Disclaimer: What else is there to say? I own some things and not some
things! Steve the purple squid says hi and he loves you all for reading my
story and reviewing! I don't know what else to say except I love ya as much
as Steve and thanks Nikhila for all your help! Cause I really need
it...grins
Rusty
ps-Oh crap! I forgot what else I was gonna tell you guys! Grrrr!!! Well, I'm home sick, so I have a good chance to write a lot! Maybe I'll finish this chapter soon!
Chapter Eight: The Journey to the Golden Wood
After a brief rest and some hastily eaten food, the company was back on the road and continuing on their way to the golden woods of Lorien. It was near daybreak when Rina turned to Legolas. "We're not going to make it to Lothlorien in time! It's at least five days travel ahead of us!"
"What would you have me do, Rina?" Legolas asked rather irritably.
"Ride ahead with Aliana. Split your gear with Ivellios, Ben, and I and we'll follow. But you need to reach the golden wood soon or we may lose Aliana forever!"
Legolas looked down at the weary girl curled up in his arms and knew she was right. She would never make it at the rate they were traveling. She was fighting sleep by the minute and could barely comprehend his questions anymore. "Alright, I'll take Aliana."
They came to a halt and Legolas dismounted. Aliana looked around questioningly, not sure what was going on. Legolas removed the saddlebags from his snowy white horse and tossed them to Rina. He then lifted up Aliana and unbuckled the saddle. "We'll have to ride bareback to reduce the weight and get there faster."
He and the she elf mounted again. Rina placed a hand on the horse's soft head. "Ride hard, don't look back," she said, stating the same line that Aragorn had once told Arwen on her way to Rivendell with Frodo Baggins.
Legolas nodded and whipped the reins to the left and around the corner. And in the first light of the morning sun, Rina and Ben watched their friends gallop away towards the safety of Lothlorien. It was difficult to tell in the vague light, but Rina was sure she saw Aliana smile up at the elf above her. Ben and Ivellios thought the same thing, although neither paid much attention to it.
Ivellios grumbled silently to himself while Rina dismounted and took a deep breath. How was he ever going to succeed in his plans if they were already so close to Lothlorien? Legolas and Aliana would reach the Golden Wood long before he did and then they would be off again to Isengard. Perhaps he would not kill her then. Perhaps he would wait until after she had accomplished her task and was back at home, safe and sound. Then she would be most vulnerable.
All day the two elves rode, neither saying much of anything. They didn't stop for lunch or supper and Aliana was extremely tired. Legolas also wanted to stop and rest, but he knew, given the chance to sleep, Aliana would. And for that reason alone he kept going, every second more amazed that the elf he held in his arms was not complaining of hunger of some other ailment.
As the sun set behind them and they galloped over the rocky pathway, Aliana quickly slipped her hand inside Legolas's. He stared down at her in bewilderment, but she wasn't looking his direction. She gazed out over the horizon where, ahead, the path could be seen to slope downward. He just smiled and squeezed her hand, at which point she quickly drew it away.
This confused the elf for never before had he met such a stubborn and mystifying person. And when he did, he found himself drawn to her, somewhat against his will. It was a strange thing to like somebody such as Aliana, but to find yourself completely infatuated by her was a whole lot more strange. He didn't know what to do with his feelings. Every time he tried to open up to her, she'd just blow up in his face and storm off. Yet, whenever he just kept quiet and didn't speak a word of this to her, his insides would spin with anxiety and he would be tormented within his mind.
Wanting to break the long awkward silence, Legolas spoke. "We should reach Lothlorien by early evening tomorrow if we ride fast the whole way and do not stop for rest."
Aliana focused hard on the ground ahead, looming closer and closer on the dark horizon. Without looking up at Legolas, she nodded her head and sighed. "Ok. Though I do not think I shall be able to stay awake that long, I shall surely try."
That was good enough for him. He flicked the reins and they continued on in the ever-growing darkness. Storm clouds approached from the south and the two began to feel a slight trickle of rain on their travel-worn clothes. Aliana drew her hood around her face, but Legolas pulled it back.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Aliana snapped. Although not quite as loud and harsh as normal in her pain, it was enough to make Legolas jump slightly at the sound of her voice.
He looked down upon her with a quirky smile plastered on his face. "Perhaps the rain will keep you awake, me heri."
Aliana folded her arms, but realized immediately that doing so was not very wise. Her wound hurt terribly and putting a large amount of pressure on it certainly wasn't helping matters. She let out a small whimper and placed her hands at her sides.
