Hello!!! LoL, yes my faithful readers I am still alive!!!! I moved to college this past month and have been taking most of my time adjusting to my new life and yadda, yadda.......stuff you really don't wanna hear about :D. So, here is the chapter. I made it 19 pages for you.
So, curl up in front of your computer with a nice drink, non-alcoholic of course ;), and some chocolate and prepare to read the biggest chapter of the story yet. Thank you so much for sticking with me and I promise that I will work hard on Chapter 17 and get it to you as soon as possible.
Thanks,
Trista
§xChapter 16: The True Beginningx§
Kenzie was starting to find that she couldn't stay in a peaceful place for too long. Well, it really wasn't about if she could, it just wouldn't feel like she had been there that long. Just as it had in Rivendell, the time that the company spent in Lorien dwindled down to nothing before Kenzie could even think about it. She really thought it unfair to the Fellowship, especially Frodo. And as the days breezed past, she found that she thought it was unfair to her as well. Crystal tears would prick her eyes every time she realized that each setting sun brought her departure from Legolas closer. When this thought crossed her mind, she would flee from the Fellowship in hopes that they wouldn't see her tears as she dashed away. Soon, she started going days without seeing them, hoping to learn to keep her emotions in check. But she knew she couldn't avoid the company forever; especially Legolas. And she had been right.
One evening, after she had spent a day wondering around Lorien and trying to push thoughts out of her mind again, Kenzie found herself sitting by the fountain near their camp rummaging through the things her sisters had packed for her. She found the small notebook of spells they had written and began to read through them as someone gingerly sat down next to her.
"What are you studying?" Legolas asked, his voice so close to her ear that she jumped in her spot.
Kenzie took a deep breath and pressed her notebook to her chest, trying to calm her breathing, "Please give me a little warning next time," she scolded, turning her face from him.
The elf studied her profile, "I thought it wise to not make my presence known," he started, "I feared that if I did, you would run away again."
She gulped noticeably and licked her lips in response, flipping the page in her notebook to a new spell. He stared at her for a moment, waiting for her to give him an explanation for her behavior, but one never came. Legolas sighed; slightly frustrated that she was acting this way. Hadn't he already told her that she had no reason to feel rejected by them? The elf had been certain that she would no longer draw within herself and only concentrate on protecting Frodo, but it seemed that he had been wrong. The anxiety and tension that she had been emanating once again had caught not only his attention, but the attention of many elves throughout Lorien. Haldir had even approached Legolas one night, voicing his concern for the young witch and bringing other matters to Legolas' attention.
"Other elves are beginning to worry as well, Legolas," Haldir whispered as they stood away from the rest of the Fellowship.
The younger elf sighed and looked down at the ground, "I understand," he replied softly.
"§All of us here feel her power. If she is out of balance, than it might not be safe to travel with her§," Haldir began, "§What ever is troubling her needs to resolved. She needs to know that the Fellowship does not think of her as an enemy.§"
"§But I have already spoken with her about it!§" Legolas replied harshly, raising his voice slightly. He did not need scolding from Haldir; not about this.
Haldir took a deep breath and placed a hand on the younger elf's shoulder, "§Forgive me, I am not here to patronize you. I just fear for Lady Kenzie.§"
Legolas narrowed his eyes and stared at the Lorien elf, "§Do you....have feelings for her as well?§"
He didn't know what made him ask such a question. Haldir had been a good friend to him and his father for a very long time and the last thing that the elven prince wished to do was to upset him. Haldir looked at the younger elf for ages it seemed before he began to chuckle softly. At first Legolas was relived that he had not been offended by the question, but then he become annoyed. He thought that his inquiry was valid and serious, not a laughing matter.
"§Oh, Legolas, my friend,§" Haldir laughed, "§you have no reason to worry. I only care for Lady Kenzie as a dear friend. Your relationship with her is not threatened.§"
Legolas sighed, "§I'm afraid that Kenzie and I are mere friends as well.§"
Haldir creased his eyebrows, "§Do you sincerely believe that she only thinks of you as a friend?§"
The younger elf looked at the Lorien guard with an unreadable expression, "§What do you mean?§"
"§She feels very deeply for you,§" the elf then chuckled again, "§Any elven child could see that. These feelings might very well be what are troubling the young witch.§"
"You think so?" Legolas inquired, slipping back to the Common Tongue in his eagerness.
Haldir smiled brightly, "Yes, I do," his smile then faded, "And that is why you must speak with her. I have a feeling that it is only you who can make her truly all right again."
So here Legolas sat, patiently staring at Kenzie's profile, studying the lines of her face as he waited for her to confide in him. He was determined to be patient with her, vowing to wait as long as it would take.
"Was there something that you wanted?" Kenzie asked, not turning towards him as she fought to keep her voice serious.
Legolas caught the slight shake in her tone and he decided that, since she just gave the invitation, he should ask her.
"Yes, actually, there was," he replied, his gaze still on her profile.
She looked up from her book and then turned towards him. When she faced him, the elf couldn't stop the smile that slowly crept across his lips. The young witch was becoming skilled at keeping her emotions from playing across her face, yet when he looked in her dark, midnight blue eyes, Legolas could read exactly what her heart was fighting to hide.
"What?" she asked, allowing her slight confusion to flutter across her face.
"I am worried about you, Ai'er," he started, then grabbed her wrist when she rolled her eyes and turned away, "No, please don't go. Hear me out."
Kenzie sighed, obviously trying to release the tension that she felt, and turned back to face him. Legolas pursed his lips, looking down at her wrist resting in his palm as he tried to sort out his thoughts. He then enclosed her hand with both of his.
"And I am not the only one that has noticed the strange way you have been behaving. Ever since the night you spoke with Galadriel, you've...." he stopped.
