Okay, some of you have noticed that this story seems to be winding down a bit but there are still a few chapters left to this story and I have begun to write a sequel so be looking out for that!!! Thanx!!

Rejoice for the sight of Mirkwood

Aragorn looked over at the elf maiden riding on the grey horse that was just in front of his brown gelding. She looked weary and pained, but he knew that if he said anything, she would just deny it. Gimli, who rode with Aragorn, also seemed to notice and often muttered his concerns to the ranger. They had been gone from Lorien two days now, and both man and dwarf could tell how much pain the early journey was causing her. Aragorn thought that the rush was to see her family, but did not have much of an idea that there was another piece to the puzzle. Legolas had not told him of their relationship but the ranger was very observant so could see that there was something between the two, but to what extent he did not realise.

They had crossed the Anduin River at Lorien so they were now on the eastern shore. They had passed Dol Guldur a day ago so it was just another two or three days ride to the realm of Mirkwood where Thranduil lived. The part of Mirkwood that they were travelling along at the moment was renown for its many dangers and dark magic.

Finally, after three days of riding, they were entering Thranduil's realm of Mirkwood. The trees were just as Elimay remembered them and she felt her heart lighten. Finally they were here. The woods were silent but all three of the company knew better than to assume that the trees were empty. As expected, they were greeted about an hour into the woods by Thranduil's guard, and were led the rest of the way by one of the soldiers.

Aragorn once again looked over at Elimay, as he seemed to be doing so often. She was almost slumped over on her horse now and her lips had gone bloodless with pain. "Elimay," he said, trying not to impose on her feelings. "Do you not think you should rest, just for a while?"

She turned to look at him and gave him a determined stare. "No. We are nearly there."

He sighed and heard Gimli do the same. "The woman is certainly hardy, I'll give her that," Gimli whispered behind Aragorn. The ranger nodded mutely and drew his horse closer to Elimay's just in case she fell off it. In the state she was in it certainly seemed a possibility.

"My lady, are you well?" asked the elf that was leading them.

Elimay smiled across at the blonde haired soldier and sighed. "Yes, thank you for your concern."

The elf passed a look of concern over at Aragorn but he just shrugged.

They were led deep into Mirkwood and soon Elimay saw the tall stonewalls of the city, and the iron gates guarded by elves. For some reason she felt nervous all of a sudden.

As they came to the gates, they slid off their steeds. Elimay found it hard to do it as easily as she had once done because of the pain in her gut. She felt two hands supporting her and she looked round to see Aragorn. As soon as she was on the ground, she stood up to her full height, and shook him off. "I'm okay," she told him.

There was suddenly a commotion at the gate and Aragorn turned to see Legolas running towards them. He got to Elimay just as he legs collapsed beneath her.

"Legolas!" she gasped, surprised that he had suddenly saved her. She laughed with happiness and their lips crashed into one another, duelling to make up for the time apart.

"You're here," he whispered into her ear before kissing it.

"Yes, my love. Though I wish I was in a better state to greet you."

He looked down at her in his arms and chuckled. "I am just glad that you are alive."

Aragorn and Gimli looked on at the display of such love, and then as the prince carried Elimay into the city of Mirkwood. The ranger frowned, finding that for once he was amazed to see the extent to which their feelings went. When Elimay had been unconscious, Legolas had hidden such displays of affection from him. Gimli laughed beside him and shook his head. "Such displays should be kept for when we don't have to see them." He did not take lightly to affection. The two followed after the prince and Elimay, glad that they were finally able to have a warm bath and rest.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she felt herself sigh with happiness. It was all over. The pain that was in her stomach was only just a faint ache now, and she was free from her master. She couldn't quite believe it.

She sat up and looked around the room she had been laid in. It was a light warm chamber with off white walls decorated with painted green ivy swirls and intricate wooden carvings. The stone floor was covered with reed matting and as she looked out of the of the balcony windows, she saw the tiled roof curving up at the end. The lush forest beyond was faded slightly by a mist of rain. It was as if she had never left Mirkwood.

She dressed in a warm green dress and pulled on her black boots, then left the room to go and look for her family. She had not seen them yet even though she had slept here for two days. The corridors were silent and comforting; this place made her heart feel at peace for it felt so much like home.

She had been wondering through the palace for a while, until she heard loud chatter and laughing. She made towards it and found herself entering a covered courtyard. Her eyes drifted over the scene and rested on the source of the laughter. There sat her mother and sister with Aragorn and Gimli.

Elimay almost cried out with the joy at seeing them again. Their heads turned as she entered and the faces of her family blended to amazement and love. Lissy was the first to make a move. "Eli!" she cried, jumping up and running to her sister, flinging her arms around her. Elimay laughed with joy into her sister's light brown hair and felt tears coming to her eyes. "I missed you so much!" she whispered.

She had thought she would never see her family again and this was just a dream come true. When she released Lissy, she saw that her mother was standing just in front of her, shaking her head at her. Elimay raised her brows, waiting to get her punishment. But then suddenly tears were falling from her mother's eyes. She embraced her tightly. "Don't ever try to be heroic again, do you hear me?"

Elimay laughed and pulled back just enough to see her mother's face. "I couldn't leave you two to die in that place."

Her mother caressed her daughter's cheek with her hand and smiled through her tears. "I'm just glad that we are all alive."

They all sat down with Aragorn and Gimli, and Elimay felt at ease amongst her friends and family. They told her what had happened when they had been rescued from Isengard and she also learned how Legolas had not told them of what she had been to him before they had settled their differences.

And so when they asked for her side of the story and she told them, they were both amazed to hear that she had been Legolas' assassin. Lissy laughed when she heard. "You are his assassin and now you are now his lo..."

"Okay!" Elimay interrupted, feeling slightly embarrassed for some reason.

As if on cue, there was the sound of someone entering the courtyard and Elimay knew it was Legolas even before he appeared next to her. He sat down beside her and she turned her head to see he was smiling at her. She almost gasped seeing his perfect face and breathtaking smile, and was instantly enthralled by him.

"Legolas!" Lissy interrupted his staring. "How come you didn't tell us that Eli was your assassin?"

Legolas laughed and turned to Elimay's sister. "I thought I would leave that up to Eli, seeing as she was the one that tried to kill me... twice!"

"Was that because it was her job or because you were so annoying?" Elimay's mother asked.

Legolas sniggered and caught the look of amusement on Elimay's face. "Most likely because she thought I was so annoying."

Elimay looked at him in amazement. "It has taken you a long time to admit that!"

"I didn't say I was actually annoying, I just said because you thought I was annoying." He caught a slap round the head at that and gave a grunt of pain. But then he caught her look of discomfort and realised that her injury was hurting as a result of laughing too much.

"Come on," he said, pulling her gently to her feet. "You need to rest. You will have plenty of time to talk once you have completely healed."

She seemed ready to protest but then her stomach cramped again and she clutched her hand to her gut.

"Eli dear, do as Legolas says," her mother said.

Legolas gave a grin of amusement. "You heard that," he told Elimay, smiling down at her. "You can't protest this time."

"Just you wait," she told him, as he led her back into the building and up to her bed again.