Hours and hours they rode, the rain never ceasing, the sound of the horse's hoofs being drowned out by the ever-pelting rain. What Legolas said appeared to be true because as long as rain covered her face and made her shiver uncontrollably, Aliana could find no rest. Though she squirmed and wiggled, any position she sat in seemed more uncomfortable than the last.
It wasn't until sunrise that they left the mountain trail and found themselves in the thick of Mirkwood forest. The dense trees enclosing all around them stopped the rain from reaching the two weary travelers. Legolas stopped briefly to get his bearings straight and then they were off again, this time traveling south along a small, almost hidden trail. The Prince knew Aliana's mood was taking a turn for the worst when, with every bit of strength she could muster, she cried out the words, "How much longer?!"
Her body leaned weakly to one side, as if she had not the strength to support it any longer. Legolas held her firmly in his arms and replied. "We should be there by nightfall tomorrow."
Legolas was startled when her words of reply were not raucous, but soft and faint. "I-I'm so tired...and sore...i-it hurts so much..."
"I know, Aliana." Legolas looked at her sadly, wishing she was safe in Lorien right now instead of on the open road , her life hanging by a thread. "And I wish there was something I could do to ease the pain. But you're just going to have to tough it out."
Legolas mentally hit himself, thinking this was all his fault. I shouldn't have let her fight by herself. If I had protected her, she would be fine. I could have stopped that arrow. It's all my fault! How could I have been so stupid?!
Aliana felt bad for yelling at Legolas, but he was being awfully stupid, after all. Why didn't he just let her sleep?! And why wasn't he arguing with her? No matter how much she yelled at him, he just sat there and took it. No comebacks, no smart-mouth retorts, no angry words. He would just smile and reply softly and patiently. But why? A few days ago, he never gave up on an argument. Why was now so different?
A thought came to her mind. One word in reply to all her questions. Love. When she realized the answer, she immediately denied it and reprimanded herself for being so naive. Why would he ever love someone as rude and hateful a me? I do nothing but yell at him and argue with him! Man, this pain is making me loose my head!
The two thought silently to themselves for the rest of the journey through the deep, dark forest. Those many hours dragged by longer than they should have until they finally reached the clearing of the forest and gazed out into the bright sunlight. The rain had stopped, though the grass was still wet and moist and glinted in the light. With weak hands and feeble effort, Aliana drew her hood up over her eyes to shield them from the brilliant rays of the afternoon sun. She glared at Legolas, as if daring him to pull it back.
"It won't be long now," Legolas said, taking a breath of the cool crisp air, relieved to breathe it instead of the tight, old air in the forest from which he'd just exited.
Aliana's head nodded slowly and weakly. Ahead sparkled the clear water of the Anduin, offering the two exhausted travelers a gulp of well deserved fresh water. Here Legolas stopped to allow his white stead the privilege to quench its thirst and clean his dirty snow-colored coat in the water. "Come on, Nique." Aliana had not the strength to stand and instead, lay on the bank, covering her hot sweaty face with water from the Great River.
They didn't linger here for more than a quarter of an hour before traveling alongside the river towards their final destination-Lothlorien. Legolas picked Aliana up and placed her in front of him. Noticing that she didn't even acknowledge this action, the elf began to despair.
There was no way they would make it to Lothlorien in time. She probably wouldn't make it through the night and he knew it. There was no way he could help her and Legolas couldn't live with himself if anything happened to her.
With a fallen heart, Legolas rode on, knowing he had to find someone who could help her. Aliana watched as a silver tear slid down Legolas's face. Not finding anything sad or depressing, Aliana enquired as to his sadness. "What's the matter, my Lord?"
Legolas started. He had not meant to cry, much less let Aliana see his tears. But seeing no way to avoid her, he answered. "Nothing, me heri."
"Then why is it you are crying?"
"I...it's just..." He paused for a moment, staring ahead of him at the clear sparkling water. "Oh, it's hopeless! There's no way we can reach Lothlorien in time!"
Aliana smiled softly and placed her hand on Legolas's arm that held the reins. He pulled sharply and Nique slowed down and finally, stopped. Mustering all of her strength, she turned around to face him and smiled, her eyes meeting his. "No matter what happens, there shall always be hope. We just need to know where to look for it."
Legolas sat, mesmerized by her face, and wiped a hand across his. "What hope have we now?!" he asked angrily. "There is nothing in the world that can get us to Lothlorien faster!"