'....you've been avoiding me,' was what he wanted to say, but he knew that he could not. This wasn't about Kenzie and himself. It was about her and her focus on protecting Frodo. Maybe after they resolved all of this, after the Ring was destroyed, and after the war ended he could finally talk to her about his feelings. This thought made him sigh during his pause; waiting till the end of the war seemed so far away from that moment.
"Legolas, what is it?" Kenzie asked softly, her voice laced with concern and worry as she leaned in closer to him.
The elf took a deep breath and looked back up to her, "You've been avoiding the company, Kenzie. You stay with us at the camp for some time and then flee unexpectedly."
The young witch pursed her lips and scooted away from him, slipping her hand out of both of his. Legolas closed the space as quickly as she had opened it.
"I do not know what Galadriel told you, but I assure you that if it was anything about how the others feel about you, I know that they do not....," he started again.
To his surprise, Kenzie shook her head slightly and began to laugh softly, "You don't understand," she whispered.
The elf tilted his head somewhat so he could look at her face, "I could try if you would just tell me," he returned.
That was when the tears began to glisten in her eyes. She shook her head ferociously and still refused to face him, "I can't."
"Why?" he gently inquired.
"Because I can't!" Kenzie cried, lowering her face from his view, "If I told you it would change everything."
So that was why she could no longer stay in the company's presence; something was going to happen to them and every time she neared them all, she was reminded of it. It also occurred to Legolas that the future event had to be tragic, otherwise the young witch would not act as she did. Maybe he could convince her to tell him; he could offer a vow similar to hers promising that he would tell no one of the future and that he would not attempt to change it.
"Kenzie, if something terrible is going to happen, you can tel...," he started, but was interrupted when her head shot up and looked at him.
"No, Legolas, I can't tell you. No matter how terrible it is, you can't know," she stated defiantly as one crystal tear streaked down her face slowly.
"But how can you alone bear the future?" he asked, his frustration beginning to leak into his voice.
It was then that her tears spilt over onto her cheeks unchecked as she turned her face away from him again, "Because it is my burden to bear, not yours."
"Even if you must suffer because of that knowledge?" his voice strained even more with his growing aggravation.
"Yes," she breathed, lowering her head into her hands.
Legolas' face fell with sorrow and he reached out, gathering her in his arms as her emotions over took her once again. Kenzie clutched onto his tunic, sobbing her tension into the fabric of the shirt as the elf rocked her back and forth and murmured soft words in her ear. He gently kissed her forehead and smoothed her hair back from her face, slowly feeling her anxiety ebb away.
"Shhh, Ai'er," the elf whispered as he placed another feather-light kiss on her forehead.
The young witch pulled away and looked up at him, wiping away her tears, "I want to tell you, Legolas. I want to tell you so much."
"I know, I know," he replied, helping her brush away her tears as well.
She sniffled and let her hands fall in her lap as he continued to wipe away the tears from her face. He pursed his lips as she sighed, not looking up to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry," she began, "I know that I can't be like this; I shouldn't wallow in the fact that I can't change the future."
"You have no reason to apologize," Legolas stated softly, tucking more hair behind her other ear, "No reason at all."
"I'm just....I'm supposed to be watching after Frodo, not worrying about myself," Kenzie stated, her frustration with herself becoming evident.
"And I am supposed to be worrying about you, remember?" the elf stated, trying to catch her gaze.
With that statement, the young witch's head rose and her eyes met his. Her midnight blue orbs glistened with more unshed tears as she seemed to study his face. She then smiled faintly and blinked back the crystal tears.
"I sometimes forget about that," she replied, turning back around, bringing her knees up and tucking them under her chin as it became silent.
"I'll tell you someday, Legolas," Kenzie whispered, staring out in front of her, "Someday I'll tell you everything."
Legolas once again reached out and smoothed back her hair before pulling her closer to him, "I'm sure you will, Ai'er. I'm sure you will."
xxxxxx
The tall, built Urk Hai stood in the central chamber of Orthanc, staring out into the bleak morning. He smiled; bleak was the perfect word for it. To this creature, the morning looked absolutely glorious; hope in Middle Earth was fading and he could feel it. Saruman's and Sauron's armies were spreading, almost unchecked, throughout the lands. And after this Urk had achieved his goal, the war would be over.
"Why aren't you out there hunting them, Changer?" a smooth, commanding voice asked as he swept into the room.
The demon didn't move from his stance and ran a grisly tongue over his razor sharp teeth, attempting to keep his anger in check, "You have no need to worry yourself. Sauron's evil dominion will cover all of these lands soon enough," he gargled.
"But we will not be insured victory until your mission is complete," the man continued, his slender, blacken staff clicking on the stone floor as he came to a halt beside the creature.
"Patience is a virtue, Saruman," the Changer started, forcing out his calming nature.
"Yes, and mine is wearing thin, demon," the wizard hissed through clenched teeth, "Sauron wants the deed done."
The Changer turned his head, growling at the man, "Sauron hired me to do what I do best, so I am going to do this job my way."
Saruman pushed his lips together and folded his white robes around him, "Would it be a great pain for you to share your great scheme?" he questioned.
The Changer smirked as he turned his attention back to the window, "I am watching them," he replied simply.
Saruman glared at the demon for his vagueness, "And how exactly is that benefiting your quest?"
"It is confusing her," the demon started, his voice confident and unwavering, "She is wondering why I have not struck yet and that scares her."
"But she is a Charmed One, how can you be so sure that she would be so terrified of you?" Saruman hissed.
The demon smiled, "Because she is just one Charmed One, and the youngest at that. Trying to protect an Innocent without her sisters for the first time is keeping her on edge. The Fellowship's blame for the wizard's death isn't working in her favor either. My only assumption from these facts is that she is scared that she can not do anything right in this world, especially protect the Innocent."
