Go outside
Kiss the rain
Whenever you need me
Kiss the rain
Whenever I'm gone too long
If your lips feel lonely and thirsty
Kiss the rain
Kiss the rain – Billie Myers
The morning was grey, as if all the clouds of Middle Earth were flying above us. The first part of journey was boring, we had to cross the big woods where Lorien ended and the path was too narrow and complicated. The roots from trees made some stages almost impossible, and from time to time, I had to help Gimli, or Legolas and Haldir had to help me. Yes, I already admitted that I'm not in my best shape and that I'm not a sporty person exactly.
A sudden cold wind made me freeze.. and think. Because if that place was cold, I didn't want to imagine how the Land of Eternal Ice would be.. we carried special clothes for it, but I was sure it wouldn't be enough.. the place where I came from was cold and wet, but nothing could be compared to Antarctica or the double it had on that world. I looked at the sky, and then around me.. the forest was silent, no birds, no animals.. and the trees moved with the air, they sounded like a whistle. Legolas was also watching at them, and then, he looked at me.
"What's wrong, Zana?" He asked, walking closer to me. I shrugged.
"I was just thinking about weather and vegetation" Legolas smiled.
"Strange thoughts in those circumstances.." Commented, and then went on walking in silence. At some point the path became too complicated and we had to stop. A huge tree with the huge roots, and Gimli trying to climb them. The problem was the humidity, it was too slippery and complicated to jump. Haldir checked both sides of path, and he didn't find more options. He turned around to face us.
"It's not too risky, just be careful.. Gimli, I'll help you first" He gave his hand to the dwarf, who was complaining.
"This is humiliating, I'm Gimli, a powerful dwarf, able to skip all obstacles from this world" He managed to pass with difficulties, and once in the other side, he looked at us proudly. Legolas climbed slowly, looking back to encourage me.
"Come, Zana. We won't let you hurt yourself, is not that complicated. "I looked at Haldir, who was behind me.
"Come on, it's not that difficult" He smiled, arrogantly, or at least he tried to be arrogant, because I knew that deep inside, he wasn't the same Haldir I had known some days ago. I obeyed and put my hands on the first root.. they were higher than me, stronger than the trunk of any other tree. Then , I put my feet in the same place, moving my hands to reach the next root. Legolas was already in the other side, looking at me. Haldir climbing behind me. And I went on like this, and when I had almost reached the other side, I heard a big crash, and I felt the whole tree falling with me..
Maybe that was the end.. maybe I was going to die, and I didn't say goodbye to them.. everything happened like a dream.. I felt falling all time, roots and leafs over me.. and the end never came.. it was dark, the smell of earth and nature, and I closed my eyes, waiting for the big crash.. and what happened then was completely unexpected. The cold water beated me as if it was ice, and I went under, trying not to open my mouth, my ears were about to explode, and after what it seemed a century, I reacted, and reached the surface, breathing strongly. The view was charming.. I had fallen in a cave.. but the strangest thing was the light inside it.. yellow, green and blue, as if it was full of lamps.. a small green lake, where I had fallen, and all around me were rocks. I swam to reach the edge and then climbed. I didn't feel scared until some minutes passed, the time I needed to check that wonderful cavern.
But I was alone.. completely alone. My heart started to beat so fast. I looked up and saw a small hole in the distance.. too high to distinguish anything.. and I shouted, asking for help. My voice sounded everywhere and I felt a vibration under my feet.. I had made something stupid because maybe the rocks were going to fall over me.. I kept my breath for a while, but couldn't help shouting again when I heard a voice behind me.
"Zana, don't shout, are you crazy?" I turned around and saw Legolas, scared.
"Legolas! "I stood up, and walked towards him. And almost hugged him.. ""What are you doing here? How come did you fall with me? You already had crossed!" I was shaking because of wet clothes, and I realised he also had fallen in the water. I was so happy to see him that I was about to loose control.
"I saw you falling and couldn't help jumping with you.." We stared at each other for a while, and my head started to think again.. he had jumped to help me.. he, and not Haldir.. that made me feel sad and, at the same time, happy.. he had risked his life without thinking and now he was there with me.. his blue eyes looking at me, with a worried expression. He put his hand over my shoulder . "Are you OK? "I reacted, blinking, and nodded. I was trying to understand what had happened and everything led me to the same conclusion.. I could count on Legolas for everything.. only on Legolas..
"Thank you" I said, and he smiled. Then he looked around and sighed.
"It seems that the forest pushed us here.. this is the place where the land called Rivers begin.. " He walked towards the lake and looked inside.. the green light on his face made him look so magical, and I couldn't help staring all time. His eyes caught my gaze, and I blushed. "This means we must follow this water.. look" He pointed at a corner. "A small river is growing up there.. it goes parallel to the path of rock.. and it will end up in the surface" He looked at me again.
"I hope that Haldir and Gimli will go on and won't wait for us here.." I didn't hear any noises form the outside, so deep was that place.
"Haldir knows what to do.. we'll meet them in two days in the surface"
"Two days?" I almost shouted, and Legolas took my arm gently.
"Don't worry, it's only a path.. nothing bad will happen here and in short time we'll be outside.. because you trust me, right? "He smiled, and I smiled back, nodding. But I knew how did elves feel about closed places like caverns.. I knew it wouldn't be easy for him neither, and his eyes were darker now.. like when he was thinking about something with concentration.