Aliana's gaze did not move at his harsh words to her. "Whether you see it or not, it is there, right in front of you."
Not realizing her figurative language, Legolas stared at the path in front of him. Resting in a large field of grass was Gwaihir, Lord of the Eagles, and a few of his company. Aliana was surprised to find that her words had been somewhat useful and quickly smiled as if she'd known it all along.
Legolas jumped from his horse, almost forgetting Aliana who nearly fell to the ground without his support. Helping Aliana to her feet and allowing her to lean on him, he walked towards the large bird. Aliana didn't know how she managed to keep up with Legolas, even with his support. Her wound hurt so terribly by now that she could think of nothing else through the pain.
Standing at least eight feet tall, Gwaihir watched the two elves approach, noting the look of pain in one's eyes and the look of concern in the other's. He nipped at his feathers impatiently and watched a fellow eagle swoop over the Great River in search of fish. One of the elves, blonde hair and green eyes, bowed before him, the other apparently too weak to do so. "Great Lord of the Eagles, we are in great need of your help."
The tall bird stared down at them with big black eyes. "Explain yourselves."
"I am Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood, and this is my companion Aliana Majere. We were traveling over the Mountains of Mirkwood with a few more companions when we were ambushed by a large group of orcs. Aliana was mortally wounded and we must reach Lothlorien as soon as possible."
Gwaihir looked down at the she elf and saw that her clothes were stained with blood and she was as pale as death itself. He bowed towards the Prince and gave his reply. "Prince Legolas, I would be honored to bear you towards the safety of the Golden Wood."
The elf's face filled with a strong relief and he sighed deeply. "Thank you, Great Lord of the Eagles. We are eternally grateful to you."
With a nod, Gwaihir acknowledged him. "Are you ready to leave now, Prince?"
Legolas ran back to his horse, leaving Aliana to stand on her own feet, swaying dangerously. Noticing this, the Great Lord of the Eagles placed a great wing on her shoulder to help her. She looked up at him and her eyes widened. Obviously she had not been aware of what was going on around her before and had just realized who she was seeing.
"Nornoro mar my Nique," Legolas said softly to his snow-white stead, stroking his mane gently. "Nornora mar."
When he had seen Nique safely to the edge of the forest, where he could be sure she would find her way back home, Gwaihir lowered his large wing and allowed Legolas and Aliana to climb onto his great wings and sit upon his arched neck. Legolas placed his arms around Aliana and grabbed onto a cluster of feathers.
The Great Lord of the Eagles, Gwaihir lifted off the ground and was soon soaring, along with the rest of the eagles towards the Golden Wood of Lorien. With each rise and fall in the wind, Legolas could feel the life force ebb from Aliana's body. Her eyes flickered open and shut, lingering shut, more often then not. "Don't close your eyes, Aliana," he said, squeezing her hand tightly.
"Why do you care so much?!" Aliana snapped, her words fading into a whisper.
Legolas opened his mouth to reply, but no words issued from his lips. They lingered on his tongue like honey to a child's finger. Gwaihir sensed this hesitation and knew at once the emotions these two kept inside. It was strange to him that two people could love each other so much, but neither having the nerve to admit it, keep their emotions inside until it tore them apart.
Aliana did not press him on this subject any further. The two sat in silence, watching the great Anduin below them twist and turn until it entered through the Golden Wood. The sun set behind them and still they rode, drawing ever closer to their destination.
When the last rays of the evening sun were setting and casting a very faint pink light across the ground, Gwaihir flew over the center of the Golden Wood where most of the elves dwelled. Below, elves looked up in shock as the eagles circled their city, looking for a place to land. The Great Eagle descended upon a patch of green grass towards the outskirts of the city and landed.
Legolas dismounted and, with some help from Gwaihir, lifted Aliana and set her down softly on the grass. Gwaihir bowed and plucked a brown feather from his tail. "This is where I leave you, Great Prince of Mirkwood. Use this to call upon me if you ever find yourself in need of my help again."
With those words, he flew into the sky and off towards the Misty Mountains. Legolas looked down at Aliana and saw that she wasn't going to last more than an hour. Her face was pale and filled with pain, her eyes closed in tiredness. Her arms hung limply at her sides with no strength left in them to hold onto Legolas.
Legolas turned and walked towards the center of the forest, almost dragging Aliana with him as he went. Ahead of him he could see many tall trees, towering above the ground with pathways and staircases leading in all directions. Elves stood in the streets, watching this strange sight. Young girls blushed as Legolas approached, dazzled by the handsomeness of this elf.