"You have yet to tell me what you plan to do," the white wizard pointed out.
"I am going to bide my time," the Changer continued to smile, "and strike just when the moment is right."
xxxxxx
Kenzie sat pensively on a tree root, pushing the tip of her knife gently into the ground and spinning it slowly as she ran through the dream again. She really wouldn't call it a dream, more like a vision, but she didn't receive visions, so the word 'dream' would do. The first and foremost thought that she addressed was how in the hell did she get this 'dream' anyway? Was Galadriel's magic slightly rubbing off on her while the company was in Lorien? Kenzie was, after all, a Charmed One, which meant that she was more receptive to others' magic. That was a good explanation, and she satisfied herself with that thought; there were more important things to address.
And the demon's ego and self-assurance were the most important. The Changer's words and confidence in succeeding still lingered vividly in her mind. The arrogant asshole actually believed that she was afraid of him!!! But the sickening part of it all was that he had been right.
She was terrified; terrified of not having her sisters to help, of being expected to save the future of Middle Earth all on her own, and of failing. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and pushed all of the negative thoughts away; she had told Legolas that she would get better at controlling her emotions and now would be a good time to start.
"Kenzie," Aragorn's voice called gently, "Galadriel and Celeborn wish to see us now."
The young witch's eyes snapped open and she pulled her knife from the dirt, standing and sliding the metal weapon into its sheath. Today the Fellowship would leave the great sanctuary that Lorien had offered them and continue on their long quest. They would travel down the Great River until they reached Amon Hen, where the Fellowship would break and be no more.
Dusting off her leggings, she smiled slightly at Aragorn before he turned and lead her towards the shore where the boats that the Lord and Lady had provided the company were. These boats were also laden with essentials that would prove vital for them; especially two hobbits and a witch that would be traveling to Mordor on their own. Kenzie drew in a deep breath as she came up to stand beside Legolas to greet the Lord and Lady for their goodbyes. The elf looked over at her and smiled softly, causing the young witch to smile back despite the concerns that floated through her mind.
Legolas' attention wavered back to the front and Kenzie followed his gaze to find Celeborn and Galadriel standing before them. Kenzie returned the Lady's smile and felt a warm comfort wash over her, taking away her thoughts in its wake.
"Your Fellowship is about to continue on to one of the most difficult parts of its journey," Celeborn began, his smooth, monotone voice ringing in the young witch's ears, "For this trek, you must be on your guard and leave prepared."
Then, with a wave of his hand, nine other elves approached the company, light, grayish green cloaks dangling from their arms. Kenzie smiled brightly when she realized that the elf maiden approaching her was the same brunette elf that had guided her through Lorien on many occasions. The maiden smiled back as she carefully draped the cloak around the witch's shoulders.
"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people," Celeborn stated as the maiden pinned the Lorien broach to the cloak.
"May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes," he continued as the elves stepped back, bowing to the members of the Fellowship.
Kenzie bowed to the elven maiden in return and sighed as her attention moved back up to Galadriel. The Lady smiled at the young witch before looking down the line at the others.
"But these cloaks and other essential materials are not the only gifts that we offer to you," she stated, her voice flowing like a crystal stream.
Merry and Pippin looked at each other, their excitement evident by the bright smiles that lit their faces. The Lady grinned happily at their reactions and then moved towards Kenzie and Legolas, two more elven maids following behind her. Galadriel stopped in front of the young witch, her radiant smile still glowing on her face. She then stepped forward and enveloped Kenzie with a hug. The young witch was surprised and slowly returned the hug as the smell of flowers and the forest filled her head.
"I have a gift for you, Little One. But I must speak with you after I have addressed the others," the Lady whispered into her ear.
Kenzie nodded in understanding, her intuition telling her that when Galadriel presented her gift would be the perfect time to ask her about her vision.
Galadriel moved down to Legolas, pulling a beautiful, light colored long bow from one of the maiden's arms. The younger elf's eyes widened when he caught sight of the weapon and carefully took the bow with gentle hands as it was offered to him.
"My gift for you, Legolas, is a bow of the Galadhrim," The Lady started as he marveled at the craftsmanship of the bow, "worthy of the skill of our woodland kin."
Legolas' eyes continued to stay as wide as saucers as his hands gently raked over the bow. Galadriel smiled, pleased that he approved of the gift, and continued down the line towards Merry and Pippin. She turned once more and retrieved two small daggers from the hands of a maid and presented Merry and Pippin each one of the daggers. The two hobbits gaped at each other and then slowly pulled the weapons from their sheaths.
"These are the daggers of the Noldorin," she began, "They have already seen service in war."
As the two young hobbits continued to examine their gifts, the Lady bent down in front of Pippin and slowly tilted his head up to hers, "Do not fear, young Peregrin Took," she whispered, "You will find your courage."
Pippin smiled softly, seemingly grateful for her encouragement, and then lowered his attention back to his new weapon. Galadriel gracefully rose back to her feet and moved towards Sam, offering him the bundle of rope that she held in her hands.
"And for you, Samwise Gamgee, Elven rope made of hithlain," she explained.
Sam took the rope gratefully and bowed somewhat, "Thank you my lady," he started and then looked up at her hopefully, "Have you run out of those nice, shiny daggers?"
Galadriel smiled and did not reply as she continued on down to Gimli, who lowered his eyes and dared not look up to face her.
"And what gift would a dwarf ask of the elves?" she inquired.
Gimli shook his head and still refused to raise his eyes to hers, "Nothing," he started, but then, finally, slowly looked up at her, "Except to look upon the lady of the Galadhrim one last time, for she is more fair than all the jewels beneath the Earth."
