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A Panicked Escape
They travelled two more days until they reached the eastern boarders of Fangorn. Elimay knew that this forest was feared and this was her best chance of escape. They set up camp along the Entwash River and lit a fire. Gimli cooked the meal for them that night and was once again, the talk. Legolas and Elimay joined in half-heartedly though their minds were on other things. Legolas' was on the maiden's fear of entering Lorien and Elimay's was on the escape. They were just near the first trees of the forest and it would only have to be a short run before she entered Fangorn. She had been in it once before and it had served her a good hiding place from orcs. She scanned the route as the darkness dropped and knew that if she was going to make a break for it, the elf would have to be distracted for he was the one that was the threat. He could run as fast as her and he was stronger than her.
After finishing the meal Gimli lay down to sleep and Legolas tended to the fire, keeping it going with another stock of wood. She could see that he was watching her out of the corner of his eye and she tried to appear uninterested in his movements.
Then as the darkness grew thick he got up to fetch his quiver for the usual inspection of his arrows. She leapt up as silently as she could and ran. She ran like she had never run before, and she pushed back the protesting pain in her thigh. She flew over the dark even ground and heard the prince's cry as she entered the forest. She did not stop to look back, just kept on, weaving round the trees and leaping over the briars and fallen logs. Her heart hit hard inside her chest and her breathing became heavy but she did not give up.
She had been running for a long time now though it was still dark, and she could not go on. She had pushed herself to her limits and she collapsed to the ground, her vision going blurry from the lack of oxygen. Her legs were aching and her wound was painful and her head was beating so hard that she cried out and put her hand against it.
Once she had calmed down, she stood up again to survey her surroundings. She knew she had to be silent so as not to alert the beasts that roamed this forest. She could hear them enough to know they were there. The trees stood dark against the velvet blue sky above and strange lights kept flickering through the undergrowth. She felt fear creep up on her but told herself she would rather be here than be found out by Galadriel. She worked out by the stars which direction was west which was where the Misty Mountains lay, and then started off towards them, but walking this time. She was exhausted and had no idea what she was going to do. She could not return to her master for she would be killed and she could not return to her family for they would disgrace her even after all she'd done for them. She was alone. All alone in a huge unfriendly world. She sighed and pushed down all her thoughts like she had been trained to do, so that she became hard and emotionless.
Suddenly, a strong hand was clasped over her mouth and an arm around her waist pulled her back into a hard body. She couldn't even cry out for she had not heard her captor's approach. This is the end. This is where it all ends, she thought. She didn't even struggle. She was too exhausted. Her captor tied her hands and ankles and threw her roughly over their shoulder. She couldn't see who or what it was for it was so dark. She was carried back through the forest and the even walk of her captor gradually lulled her to sleep.
She was woken when someone opened her mouth and poured water down her throat. She choked and spat the water back out into the face of her captor. She opened her eyes to see Legolas wiping the water off his face with his hand. She raised her hands to try and throttle him but found they were tied. She cried out in frustration and tried to loosen them but couldn't. "I'm not taking any more chances," he said getting to his feet again. "Damn you prince!" she shouted. She had hoped her captor was an orc or something similar; at least they wouldn't be able to see her past. She saw Gimli sitting by the fire eating breakfast and wondered what he thought about the prince tying her up. Then she thought he'd probably told him all about her. She gave a grunt of annoyance and dropped her head back down. What was she going to do now?
After breakfast, he untied her legs and pulled her to her feet so they could continue their journey onto Lorien. Gimli was less talkative, making Elimay's guess that he had been told of her identity, more feasible. Neither really talked to her unless it was necessary. She found that her sword had been taken but thankfully Legolas did not know where she hid her daggers. This made the escape from her bonds possible. The impossible was trying get away without being noticed for a long while so that she could get a long way away.
She trailed along behind with a heavy heart throughout the day, watching the prince's back as he walked along as if his feet weren't touching the ground. For some reason she found him undeniably sexy in this angered, hard state. She could see the strength of him and his darker side and it thrilled her. If they weren't going to Lorien, she would have not made an escape attempt just to watch the prince. She suddenly found her chuckling to herself at the thoughts and she received a scornful look from Legolas. "What? I'm allowed to laugh aren't I?" she said innocently. She spied her sword in his belt and bristled slightly. "You seem to be without laughter so I thought I might bring some light to your cold heart." His eyes narrowed at her and snarled. "I am not the assassin." "But you are a killer and don't try to deny it." "I kill for the protection of my people and my friends' people. You kill for a reward and you show no remorse." Elimay shook her head, surprised at his crude analysis. "You are so wrong prince. I kill for love." With that she walked ahead of him, not wanting to let him see the tears that were threatening to fall. Legolas looked after her, amazed at what she had just said. She killed for love? What did that mean? It was all very confusing and the more information revealed to him, the more mystified he became. He regretted having to tie her up but he saw no other option. He had followed her through the dark deep into the forest that night and he did not want to go through that again. Most of all he had felt afraid for her. It was a very dangerous forest and she was just a maiden. A skilful one yes, he admitted, but still a maiden.