Rusty
ps-Oh crap! I forgot what else I was gonna tell you guys! Grrrr!!! Well, I'm home sick, so I have a good chance to write a lot! Maybe I'll finish this chapter soon!
Chapter Eight: The Journey to the Golden Wood
After a brief rest and some hastily eaten food, the company was back on the road and continuing on their way to the golden woods of Lorien. It was near daybreak when Rina turned to Legolas. "We're not going to make it to Lothlorien in time! It's at least five days travel ahead of us!"
"What would you have me do, Rina?" Legolas asked rather irritably.
"Ride ahead with Aliana. Split your gear with Ivellios, Ben, and I and we'll follow. But you need to reach the golden wood soon or we may lose Aliana forever!"
Legolas looked down at the weary girl curled up in his arms and knew she was right. She would never make it at the rate they were traveling. She was fighting sleep by the minute and could barely comprehend his questions anymore. "Alright, I'll take Aliana."
They came to a halt and Legolas dismounted. Aliana looked around questioningly, not sure what was going on. Legolas removed the saddlebags from his snowy white horse and tossed them to Rina. He then lifted up Aliana and unbuckled the saddle. "We'll have to ride bareback to reduce the weight and get there faster."
He and the she elf mounted again. Rina placed a hand on the horse's soft head. "Ride hard, don't look back," she said, stating the same line that Aragorn had once told Arwen on her way to Rivendell with Frodo Baggins.
Legolas nodded and whipped the reins to the left and around the corner. And in the first light of the morning sun, Rina and Ben watched their friends gallop away towards the safety of Lothlorien. It was difficult to tell in the vague light, but Rina was sure she saw Aliana smile up at the elf above her. Ben and Ivellios thought the same thing, although neither paid much attention to it.
Ivellios grumbled silently to himself while Rina dismounted and took a deep breath. How was he ever going to succeed in his plans if they were already so close to Lothlorien? Legolas and Aliana would reach the Golden Wood long before he did and then they would be off again to Isengard. Perhaps he would not kill her then. Perhaps he would wait until after she had accomplished her task and was back at home, safe and sound. Then she would be most vulnerable.
All day the two elves rode, neither saying much of anything. They didn't stop for lunch or supper and Aliana was extremely tired. Legolas also wanted to stop and rest, but he knew, given the chance to sleep, Aliana would. And for that reason alone he kept going, every second more amazed that the elf he held in his arms was not complaining of hunger of some other ailment.
As the sun set behind them and they galloped over the rocky pathway, Aliana quickly slipped her hand inside Legolas's. He stared down at her in bewilderment, but she wasn't looking his direction. She gazed out over the horizon where, ahead, the path could be seen to slope downward. He just smiled and squeezed her hand, at which point she quickly drew it away.
This confused the elf for never before had he met such a stubborn and mystifying person. And when he did, he found himself drawn to her, somewhat against his will. It was a strange thing to like somebody such as Aliana, but to find yourself completely infatuated by her was a whole lot more strange. He didn't know what to do with his feelings. Every time he tried to open up to her, she'd just blow up in his face and storm off. Yet, whenever he just kept quiet and didn't speak a word of this to her, his insides would spin with anxiety and he would be tormented within his mind.
Wanting to break the long awkward silence, Legolas spoke. "We should reach Lothlorien by early evening tomorrow if we ride fast the whole way and do not stop for rest."
Aliana focused hard on the ground ahead, looming closer and closer on the dark horizon. Without looking up at Legolas, she nodded her head and sighed. "Ok. Though I do not think I shall be able to stay awake that long, I shall surely try."
That was good enough for him. He flicked the reins and they continued on in the ever-growing darkness. Storm clouds approached from the south and the two began to feel a slight trickle of rain on their travel-worn clothes. Aliana drew her hood around her face, but Legolas pulled it back.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Aliana snapped. Although not quite as loud and harsh as normal in her pain, it was enough to make Legolas jump slightly at the sound of her voice.
He looked down upon her with a quirky smile plastered on his face. "Perhaps the rain will keep you awake, me heri."
Aliana folded her arms, but realized immediately that doing so was not very wise. Her wound hurt terribly and putting a large amount of pressure on it certainly wasn't helping matters. She let out a small whimper and placed her hands at her sides.