Galadriel laughed her beautiful, melodious laugh and looked at the dwarf with a respect that Kenzie did not see in many of the elves' eyes. Gimli seemed to be embarrassed at his admission of affection and began to turn away from her. But then he had a change of heart and turned again, making his way back towards the Lady.
"Actually, there was one thing," he started, shaking his head in frustration, "No, no, I couldn't. It's quite impossible, stupid to ask...."
But Galadriel would not turn away from the dwarf and bent down towards him, leaning forward so that he could whisper his request to her. Kenzie noticed that the others seemed to be paying little attention to the interaction, but the young witch found that she could not tear her eyes away from the exchange. She watched, amazed, as the elven witch reached up and pulled something from her head then gently sneaked the object to the dwarf. Gimli carefully took the gift and placed it safely in his belt, thanking the Lady profusely.
She nodded her head and then turned to Boromir. The two looked at each other, their faces reflecting no real emotion; just a hint of respect. The Lady then smiled softly and turned back to her maids. When she faced the Lord of Gondor once more, she handed him a belt of gold that glittered beautifully in the soft light of Lorien. Boromir bowed his head and whispered a small thank you before the Lady turned down to Frodo.
"Farewell Frodo Baggins," she started presenting a small crystal vial to the hobbit, "I give you the light of Earendil, our most beloved star. May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out."
Frodo pursed his lips and nodded, thanking the Lady before carefully slipping the gift into his pocket. Galadriel then looked down the line at all of them once more.
"I bid you all a safe journey and pray that your quest shall be fulfilled," she stated before bowing her head and then turning to Aragorn.
She gently took Aragorn by the arm and led him away into the trees. Kenzie sighed and lowered her head, knowing that she had some time before the elven witch would speak with her. The young witch turned her head towards Legolas and drew a deep breath. He smiled softly before throwing his bow over his shoulder.
"Come," he stated, starting back towards the boats, "we shall help pack the boats."
xxxxxx
Kenzie lazily took another sack from an elf and handed it towards Legolas. She assumed that it was more lembas bread to provide the company enough food for the trip to and from Mordor. But if 'one small bite could fill the stomach of a grown man', then why did they need so much? She pondered on silly questions like these to try and relieve her boredom as they continued to place the sacks on the boat. Soon she found herself wandering what exactly lembas tasted like.
When she received another stash of the bread, she stopped and examined it. "Legolas," she started, pulling a wafer of the bread out to look at it, "what does lembas bread taste like?"
The elf laughed softly, "Bread, of course," he answered.
Kenzie laughed as well as she turned the bread over. Legolas watched her do this and turned back to her, taking the rest of the bread from her hands.
"Try it, Ai'er," he urged, placing the bag into the boat.
Kenzie pursed her lips and thought on it. Deciding that it wouldn't kill her, she tentatively took a small bite of the bread. She slowly chewed on the piece, savoring the flavor, and was surprised when she swallowed it and felt as if she had just eaten a full meal.
"Hmm," she mused out loud, studying the wafer of bread again.
"Well?" Legolas asked, stepping up to her and taking the bread, biting off a small portion as well.
The young witch shrugged, "You are right; it tastes like bread."
The elf shook his head and turned back to the boat. Kenzie smiled and handed the bread to Pippin before walking back onto the shore. When she moved around the tree she found Lady Galadriel standing there waiting, her hands folded in front of her. The young witch bowed her head slightly in respect, waiting for the Lady to say something. But Galadriel just smiled and turned, walking back into the trees. Kenzie crinkled her eyes in confusion and then proceeded to follow the Lady's path. They did not walk far before the elven witch stopped and turned back to Kenzie, pulling something from her cloak.
"Here is my gift to you, little one," Galadriel said as she handed Kenzie a pair of elven knives with beautiful cravings in their snow white handles.
"These were made by great elven smiths; I know that they will be used wisely by you," she continued as the young witch marveled at the weapons as their silver blades caught the pale sunlight.
Kenzie looked up at the Lady, unable to control the bright smile that spread across her face, "Thank you milady."
Galadriel smiled warmly as the young witch lowered her eyes back down to the weapons in her hands. Kenzie then turned and carefully placed the gift down into her pack. After sliding them underneath her small blanket, she slung the pack onto her back again and turned to face Galadriel. She took a deep breath, forming her words wisely and trusting her gut feeling.
"I have a question that I wonder if you could answer, milady," Kenzie began, folding her hands in front of her.
Galadriel nodded as her lips curved into a small smile that suggested she already knew what the young witch was going to ask.
Kenzie drew in a deep breath, "I had a......vision last night, but I'm not supposed to have any visions; premonition is my sister's power. So, I was just wondering if I was right in thinking that......,"
"My magic had something to do with it?" Galadriel finished, raising a perfect eyebrow.
Kenzie sighed and nodded, hoping that her theory didn't sound as stupid as she was thinking it did.
"Yes, your theory is correct; my magic was an influence," the Lady answered with the same small smile, "You are a very powerful and wise witch, Kenzie. Your intuition is very strong; listen to what it tells you."
The young witch smiled, touched by her words, "Thank you milady."
Galadriel's face then faded to a serious manner, "You mustn't doubt yourself so. You are just as capable as your sisters; you can do this on your own."
Kenzie lowered her gaze to the ground for a few seconds before raising her eyes back to the Lady once more, "I am so thankful, Lady Galadriel; for everything that you have done for us."
Galadriel smiled brightly and moved to envelope the young woman in a tight hug, "Trust your heart, Kenzie O'Neil," she whispered, "It will not lead you astray."
xxxxxx
Legolas grabbed the next bag that was handed to him and placed it securely on the boat before turning to take the next one. The young elf was surprised when he whipped around and found Galadriel standing beside the dock, looking intently at him.