A Panicked Escape
They travelled two more days until they reached the eastern boarders of Fangorn. Elimay knew that this forest was feared and this was her best chance of escape. They set up camp along the Entwash River and lit a fire. Gimli cooked the meal for them that night and was once again, the talk. Legolas and Elimay joined in half-heartedly though their minds were on other things. Legolas' was on the maiden's fear of entering Lorien and Elimay's was on the escape. They were just near the first trees of the forest and it would only have to be a short run before she entered Fangorn. She had been in it once before and it had served her a good hiding place from orcs. She scanned the route as the darkness dropped and knew that if she was going to make a break for it, the elf would have to be distracted for he was the one that was the threat. He could run as fast as her and he was stronger than her.
After finishing the meal Gimli lay down to sleep and Legolas tended to the fire, keeping it going with another stock of wood. She could see that he was watching her out of the corner of his eye and she tried to appear uninterested in his movements.
Then as the darkness grew thick he got up to fetch his quiver for the usual inspection of his arrows. She leapt up as silently as she could and ran. She ran like she had never run before, and she pushed back the protesting pain in her thigh. She flew over the dark even ground and heard the prince's cry as she entered the forest. She did not stop to look back, just kept on, weaving round the trees and leaping over the briars and fallen logs. Her heart hit hard inside her chest and her breathing became heavy but she did not give up.
She had been running for a long time now though it was still dark, and she could not go on. She had pushed herself to her limits and she collapsed to the ground, her vision going blurry from the lack of oxygen. Her legs were aching and her wound was painful and her head was beating so hard that she cried out and put her hand against it.
Once she had calmed down, she stood up again to survey her surroundings. She knew she had to be silent so as not to alert the beasts that roamed this forest. She could hear them enough to know they were there. The trees stood dark against the velvet blue sky above and strange lights kept flickering through the undergrowth. She felt fear creep up on her but told herself she would rather be here than be found out by Galadriel. She worked out by the stars which direction was west which was where the Misty Mountains lay, and then started off towards them, but walking this time. She was exhausted and had no idea what she was going to do. She could not return to her master for she would be killed and she could not return to her family for they would disgrace her even after all she'd done for them. She was alone. All alone in a huge unfriendly world. She sighed and pushed down all her thoughts like she had been trained to do, so that she became hard and emotionless.
Suddenly, a strong hand was clasped over her mouth and an arm around her waist pulled her back into a hard body. She couldn't even cry out for she had not heard her captor's approach. This is the end. This is where it all ends, she thought. She didn't even struggle. She was too exhausted. Her captor tied her hands and ankles and threw her roughly over their shoulder. She couldn't see who or what it was for it was so dark. She was carried back through the forest and the even walk of her captor gradually lulled her to sleep.
She was woken when someone opened her mouth and poured water down her throat. She choked and spat the water back out into the face of her captor. She opened her eyes to see Legolas wiping the water off his face with his hand. She raised her hands to try and throttle him but found they were tied. She cried out in frustration and tried to loosen them but couldn't. "I'm not taking any more chances," he said getting to his feet again. "Damn you prince!" she shouted. She had hoped her captor was an orc or something similar; at least they wouldn't be able to see her past. She saw Gimli sitting by the fire eating breakfast and wondered what he thought about the prince tying her up. Then she thought he'd probably told him all about her. She gave a grunt of annoyance and dropped her head back down. What was she going to do now?
After breakfast, he untied her legs and pulled her to her feet so they could continue their journey onto Lorien. Gimli was less talkative, making Elimay's guess that he had been told of her identity, more feasible. Neither really talked to her unless it was necessary. She found that her sword had been taken but thankfully Legolas did not know where she hid her daggers. This made the escape from her bonds possible. The impossible was trying get away without being noticed for a long while so that she could get a long way away.
She trailed along behind with a heavy heart throughout the day, watching the prince's back as he walked along as if his feet weren't touching the ground. For some reason she found him undeniably sexy in this angered, hard state. She could see the strength of him and his darker side and it thrilled her. If they weren't going to Lorien, she would have not made an escape attempt just to watch the prince. She suddenly found her chuckling to herself at the thoughts and she received a scornful look from Legolas. "What? I'm allowed to laugh aren't I?" she said innocently. She spied her sword in his belt and bristled slightly. "You seem to be without laughter so I thought I might bring some light to your cold heart." His eyes narrowed at her and snarled. "I am not the assassin." "But you are a killer and don't try to deny it." "I kill for the protection of my people and my friends' people. You kill for a reward and you show no remorse." Elimay shook her head, surprised at his crude analysis. "You are so wrong prince. I kill for love." With that she walked ahead of him, not wanting to let him see the tears that were threatening to fall. Legolas looked after her, amazed at what she had just said. She killed for love? What did that mean? It was all very confusing and the more information revealed to him, the more mystified he became. He regretted having to tie her up but he saw no other option. He had followed her through the dark deep into the forest that night and he did not want to go through that again. Most of all he had felt afraid for her. It was a very dangerous forest and she was just a maiden. A skilful one yes, he admitted, but still a maiden.