Story chapter 5
"El," Legolas whispered into her ear. The sun had only just risen over the rolling green fields. "Gwaihir is here El, wake up." El grunted and opened one eye when she heard the stifles of laughter behind Legolas.
"It seems El is not a morning person," Elladan said, grinning from ear to ear. El picked up her feather pillow and threw it at his face but before it had even reached him, Elladan had caught it. He grinned boastfully at her.
"Look! A flying pillow!" El cried pointing out of the window, while Legolas watched her grab the other pillow next to her.
"Where?" Elladan asked searching the pale morning sky, feigning stupidity.
"HERE!" El replied as she threw the one that she had grasped, this time nearly knocking Elladan backwards. He scowled at her. Legolas laughed, and Elladan's frown quickly turned into a grin.
"Gwaihir is waiting, El," Legolas said as he turned to leave the room. Elladan followed Legolas, muttering quietly about girls and cheating.
El threw on her new clothes that someone had draped over a chair beside her bed. There was a green tunic embroidered with silver leaves, and a gray cloak was lying next to it. She packed the other spare pair of clothes into the bag that lay on the floor next to her bed. She pulled a brush through her hair and tied part of it back. She ran out of the room and nearly slammed the door open in Elladan's face.
"Wow there. Slow down," he said as he grabbed El's hand. "You could hurt yourself. Or me."
"Sorry Elladan, but everyone is waiting," El said.
"No, they are just finishing breakfast, and the Lady is talking with Legolas and Gwaihir outside," he said adjusting the brooch on El's cloak, and taking her hand again as he walked her down the stairs. "Legolas asked me to escort you 'princess'," Elladan teased. El pushed him to the side nearly making him stumble.
They entered the dinning room just as everyone was leaving. El quickly grabbed a sugared bun from the center of the table and stuffed it into her mouth. Elladan pretended to look disgusted, but then he too did the same, and they both ran outside.
"Gathiel," Galadriel said as she walked towards El. Legolas seemed startled at the mention of the name. "I am sorry to have startled you last night." She took El's hand. "You shall remember your past soon." El bowed her head to her and Celeborn.
"Farewell, Gathiel," Celeborn said as he smiled, the stress he had before had now lifted from his face. The couple turned and headed in doors.
"Do not be frightened," came the voice of Galadriel in her head, "No harm shall come to you while Elrohir, Elladan and Legolas still stand."
"El," Gwaihir's cheerful voice rang out. Legolas was already on his back and lifted her on. There were three other eagles and on them were Ivy, Elrohir and Elladan. Gwaihir spread his wings and pushed off from the ground, soaring gracefully into the air. The other eagles followed his lead. They could barely see the now camouflaged Lothlorien below.
"El?" Legolas said after several hours of flying. "Why is it the Lady called you by the name of Gathiel when she bid farewell?" El turned her head to look at him, and saw an eager look in his blue eyes.
"That is the name I heard them call in my dream, the one I thought was mine," El replied. Legolas looked puzzled. "Why do you ask?"
"That is the name of Spring," he said, smiling a little. "We may have found what we have been looking for."
"It is as I said, Legolas," Gwaihir spoke for the first time since they had taken flight. "Your errand was not in vain."
Legolas fell silent as he absent-mindedly twirled El's golden hair between his fingers. To his amazement it flashed green, he rubbed his eyes but it had returned to its normal color.
"Is that Mirkwood?" said El, looking over Gwaihir's magnificent wings.
"Yes," Legolas replied, "This is where we must leave you, Gwaihir."
Gwaihir immediately started circling downwards, getting closer and closer towards the small road that El guessed was the old one Lady Galadriel had talked about. From above, Mirkwood did not look like much of an inviting place, as the trees were thick and dark. Once Gwaihir had landed, she looked closer at the trees and walked slowly towards the closest one, touching its bark. It let out a long groan and she jumped quickly backwards.
"Watch out, young El," Gwaihir said as he prepared himself to fly again. "These trees are old and their hearts are black for the long winter causes them pain." He addressed them all. "Farewell, and may the sun shine down on your errand." Then Gwaihir soared into the sky with the other eagles behind him and let out a cry. The other eagles answered and soon they were out of sight. El stood still staring at the speck that was disappearing fast; she could not help but feel sad.
Legolas put a hand on her shoulder and he turned towards the wood. El adjusted her pack and followed straight after him. Ivy came in behind her and Elladan and Elrohir brought up the end.
"It is a three days fast trek to my kingdom." Legolas said. "We must hurry if we are to get there on time."