'Follow me, Prince Legolas,' her voice resounded in his mind and he obediently stepped onto the shore to follow.
The two walked away from the Fellowship and stopped just behind a few trees. The Lady of Light turned and smiled briefly at the younger elf before her face faded into a sad and concerned expression. Legolas crinkled his eyebrows in confusion, wondering what made her frown as she did.
"§Legolas, you care for her deeply,§" Galadriel suddenly voiced.
Legolas sighed deeply, diverting his eyes as he nodded in response.
"§She is special, Legolas; special to her world, special to this world, special to the Fellowship........and special to you,§" she spoke, causing the elven prince to slowly raise his eyes back to her face.
"§Do not let silly questions and concerns come in the way of your feelings,§" Galadriel advised.
"§But I can't help but doubt, milady. What if......§" Legolas began.
The Lady smiled, "Do you truly wish to dwell on all of these doubts for the rest of the quest?" she asked.
The Prince's face reflected frustration for a split second before he once again lowered his head, "No, I do not. But I cannot get them out of my head; there are so many things that are standing in our way," he stated.
"And what would they be?" she asked.
"Kenzie does not even come from this world. I can not ask her to leave her home to stay with me and I know that she will not ask the same of me. I am not even sure that I love her," Legolas replied, the words flowing from his lips before he could stop them.
Galadriel sighed, feeling the young elf's frustration, "§There are things that you can not control, Legolas. One of them is destiny. Kenzie was destined to be here, she was destined to be with this Fellowship, and I feel that she is destined to be with you someday. Some things can not be explained, Prince Legolas. They just are.§"
Legolas looked up at her again, searching the Lady's face for an explanation.
"§Love has no boundaries, and it certainly has no rules. Do not try to make them to govern your love for you will not succeed. You need only to look in your heart, Legolas. You will find the answers you seek there,§" The Lady finished.
The young prince sighed and then bowed his head, "§Thank you, Lady Galadriel. I will follow your advice to the best of my ability.§"
Galadriel smiled and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Legolas,..."
The elven Prince looked up once more.
"Do not deny your heart nor ignore your soul's cries. That is all I ask."
Legolas was not sure that he understood. But as he turned and walked away, his head bent in thought, it slowly dawned on him. The reason why he felt he must protect her, hold her, or wipe away her tears was because his heart begged him to. It demanded that he make the world right for her and make sure that she was never lost in the dark without a hand to hold on to. Everything was completely clear to him now; why he was always so concerned, why she fit against him just the right way, why he needed to taste her lips like he needed air.
Legolas was in love.
xxxxxx
Kenzie roamed aimlessly around in the trees near the dock, thinking out things in her mind. Galadriel had advised her to listen to what her intuition was telling her. So when something began turning in her head, the young witch had cleared everything from her mind and waited for that little voice to resound in her head, but it never came. She had wandered for several minutes, her mind turning around something that didn't feel right. But what that something was, the young witch had no clue. Deciding that whatever it was would make itself clear to her when the time was right, Kenzie headed towards the boats, hoping that the Fellowship was ready to continue on.
When she arrived, she was happy to find that company was, indeed, ready to start out on the river. She slowly walked towards them, watching affectionately as the rest of the Fellowship slowly lowered themselves into the boats. Her eyes lingered on Legolas and she smiled. The elf slowly helped the dwarf into the boat, keeping one foot on land and one in the boat to steady it. After Gimli was safely aboard and situated, the elf turned back to Kenzie, offering her his hand. Her smile grew; she knew that he had more than likely seen her walk up to the rest of the company.
"What did she tell you?" Legolas asked as the young witch slipped her hand into his.
Kenzie shook her head, "Lady Galadriel's words were for my ears alone," she replied as she carefully lowered herself into the boat.
Legolas smiled as well, easily stepping into the boat behind her and with a paddle, "If you do not want to tell me, Ai'er, you just have to say so," he teased.
She turned back to look at him, mustering the most serious look that she could, "I do not wish to tell you, Legolas."
The elf smirked and shook his head, lowering himself to sit behind her. After everyone was situated, the company pushed off from the docks and away from Lothlorien, never to set eyes upon the beautiful elven land again. The young witch stared down at the water rushing silently beside the boat. It rippled softly from the boat's movement and the only sounds heard were the distant calls of birds and the dipping of paddles from Legolas, Aragorn, and Boromir.
Suddenly, Gimli growled and lowered his head. He mumbled something under his breath and Kenzie looked at him with concern; she had not seen the dwarf so quiet and upset since the company set foot inside Moria.
"Gimli, what's wrong?" she asked, leaning forward and placing a comforting hand upon his shoulder.
The dwarf shook his head once more, "I have taken my worst wound of this parting, for I have looked my last upon that which is fairest," he said softly, staring out ahead of him.
Kenzie smiled softly, realizing that Gimli had fallen in love with the elven witch that he had been weary of when he first came to the woods of Lorien.
"Hah, henceforth I will call nothing fair unless it be her gift to me," the dwarf cried aloud, sighing heavily.
"What was her gift?" Legolas inquired softly, seemingly listening to the dwarf's confessions as carefully as Kenzie was.
"I asked her for one hair from her golden head," Gimli answered wistfully, "She gave me three."
Kenzie's smile brightened and she patted the dwarf's shoulder before turning to look at Legolas. The elf was smiling softly as well, obviously understanding of why the dwarf felt such grief. Kenzie drew in a deep breath and turned forward again, watching the horizon in front of them as a tiny voice in her head once again began to voice its concerns.
xxxxxx
Time passed with little event or conversation at all, only the steady sound of the two men and elf dipping the paddles in and out of the rushing water echoed around them. Kenzie found the passage down the river to be soothing so far. Her thoughts had slowly quieted down and become soft mummers in the back of her mind. She stared over the side of the boat mostly, watching her reflection ripple softly in the water.