Hours and hours they rode, the rain never ceasing, the sound of the horse's hoofs being drowned out by the ever-pelting rain. What Legolas said appeared to be true because as long as rain covered her face and made her shiver uncontrollably, Aliana could find no rest. Though she squirmed and wiggled, any position she sat in seemed more uncomfortable than the last.
It wasn't until sunrise that they left the mountain trail and found themselves in the thick of Mirkwood forest. The dense trees enclosing all around them stopped the rain from reaching the two weary travelers. Legolas stopped briefly to get his bearings straight and then they were off again, this time traveling south along a small, almost hidden trail. The Prince knew Aliana's mood was taking a turn for the worst when, with every bit of strength she could muster, she cried out the words, "How much longer?!"
Her body leaned weakly to one side, as if she had not the strength to support it any longer. Legolas held her firmly in his arms and replied. "We should be there by nightfall tomorrow."
Legolas was startled when her words of reply were not raucous, but soft and faint. "I-I'm so tired...and sore...i-it hurts so much..."
"I know, Aliana." Legolas looked at her sadly, wishing she was safe in Lorien right now instead of on the open road , her life hanging by a thread. "And I wish there was something I could do to ease the pain. But you're just going to have to tough it out."
Legolas mentally hit himself, thinking this was all his fault. I shouldn't have let her fight by herself. If I had protected her, she would be fine. I could have stopped that arrow. It's all my fault! How could I have been so stupid?!
Aliana felt bad for yelling at Legolas, but he was being awfully stupid, after all. Why didn't he just let her sleep?! And why wasn't he arguing with her? No matter how much she yelled at him, he just sat there and took it. No comebacks, no smart-mouth retorts, no angry words. He would just smile and reply softly and patiently. But why? A few days ago, he never gave up on an argument. Why was now so different?
A thought came to her mind. One word in reply to all her questions. Love. When she realized the answer, she immediately denied it and reprimanded herself for being so naive. Why would he ever love someone as rude and hateful a me? I do nothing but yell at him and argue with him! Man, this pain is making me loose my head!
The two thought silently to themselves for the rest of the journey through the deep, dark forest. Those many hours dragged by longer than they should have until they finally reached the clearing of the forest and gazed out into the bright sunlight. The rain had stopped, though the grass was still wet and moist and glinted in the light. With weak hands and feeble effort, Aliana drew her hood up over her eyes to shield them from the brilliant rays of the afternoon sun. She glared at Legolas, as if daring him to pull it back.
"It won't be long now," Legolas said, taking a breath of the cool crisp air, relieved to breathe it instead of the tight, old air in the forest from which he'd just exited.
Aliana's head nodded slowly and weakly. Ahead sparkled the clear water of the Anduin, offering the two exhausted travelers a gulp of well deserved fresh water. Here Legolas stopped to allow his white stead the privilege to quench its thirst and clean his dirty snow-colored coat in the water. "Come on, Nique." Aliana had not the strength to stand and instead, lay on the bank, covering her hot sweaty face with water from the Great River.
They didn't linger here for more than a quarter of an hour before traveling alongside the river towards their final destination-Lothlorien. Legolas picked Aliana up and placed her in front of him. Noticing that she didn't even acknowledge this action, the elf began to despair.
There was no way they would make it to Lothlorien in time. She probably wouldn't make it through the night and he knew it. There was no way he could help her and Legolas couldn't live with himself if anything happened to her.
With a fallen heart, Legolas rode on, knowing he had to find someone who could help her. Aliana watched as a silver tear slid down Legolas's face. Not finding anything sad or depressing, Aliana enquired as to his sadness. "What's the matter, my Lord?"
Legolas started. He had not meant to cry, much less let Aliana see his tears. But seeing no way to avoid her, he answered. "Nothing, me heri."
"Then why is it you are crying?"
"I...it's just..." He paused for a moment, staring ahead of him at the clear sparkling water. "Oh, it's hopeless! There's no way we can reach Lothlorien in time!"
Aliana smiled softly and placed her hand on Legolas's arm that held the reins. He pulled sharply and Nique slowed down and finally, stopped. Mustering all of her strength, she turned around to face him and smiled, her eyes meeting his. "No matter what happens, there shall always be hope. We just need to know where to look for it."
Legolas sat, mesmerized by her face, and wiped a hand across his. "What hope have we now?!" he asked angrily. "There is nothing in the world that can get us to Lothlorien faster!"
Aliana's gaze did not move at his harsh words to her. "Whether you see it or not, it is there, right in front of you."
