Mirkwood
They had not been travelling for long, until the prince suddenly stopped and smiled, looking up into the trees. "Will you not come down from your hiding places to greet your prince?" he called.
Elimay and Gimli frowned, not knowing whom he was talking to, but soon found out as a whole group of elves jumped down from the trees to laugh in delight. "Forgive us my lord," one smiled, "we could not resist it."
Legolas smiled and then introduced Gimli and Elimay.
"We must get to the city quickly," Legolas said on a more serious note. "Can you lead us?"
"Of course my lord."
The elves returned to their flets and the guard of Mirkwood, Elladan, led them though the forest.
"How is my brother and father faring?" the prince asked.
Elladan grinned and looked to his superior. "Your father as usual is muttering about why you can't be more like Gallion. Your brother has become annoyed with him for putting you down."
"And there I thought my brother was liking the praise."
They were led through the night and Elimay's eyes grew heavy with fatigue. She had not slept for two days and it was starting to take its toll. She had been listening to the elves' conversation and was intrigued to meet Legolas' older brother, but afraid to meet his father.
"Are you okay?" Gimli asked, looking up at the maiden.
Elimay smiled down at the dwarf and nodded. "Yes Gimli, I am just tired. I have not slept in a long time."
"Legolas will carry you if you ask," the dwarf smirked.
Elimay rolled her eyes and turned to look at the prince ahead of her, walking with Elladan. "I can walk without his help but thank you for your concern."
"Fair enough," Gimli shrugged. He ran ahead to the two elves and Elimay didn't hear him tell Legolas that she was tired.
She walked behind them hanging her head in exhaustion so she didn't see Legolas until she bumped into him. She frowned up at him, wondering why he was standing in her path.
"What's wrong?"
"You look tired," he said.
Elimay narrowed her eyes and looked round him to Gimli who was now walking with Elladan.
"I'm fine," she said, moving round him to continue walking. He walked beside her, looking down at her in amusement.
"By any chance did Gimli tell you that I needed support?" she asked.
Legolas smiled and then chuckled. "He's only worried for you as I am."
"Well it's nice to know I'm thought about, but I'm quite capable."
"Hmmm, so you say."
She frowned at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He raised his brows in amusement and gave her an innocent look. "Nothing."
"So," she said, wanting to tease him. "Will your girlfriend be waiting for you when we get to the city?"
Legolas frowned at her and shook his head. "Don't know where you got that idea from." "Well, I just assumed."
"You should never assume anything about me," he told her.
She smiled and then rubbed her hand over her face with weariness. She realised that also she hadn't eaten anything in a while and she felt weak from the lack of sustenance. She was finding it very hard to put one foot in front of the other.
"How far is it now?" she asked.
"Not too far. You can look forward to a hot meal and a nice warm bed."
"But I need to seek Gandalf first..."
"I will do that," Legolas interrupted. "You need to rest. I will tell him everything and then get him to come and tell you his advise."
Elimay thought to object but the prospect of bed was too much. She nodded and thanked him.
Elladan had led them into a thinner part of the forest and through the trees rose a great wall with an iron gateway.
"Welcome to my home," Legolas smiled, taking her arm. Through the barrier they went and into the elven city of Mirkwood.
They had not been travelling for long, until the prince suddenly stopped and smiled, looking up into the trees. "Will you not come down from your hiding places to greet your prince?" he called.
Elimay and Gimli frowned, not knowing whom he was talking to, but soon found out as a whole group of elves jumped down from the trees to laugh in delight. "Forgive us my lord," one smiled, "we could not resist it."
Legolas smiled and then introduced Gimli and Elimay.
"We must get to the city quickly," Legolas said on a more serious note. "Can you lead us?"
"Of course my lord."
The elves returned to their flets and the guard of Mirkwood, Elladan, led them though the forest.
"How is my brother and father faring?" the prince asked.
Elladan grinned and looked to his superior. "Your father as usual is muttering about why you can't be more like Gallion. Your brother has become annoyed with him for putting you down."
"And there I thought my brother was liking the praise."
They were led through the night and Elimay's eyes grew heavy with fatigue. She had not slept for two days and it was starting to take its toll. She had been listening to the elves' conversation and was intrigued to meet Legolas' older brother, but afraid to meet his father.
"Are you okay?" Gimli asked, looking up at the maiden.
Elimay smiled down at the dwarf and nodded. "Yes Gimli, I am just tired. I have not slept in a long time."
"Legolas will carry you if you ask," the dwarf smirked.
Elimay rolled her eyes and turned to look at the prince ahead of her, walking with Elladan. "I can walk without his help but thank you for your concern."
"Fair enough," Gimli shrugged. He ran ahead to the two elves and Elimay didn't hear him tell Legolas that she was tired.
She walked behind them hanging her head in exhaustion so she didn't see Legolas until she bumped into him. She frowned up at him, wondering why he was standing in her path.
"What's wrong?"
"You look tired," he said.
Elimay narrowed her eyes and looked round him to Gimli who was now walking with Elladan.
"I'm fine," she said, moving round him to continue walking. He walked beside her, looking down at her in amusement.
"By any chance did Gimli tell you that I needed support?" she asked.
Legolas smiled and then chuckled. "He's only worried for you as I am."
"Well it's nice to know I'm thought about, but I'm quite capable."
"Hmmm, so you say."
She frowned at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He raised his brows in amusement and gave her an innocent look. "Nothing."
"So," she said, wanting to tease him. "Will your girlfriend be waiting for you when we get to the city?"
Legolas frowned at her and shook his head. "Don't know where you got that idea from." "Well, I just assumed."
"You should never assume anything about me," he told her.
She smiled and then rubbed her hand over her face with weariness. She realised that also she hadn't eaten anything in a while and she felt weak from the lack of sustenance. She was finding it very hard to put one foot in front of the other.
"How far is it now?" she asked.
"Not too far. You can look forward to a hot meal and a nice warm bed."
"But I need to seek Gandalf first..."
"I will do that," Legolas interrupted. "You need to rest. I will tell him everything and then get him to come and tell you his advise."
Elimay thought to object but the prospect of bed was too much. She nodded and thanked him.
Elladan had led them into a thinner part of the forest and through the trees rose a great wall with an iron gateway.
"Welcome to my home," Legolas smiled, taking her arm. Through the barrier they went and into the elven city of Mirkwood.