The rest of the company remained just as quiet as the young witch, pondering on their own thoughts and enjoying the scenery. Suddenly, Kenzie felt the boat jerk slightly and Legolas shift behind her. The young witch turned to see the elf gazing out towards the right shore. His face was set in a serious glare and his eyes scanned the trees for an unseen attacker.
"Legolas, what is it?" Kenzie inquired, her voice soft and filled with worry.
The elf shook his head slightly, opening his mouth to answer, but was cut off by a loud, strangle cry from a strange bird and the trees on the shore rustling loudly. The rest of the Fellowship were startled by the noises as well. They looked around, trying to see the culprit but were unsuccessful. Aragorn turned back to look at the other two boats.
"We will make camp soon, so be on the look out," he instructed and then continued on.
Boromir and Legolas followed as well, but the elf's and young witch's eyes stayed fixed on the shore.
"Something doesn't feel right," Kenzie whispered.
"Yes. Something is coming," Legolas replied, pushing their boat to catch up with the others.
xxxxxx
Just as the sun began to dip behind the horizon, Aragorn veered off towards the shore. The others followed, and soon they had rowed the boats up to a rocky shore. Together, the Fellowship drug all three vessels up onto the rocks. Little was said as each member went about a different job to establish a camp for the night. Soon, the company had built a fire and set out their blankets behind a small outcropping of large boulders that hid them all from the river's view.
Kenzie was smoothing out her blankets near the fire when Boromir walked towards the edge of their camp. She sat back on her heels and watched the Lord of Gondor peer out into the night, seemingly searching for something. Suddenly, the young witch heard the quiet water splash softly and she stood, making her way towards Boromir as well to see what was going on. Standing next to another rock, Kenzie gazed out to see a rather large log float to the other side of the river before a small creature raced from the water and into the shadows. The young witch's eyes widened and turned to look Aragorn.
"Gollum," the Ranger answered as he walked towards them, "He has tracked us since Moria." He stopped next to Boromir and drew in a deep breath, "I had hoped that we would lose him on the river, but he is too clever a waterman."
Kenzie bit her lower lip and turned her gaze back to the river. She had never thought about Gollum until that moment and pitied him for his obsession with the Ring, an obsession that would lead him to his death.
"And if he alerts the enemy to our whereabouts," Boromir pointed out, "it will make the crossing even more dangerous."
Kenzie took a deep breath, realizing the fact that the creature might do such a thing. But she didn't linger on the thought for long; Gollum wanted the Ring for himself and would not risk the orcs gaining it from Frodo.
"Minas Tirith is the safer road," Boromir started as he turned to address the Ranger, "you know that. From there we can regroup, strike out for Mordor from a place of strength."
Aragorn shook his head, "There is no strength in Gondor that can avail us."
Boromir's face scrunched up in a scowl, "You were quick enough to trust the elves! Have you so little faith in your own people?" he demanded, his voice beginning to plead with the Ranger. "Yes, there is weakness, there is frailty, but there is courage also, and honor to be found in men. But you will not see that," he stated matter-of-factly.
Aragorn, not wishing to get in an argument with the man, turned away back towards the fire, but Boromir roughly grabbed him and turned him back, "You are afraid!" he accused, "All your life you have hidden in the shadows; scared of who you are, of what you are!"
"Guys!" Kenzie cried as she rushed over and pushed the two men roughly apart, not trusting the look that she caught in Aragorn's eyes.
"Stop this, now," she stated, looking back and forth at the two fuming men, "I don't think this is neither the time nor the place, so grow up."
Both men didn't budge from their stances and Kenzie intensified her glare, making it known how foolish they were both being. Finally, Aragorn took a deep breath and pulled away from the witch. Boromir shook his head in something that might have been disappointment as Kenzie pursed her lips and continued to watch the two of them. Suddenly, Aragorn turned back and stepped up beside Kenzie, glaring at the Lord of Gondor again.
"I would not lead the Ring within a hundred leagues of your city," he whispered harshly.
With that, he whipped around again and started towards his spot for the night. Boromir glared after him, his obvious annoyance lingering on his face. He glanced at Kenzie for a split second before turning towards the fire himself. Kenzie sighed and looked down at her feet, sensing Boromir's sudden shift in emotions; he was turning quickly.
"Well, I guess that leaves me with first watch," she said, more to herself than anyone else as she settled herself on the ground.
A cold breeze suddenly whipped around her, toying with her hair violently. The young witch sighed and pulled her knees up under her chin, wrapping her arms around her legs in an effort to keep warm. She stared out at the water, her mind blank and focusing on only the sounds around her. The rocks crunched next to her and she looked up to find Legolas standing behind her, a blanket in his hands.
"You looked as if you were cold," he said, bending down and gently placing the cover around her shoulders.
Kenzie smiled at him and gripped the cover close to her, "Thank you," she whispered, adjusting it and settling more into her spot.
Legolas lowered himself down next to her and pulled his knees up as well, resting his arms on his knees, "Are you thinking about something?" he asked cautiously.
The young witch laughed softly, knowing that she really deserved that, "Actually, I'm not really thinking about anything at all; just listening to everything around me."
He nodded and smirked slightly, turning his gaze out to the water as well. It became insanely quiet then, the crackling of the fire and the snores of Gimli the only thing that overpowered the rushing water. Kenzie pulled her lower lip between her teeth and began to rock back and forth slightly, trying to chase away the cold that was working its way into her skin.
"Legolas," she said suddenly, causing the elf to turn his gaze away from the water to her face, "Do you ever think about home?"