Not realizing her figurative language, Legolas stared at the path in front of him. Resting in a large field of grass was Gwaihir, Lord of the Eagles, and a few of his company. Aliana was surprised to find that her words had been somewhat useful and quickly smiled as if she'd known it all along.
Legolas jumped from his horse, almost forgetting Aliana who nearly fell to the ground without his support. Helping Aliana to her feet and allowing her to lean on him, he walked towards the large bird. Aliana didn't know how she managed to keep up with Legolas, even with his support. Her wound hurt so terribly by now that she could think of nothing else through the pain.
Standing at least eight feet tall, Gwaihir watched the two elves approach, noting the look of pain in one's eyes and the look of concern in the other's. He nipped at his feathers impatiently and watched a fellow eagle swoop over the Great River in search of fish. One of the elves, blonde hair and green eyes, bowed before him, the other apparently too weak to do so. "Great Lord of the Eagles, we are in great need of your help."
The tall bird stared down at them with big black eyes. "Explain yourselves."
"I am Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood, and this is my companion Aliana Majere. We were traveling over the Mountains of Mirkwood with a few more companions when we were ambushed by a large group of orcs. Aliana was mortally wounded and we must reach Lothlorien as soon as possible."
Gwaihir looked down at the she elf and saw that her clothes were stained with blood and she was as pale as death itself. He bowed towards the Prince and gave his reply. "Prince Legolas, I would be honored to bear you towards the safety of the Golden Wood."
The elf's face filled with a strong relief and he sighed deeply. "Thank you, Great Lord of the Eagles. We are eternally grateful to you."
With a nod, Gwaihir acknowledged him. "Are you ready to leave now, Prince?"
Legolas ran back to his horse, leaving Aliana to stand on her own feet, swaying dangerously. Noticing this, the Great Lord of the Eagles placed a great wing on her shoulder to help her. She looked up at him and her eyes widened. Obviously she had not been aware of what was going on around her before and had just realized who she was seeing.
"Nornoro mar my Nique," Legolas said softly to his snow-white stead, stroking his mane gently. "Nornora mar."
When he had seen Nique safely to the edge of the forest, where he could be sure she would find her way back home, Gwaihir lowered his large wing and allowed Legolas and Aliana to climb onto his great wings and sit upon his arched neck. Legolas placed his arms around Aliana and grabbed onto a cluster of feathers.
The Great Lord of the Eagles, Gwaihir lifted off the ground and was soon soaring, along with the rest of the eagles towards the Golden Wood of Lorien. With each rise and fall in the wind, Legolas could feel the life force ebb from Aliana's body. Her eyes flickered open and shut, lingering shut, more often then not. "Don't close your eyes, Aliana," he said, squeezing her hand tightly.
"Why do you care so much?!" Aliana snapped, her words fading into a whisper.
Legolas opened his mouth to reply, but no words issued from his lips. They lingered on his tongue like honey to a child's finger. Gwaihir sensed this hesitation and knew at once the emotions these two kept inside. It was strange to him that two people could love each other so much, but neither having the nerve to admit it, keep their emotions inside until it tore them apart.
Aliana did not press him on this subject any further. The two sat in silence, watching the great Anduin below them twist and turn until it entered through the Golden Wood. The sun set behind them and still they rode, drawing ever closer to their destination.
When the last rays of the evening sun were setting and casting a very faint pink light across the ground, Gwaihir flew over the center of the Golden Wood where most of the elves dwelled. Below, elves looked up in shock as the eagles circled their city, looking for a place to land. The Great Eagle descended upon a patch of green grass towards the outskirts of the city and landed.
Legolas dismounted and, with some help from Gwaihir, lifted Aliana and set her down softly on the grass. Gwaihir bowed and plucked a brown feather from his tail. "This is where I leave you, Great Prince of Mirkwood. Use this to call upon me if you ever find yourself in need of my help again."
With those words, he flew into the sky and off towards the Misty Mountains. Legolas looked down at Aliana and saw that she wasn't going to last more than an hour. Her face was pale and filled with pain, her eyes closed in tiredness. Her arms hung limply at her sides with no strength left in them to hold onto Legolas.
Legolas turned and walked towards the center of the forest, almost dragging Aliana with him as he went. Ahead of him he could see many tall trees, towering above the ground with pathways and staircases leading in all directions. Elves stood in the streets, watching this strange sight. Young girls blushed as Legolas approached, dazzled by the handsomeness of this elf.