Disclaimer: Not mine.
Vipera berus: Thanks! And I agree, looking back I see that I haven't given a lot of details. I will try and do better.
They reach Nimrodel late in the night and Diana sighs in relief when Aragorn says they will rest there. She drops to her knees on the bank of the river and takes a drink of the cool, refreshing water. Then splashing it on her face and neck to rinse off some of the sweat and grime.
Legolas watches the woman drink from the river and then sit under one of the trees. He can't help but smile when she ungracefully flops onto her side, dragging on of the Hobbit's packs to her for a pillow.
Aragorn walks over and crouches next to her. "How does your shoulder feel?"
"Much better. Thank you." She looks up and notices the grief in his eyes. Guilt of not saving Gandalf resurfaces even stronger than before. "I'm sorry," she whispers and lowers her head.
Aragorn hooks a finger under her chin and lifts her head so she looking him in the eye. His heart breaks at seeing the guilt in her eyes. "Listen to me. Gandalf's death was not your fault."
She pulls away from him and lowers her head again. "Yes, it was. I should have warned him."
"Look at me." The authoritve tone in his voice told her to comply and she looked up. "He already suspected that he would not leave Moria and that did not stop him. So do you really think your warning would have?"
Diana smirks. "No. He was too stubborn for his own good."
"Indeed," Aragorn chuckles. "Rest well." Surprisingly Aragorn's words helped lessen the guilt and she lies back down with a lighter heart and falls asleep almost instantly.
Legolas notices Diana watching him as he picks up his bedroll and deciding to let her use it instead of lying on the bare ground. He tosses it at her thinking she would catch it but it hits her and she sits up with a start. Oops.
"What the..." She looks around before her eyes land on a smirking elf. Her eyes narrow in anger. "What the hell is your problem? I was asleep, you ass."
"Your eyes were wide open and mortals do not sleep with their eyes open."
Diana sighs. "I do sometimes or at least that's what I'm told."
Well that's strange. "Then I am sorry, Lady Diana. I truly thought you were awake and did not mean for it to hit you."
She eyes the elf closely and then sighs tiredly. "It's alright. Thanks," she says motioning to the bedroll.
After laying out the bedroll Diana sits on it and looks around at the fellowship. After about a week of traveling with them she has most of them figured out. Gimli is a gruff warrior on the outside but inside he is fiercely loyal and a bit of a softy. Boromir is a good man in his heart but the power of the ring is corupting him. Frodo is soft spoken and kind but is growing weary and suspicious due to the burden of the ring. Sam is shy but friendly and very protective of best friend. Merry and Pippin. She chuckles at the thought of the two. Well, they are mischievous to a fault and a little obnoxious at times but she wouldn't have them any other way. Aragorn, well Aragorn needs to relax. This quest is stressing him out big time but underneath that stressed out Ranger skin of his is a kind, humourus man. He will definately make a great King and she feels honored to have him as a friend.
And then there's Legolas. She sighs in frustration. She has yet to figure him out because he hides his emotions so well and tends to run hot and cold in a blink of an eye. 'It must be an Elf thing' she grumbles to herself and lays down unaware that someone is watching her.
There is something about Diana that draws Legolas' curiosity. She appears to be of the race of man, yet, she also has many Elvish qualities about her. He smiles at the thought of her fiery spirit. Not many would dare to talk to him in the way she does. Many are wary of him because he is an Elf and others because of his royal status. But she doesn't seem to care of his race or status and that's refreshing to him.
"Stay close, youg Hobbits! They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell. And are never seen again."
Diana looks back at Gimli and smiles but when Frodo catches her attention her smile falls. He's looking around in fear and Diana knows that Galadriel must be speaking to him.
"...I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox." Gimli stares in surprise at the arrow that is not two inches from his nose. "oh."
"Yea, Gimli, a blind hawk and deaf fox," Diana hisses. She clings to the back of Legolas' tunic in fear as he stands bow to bow with and Elf of Lothlorien.
A regal Elf appears from behind the others. "The Dwarf breaths so loud we could have shot him in the dark." Flashes of this elf and others race through Diana's head at such speed it gives her an unbearable headache. She moans and grabs her head as she tries to stop the images. The pain is so intense she falls to her knees, unaware that everyone is watching her in concern.
The images finally fade and she becomes aware of Aragorn and Legolas kneeling on either side of her. She looks up at the regal looking Elf in front of her. "Haldir?"
"Yes, that is my name." He looks at her in confusion. "Though I would like to know how you know that."
"I, I don't know. When I saw you I got these images. They ran through my mind so fast that it hurt. I couldn't make any sense out of them but it was of you, Orophin, and Rumil..." she trails off.
"Visions. Could she be a seerer?" Legolas looks up at Aragorn and then Haldir for an answer but sees the same question in their eyes.
Diana shakes her head. "I don't think so. I feel like I was seeing the past, not the future. But why? What does it mean?" She looks up at them, her eyes pleading.
"Maybe my Lady wil be able to help. Can you stand?"
"I think so." Diana stands up with the help of Aragorn and Legolas. She's slightly dizzy when she stands so Legolas holds onto her waist as they walk to steady her.
They walk the rest of the day and most of the night, only stopping for a couple of hours late in the night to rest. As the sun rises Haldir stops on the edge of a cliff. Diana walks up next to him and gasps at the sight. "It's beautiful."
Haldir glances at her and smiles with pride. "Caras Galadhon. The heart of Elvendom on Earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light."
As they make their way toward Caras Galadhon Diana moves up to walk next to Haldir. "Haldir, in my visions of you and your brothers there was always a female Elf there. She looked somewhat like me and I got the feeling she was much younger than the three of you and I think in one of the visions Rumil called her Aranel. Who was she?"
Haldir stops and turns to face her. The intense emotions of pain, grief and love in his eyes is almost unbearable and she looks down. "Forgive me. I shouldn't have asked. I can see that it's painful for you."
Diana starts to follow the others when he puts a hand on her arm. "She was our sister," he says quietly. He offers her his arm and begins walking again when Diana accepts it. "Our parents died when she was only 50 and I raised her and my brothers with the help of the Lord and Lady. She was barely 1000 and was traveling with Celebrian when they were attacked by orcs. Celebrian was severly injured and had to leave these shores before death took her but Aranel was killed in the attack."
"I'm so sorry. I can't even begin to imagine the pain you and your brothers went through. In the visions I could feel what she was feeling and I was overwelmed with the love and pride she felt toward the three of you."
She looks up at Haldir and notices his eyes wet with unshed tears as he looks back at her. "Thank you" he smiles and she squeezes his arm gently before dropping back to walk with Aragorn and the others.