The elf sighed and turned his gaze back to the river, "Yes, I do think about my home often."
He then chuckled softly, "My mother would be planning another ball about this time, trying to attract everyone through out the kingdom to the palace so she could brag about me for a new reason. My father would be trying to figure out why she insisted on so much for a ball, then, like my mother, expect me to dance with every elven maiden there. Only, they would be the ones that would enjoy each dance more than I."
Kenzie smiled and laughed softly as well, "Kennedy and Katlin would be trying to plan a 'Sisters only' weekend, knowing that it will just fail. Some demon always appears at the right moment," she sighed and looked down, "We try so hard to be normal, even when we know that we never can be; the Power of Three is a curse and a blessing for us."
"Magic has both a good and evil side in every world, it seems," Legolas pointed out, his eyes still gazing out at the river.
The young witch nodded in agreement before she yawned loudly, shaking her head afterwards to rid herself of the weariness that was working its way into her limbs. The action caused the elf to look over at her and smile slightly.
"You should get some sleep, Ai'er. I will keep watch tonight," he stated softly.
Kenzie opened her mouth the protest and then laughed a little at herself, "I forgot that elves don't need to sleep."
She then stretched and stood, "Goodnight Legolas," she said before turning away back towards the camp.
"Goodnight Kenzie," he replied, watching her walk towards the fire. He did not return his gaze to the river until she had made herself comfortable and drifted into a light sleep.
xxxxxx
The morning dawned pale and gray, making Kenzie want to pull her cover over head and never wake up. Yet the shuffling of feet and crunching of rocks under boots told her that she had to wake even if she didn't want to. With a groan that she didn't try to stifle, the young witch rolled over onto her back and stretched, feeling all of her muscles pull in turn.
"It is good to see that you are so eager to awake this morning, Ai'er," Legolas' voice floated over to her, a hint of a smirk tainting his tone.
"Yeah, yeah. Go ahead and make fun of the fact that I am human and need sleep and you are a perfect elf and do not," she replied, sitting up and trying to smooth down her hair.
Legolas laughed, "I said nothing about being perfect, Ai'er, but if you insist that I am...."
It was then that Kenzie picked up a stick and hurled it at him, hoping that she would at least nick his arm. She was very pleased with herself when the stick hit him directly in the middle of his chest; she was very disappointed, however, when it caused the elf only to look down where he had been hit and then look back up at her with an eyebrow cocked. Aragorn stifled a laugh, shaking his head and turning away with several blankets in his hands.
"Was there a point to that?" Pippin asked innocently, "Because I don't think you got it across."
Kenzie sighed heavily, rolling her eyes before standing up and joining the rest of the Fellowship in cleaning up the camp. It was not long before the area looked as if no one had slept there ever and the company was once again in the Lothlorien boats, floating down the river towards the Falls of Rauros. Even though the morning was damp and gloomy, everyone seemed to be in good spirits; everyone except Boromir.
Kenzie could tell that the fight he had with Aragorn still weighted on his mind that morning. He stayed quiet and did not say much to anyone. The Lord of Gondor was beginning to worry about the Ring more and more and Kenzie knew that she wasn't the only one noticing his strange behavior.
The young witch had been thankful for the comedic release that they all had that morning, but was disappointed when it soon dissipated later on in the early afternoon. She blamed it on the fact that the sun had still decided to hide behind the clouds and leave them with the same gray air that they had awaken up to. But as the landscape around them changed to more rocky shores and cliffs, the sun dared a peak out of the clouds and began to push through to engulf the entire river in its light.
Kenzie tilted her head back as she watched the cliffs reach towards the sky. Then, as they rounded a bend, she heard Gimli's sharp in take of breath and turned, gasping as well. The statues of Agronath loomed before them, the kings' arms stretched out in a warning. The detail was incredible, from the ripples in their robes to the sandals that adorned their stone feet ; they were like two silent guardians awaiting the Fellowship to pass them. Kenzie's eyes did not waver from the older and younger king statues as the swift current pulled the company through their gate.
"It's amazing," Kenzie breathed, "That people could create such wonderful things."
"Yes it is, Kenzie," Legolas agreed, studying the great details as well.
After the boats floated through the passage, the land changed quickly again to become a forest littered with an old kingdom that had long ago been reclaimed by the trees. The river quickly took them towards the falls and the company turned towards the western shore just before the drop. The boats were easily pushed up on shore and Merry and Pippin eagerly jumped out onto the rocks, their stuff in hand. Kenzie sighed and then followed Gimli as the dwarf carefully picked his way towards the shore. Once the boats were secure, another camp was made, everyone staying just as quiet as the night before.
Once they had all been settled, Kenzie sat in front of the fire next to Gimli and Pippin, studying each of them in turn. The journey was already taking its toll on each of the members; even Legolas was being effect, whether he would like to admit it or not. The young witch drew in a deep breath and broke off a piece of a twig, tossing it into the fire. She understood now why things happened the way they did; the Fellowship's bodies may have become well rested during their stay at Lothlorien, but their minds and hearts were still troubled and weary.
"We cross the lake at nightfall, hide the boats, and continue on foot," Aragorn called suddenly, walking back up from the water with a few blankets and bags in his hands, "We approach Mordor from the North."
Gimli suddenly looked up at the Ranger, his eyes wide, "Oh yes?" he asked, "Just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks. And after that, it gets even better!"
Kenzie shook her head as Pippin's head shot up in alarm, his eyes wide and fixed on the dwarf as he listened intently for the rest of the description. It was then that her eyes caught Legolas as he stood just in front of the entrance of the forest. He seemed to be searching for something and the young witch knew it was the Urk-Hai that the elf sensed.