"El," Legolas whispered into her ear. The sun had only just risen over the rolling green fields. "Gwaihir is here El, wake up." El grunted and opened one eye when she heard the stifles of laughter behind Legolas.
"It seems El is not a morning person," Elladan said, grinning from ear to ear. El picked up her feather pillow and threw it at his face but before it had even reached him, Elladan had caught it. He grinned boastfully at her.
"Look! A flying pillow!" El cried pointing out of the window, while Legolas watched her grab the other pillow next to her.
"Where?" Elladan asked searching the pale morning sky, feigning stupidity.
"HERE!" El replied as she threw the one that she had grasped, this time nearly knocking Elladan backwards. He scowled at her. Legolas laughed, and Elladan's frown quickly turned into a grin.
"Gwaihir is waiting, El," Legolas said as he turned to leave the room. Elladan followed Legolas, muttering quietly about girls and cheating.
El threw on her new clothes that someone had draped over a chair beside her bed. There was a green tunic embroidered with silver leaves, and a gray cloak was lying next to it. She packed the other spare pair of clothes into the bag that lay on the floor next to her bed. She pulled a brush through her hair and tied part of it back. She ran out of the room and nearly slammed the door open in Elladan's face.
"Wow there. Slow down," he said as he grabbed El's hand. "You could hurt yourself. Or me."
"Sorry Elladan, but everyone is waiting," El said.
"No, they are just finishing breakfast, and the Lady is talking with Legolas and Gwaihir outside," he said adjusting the brooch on El's cloak, and taking her hand again as he walked her down the stairs. "Legolas asked me to escort you 'princess'," Elladan teased. El pushed him to the side nearly making him stumble.
They entered the dinning room just as everyone was leaving. El quickly grabbed a sugared bun from the center of the table and stuffed it into her mouth. Elladan pretended to look disgusted, but then he too did the same, and they both ran outside.
"Gathiel," Galadriel said as she walked towards El. Legolas seemed startled at the mention of the name. "I am sorry to have startled you last night." She took El's hand. "You shall remember your past soon." El bowed her head to her and Celeborn.
"Farewell, Gathiel," Celeborn said as he smiled, the stress he had before had now lifted from his face. The couple turned and headed in doors.
"Do not be frightened," came the voice of Galadriel in her head, "No harm shall come to you while Elrohir, Elladan and Legolas still stand."
"El," Gwaihir's cheerful voice rang out. Legolas was already on his back and lifted her on. There were three other eagles and on them were Ivy, Elrohir and Elladan. Gwaihir spread his wings and pushed off from the ground, soaring gracefully into the air. The other eagles followed his lead. They could barely see the now camouflaged Lothlorien below.
"El?" Legolas said after several hours of flying. "Why is it the Lady called you by the name of Gathiel when she bid farewell?" El turned her head to look at him, and saw an eager look in his blue eyes.
"That is the name I heard them call in my dream, the one I thought was mine," El replied. Legolas looked puzzled. "Why do you ask?"
"That is the name of Spring," he said, smiling a little. "We may have found what we have been looking for."
"It is as I said, Legolas," Gwaihir spoke for the first time since they had taken flight. "Your errand was not in vain."
Legolas fell silent as he absent-mindedly twirled El's golden hair between his fingers. To his amazement it flashed green, he rubbed his eyes but it had returned to its normal color.
"Is that Mirkwood?" said El, looking over Gwaihir's magnificent wings.
"Yes," Legolas replied, "This is where we must leave you, Gwaihir."
Gwaihir immediately started circling downwards, getting closer and closer towards the small road that El guessed was the old one Lady Galadriel had talked about. From above, Mirkwood did not look like much of an inviting place, as the trees were thick and dark. Once Gwaihir had landed, she looked closer at the trees and walked slowly towards the closest one, touching its bark. It let out a long groan and she jumped quickly backwards.
"Watch out, young El," Gwaihir said as he prepared himself to fly again. "These trees are old and their hearts are black for the long winter causes them pain." He addressed them all. "Farewell, and may the sun shine down on your errand." Then Gwaihir soared into the sky with the other eagles behind him and let out a cry. The other eagles answered and soon they were out of sight. El stood still staring at the speck that was disappearing fast; she could not help but feel sad.
Legolas put a hand on her shoulder and he turned towards the wood. El adjusted her pack and followed straight after him. Ivy came in behind her and Elladan and Elrohir brought up the end.
"It is a three days fast trek to my kingdom." Legolas said. "We must hurry if we are to get there on time."