"OK, so lets go.. although my bag is completely wet and I don't have any dry clothes, all food is spoiled and.." He passed me my bag and I looked at him with interrogative gaze.
"You didn't check the inside, right?" Legolas was smiling again.
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. I took my bag and opened it.. although the outside was completely wet, the inside was dry.. "This is amazing, I didn't know that elves knew about waterproof materials"
"Waterproof?" Legolas seemed not to understand, but I shrugged.
"Forget it.. it's nice to see Earth technologies here" Now he looked disappointed.
"So you already knew about this kind of magic?"
"It's not magic at all, and of course we have many waterproof objects" I couldn't help smiling at his strange look.
"Oh.." He also took his bag and picked up some dry clothes. "You must change before you'll get a cold.." He looked at me, and I blushed a bit.. because there weren't too many hidden places inside that cave.
"Well.. but where can I .. change? " He looked behind and then walked some steps.
"I'll change in this corridor, I'll be back in some moments" He gave me a last look before disappearing. And he left me alone with my thoughts again.
I picked up new dry clothes and also a towel.. it wasn't too cold inside that cave.. in fact, it was warmer than the outside, with that wind and cloudy sky. I wrapped myself with the towel and once I was dried, I put the underwear ( how I missed my nice bras..) and then the trousers and the warm elvish sweater. I left the wet clothes on the ground, wondering if I should carry them or not.. I hear Legolas coming.
"It's better to leave spoiled clothes here.. we don't need them and they won't get dry soon.." He commented, walking and checking me from my feet to the top of my head.
"What?" I asked, blushing.. and he walked a bit closer.
"You look like an elf- boy" He smiled.
"Oh, thank you very much!" I replied with sarcasm. "It's so nice to hear that I won't be in danger locked in a cave with you " Was I talking with irony? Yes, maybe Haldir was making a bigger effect on me than I had thought at first. We started to walk through the corridor, in the company of the nice green and blue river that was shining as if it had lights inside.
"Don't get angry.." He was smiling again, and then he whispered. "Or maybe you already forgot about all what I told you after dancing in your balcony? " I looked at him and blushed. "I see you didn't "He said, with a mysterious smile. I wondered what those two days were keeping for both of us.. and suddenly all the security about my feelings almost disappeared.. I needed to see Haldir.
--------- -------------- ------------ -------------- ----------- ------------ -------- ---------
"Nooo!!" Haldir shouted, when he saw Zana falling. His blue eyes widened when Legolas jumped after her. "Legolas, what are you doing?" He tried to follow them, but one of his feet was locked under a root. He felt a big pain when he tried to move, and felt so useless when he realised that he had to stop and free his leg first. Then, Legolas and Zana disappeared. Completely shocked, he looked through the hole, but he only saw darkness. And suddenly, the tree moved and the space became smaller.. it was impossible to see anything. He jumped to the other side, where Gimli was speechless, pale..
"Haldir.. what had just happened? What the hell did Legolas? Is he crazy? And Zana? Where is she?" But Haldir didn't reply at once. He sat on the ground and covered his face with his hands, breathing deeply. The dwarf sat with him.
"She fell and I let her go.. I didn't react like Legolas, I can't believe I didn't jump after her!" He shouted, angry. "Why that stupid root.. stopped me?? Why do I have to pass so many proofs? What does destiny want from me? I can't help anybody if those things happen to me!!" He was mad, his blue eyes shining with anger, looking at everywhere.
"Haldir, everything happened too fast, you couldn't predict this! If you had jumped, maybe you would have broken your leg, and maybe you would have died too!"
"Don't say that!! Nobody died here!!" Haldir stood up, taking Gimli by his clothes, threatening him with his gaze.
"I know, I know.. but first, put me on the ground again, please, and control yourself" Haldir obeyed.
"I'm sorry, Gimli.. but I can't help thinking that maybe they both won't ever return here and.. this is killing me. "For some seconds they were in silence.
"What do we do now? Maybe we must return to Lorien.. Galadriel could help us" Gimli said, looking at the elf , worried. Haldir had changed in the past hours, and he couldn't tell what was different on him.. but there was something he didn't like. Haldir walked around the tree, then he kneeled and put his ear on the ground, listening carefully. He heard the sound of water.. and voices. His face lightened with a smile.
"They're alive!" He shouted, standing up. "I also heard water.. we must follow it. I'm sure they will make the same. Probably the land of Rivers starts here.. so let's go, Gimli. We can't loose more time, Zana is alive and the hope has come again" Haldir started to walk so fast, and Gimli was trying to follow him.
"You forgot about Legolas.." He murmured, a bit angry. Haldir wasn't his best friend exactly. They both disappeared in the woods.
"We'll arrive in two days.. I won't ever forgive myself if something bad happens to her.. "He was murmuring, and Gimli sighed.
"Haldir, I told you that it wasn't your fault. Blaming on you won't solve anything.. remember that Galadriel warned Zana about pessimistic thoughts.. so follow her advice.. come on, you're an elf! And I'm a dwarf and, at this moment, I'm more reasonable than you"! Haldir couldn't help smiling at those words. He stopped and looked at Gimli.
"Thank you, Gimli. You're not so horrible" He went on walking, and the dwarf frowned.
"Did you call me horrible?"