"Festering, stinking marshlands as far as the eye can see!" the dwarf continued on, trying to make his point clear to Aragorn.
"That is our road," the Ranger replied as Kenzie stood, "I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength Master Dwarf."
"Recover my....ohhh!!!" Gimli grumbled in disgust as he began to pick around at the fire again.
Just as Kenzie reached Aragorn's side, Legolas stepped up to him as well. The elf's face was set and stern and the young witch could tell that there was something that weighed heavily on his mind.
"We should leave now," he whispered to the Ranger.
Aragorn shook his head, "No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness."
"It is not the eastern shore that worries me," Legolas started, his eyes traveling back the distant trees, "A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind...."
Kenzie's dark eyes followed the elf's gaze and she felt a shudder crawl down her spine. He was right; the creatures that would break the Fellowship were fast approaching and the young witch was dreading the coming battle with every fiber in her body.
Legolas' head turned back to Aragorn quickly and his eyes darkened in his worry, "Something draws near.....I can feel it."
Aragorn took a deep breath and lowered his head as if he knew that they really would be screwed either way they went.
"So, what do we do?" Kenzie asked softly, breaking the uneasy silence, "Can we risk traveling to the eastern shore now?"
The Ranger shook his head once more, "No, we cannot," he then turned back to Legolas, placing a comforting hand on the elf's shoulder, "Do not worry Legolas, we...."
"Where's Frodo?" Merry's voice interrupted the conversation.
The three turned their gazes back to the others quickly to see that Frodo had indeed gone missing from the camp. The rest of the Fellowship looked around frantically, trying to see where the hobbit might have fled to. Suddenly Aragorn's wondering gaze stopped and Kenzie followed is eyes to the lonely shield of Gondor.
"Oh no," she breathed, her heart sinking.
'It's already begun,' she thought as the others jumped to their feet.
"We have to find Mr. Frodo!" Sam cried quickly, dashing into the woods without another thought.
"Sam!" Kenzie called, trying to catch him, but stopping when the hobbit disappeared into the trees. She turned back to the Ranger with a sigh.
"Sam is right," Merry started, "We have to find Frodo before it's too late!" he called and then dashed into the woods as well with Pippin on his tail.
Very soon, the remaining members of the company could only hear the hobbits' cries for their lost comrade ringing throughout the trees. Aragorn shook his head again and drew in a deep breath, obviously trying to calm himself.
"We shall all be scattered and lost," he whispered before looking back up to the others.
"I will climb to the top of the Seat of Seeing. Something tells me that Frodo will have traveled that way. You should circle around, and gather the hobbits. Listen for each other incase something worse befalls another," Aragorn instructed and then disappeared into the woods himself.
Kenzie rolled her eyes, "Can't we ever have some good luck?" she asked as she followed the elf and dwarf in the opposite direction as the Ranger.
"I think that I'm with you on that one, lass," Gimli stated, "Luck would be wonderful thing at this moment."
xxxxxx
The three ran around the base of the hill for hours it seemed before one of them thought to move towards the top of the hill where Aragorn was. Legolas led the way, moving effortlessly through the branches and fallen limbs as he climbed and searched. It took Kenzie a little more effort to do all three at once and she had a feeling that Gimli had given up searching a long time before.
Finally, the dwarf stopped, bending over and breathing heavily. His axe fell to the ground with a thud, catching the young witch's attention.
"Legolas," she called, causing the elf to stop as well and retrace his steps to them.
"It...is....useless," the dwarf panted, "We shall never find them this way."
Kenzie saw Legolas clench his jaw in frustration and turn his gaze back up the hill. She felt his aggravation as well. How was she going to protect Frodo when she couldn't find him?! It was then that it dawned on her that she should have followed Aragorn, but knew that there was nothing that she could do about it now.
"We have to keep looking," Legolas broke her thoughts as he turned his eyes back to her and Gimli, "They could be anywhere."
He then suddenly turned quickly back to look up the hill, taking several steps up and then stopping. Kenzie followed him, fear gripping her body.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Aragorn," he stated softly, staring intently ahead of them. The young witch waited patiently as he continued to listen.
The elf then took a sharp breath, "He is in danger."
And with that, he sprinted back up towards the Seat of Seeing, violently stirring the leaves in his path. Kenzie took a deep breath and then followed, not waiting or turning to see if Gimli was trailing them. Nothing had a definite shape or color to her as she ran; she concentrated only on making it up the hill with enough breath to fight and find Frodo. The sounds of her blood roaring and her heavy footsteps echoed in her ears as the blurred colors of trees and sunlight fluttered in front of her eyes.
Finally, she saw Legolas swing his bow from his shoulder and she knew that they had reached the battle. Gathering her strength, Kenzie pushed forward, cresting the hill behind Legolas as she heard a cry from Aragorn. The scene they came upon startled her to a stop. An enormous band of Urk-Hai covered the area, each more disgusting than the one before it. Taking a deep breath, she followed Legolas' path and slowly walked past the elf.
Setting her jaw, she flicked her wrists violently, causing the few Urks in front of her to burst into flames. Kenzie then turned towards Aragorn's direction, flicking her wrists and demolishing the creatures that had crowded him. The Ranger was then quickly on his feet, his eyes widened in disbelief as he looked to her.
"Don't just stand there!" she cried, flicking her wrists again and destroying the Urk that had come up behind him, "I can't protect you all the time!"
Aragorn shook his head and then jumped right back into the pack of Urk Hais that had started back down the hill and into the woods. The young witch shook her head as well and drew her knives, following him as he worked his way through the creatures. She became so caught up in the fight that she had forgotten about Frodo until Legolas' cries interrupted her.
"Aragorn, go!" he urged the Ranger on, shooting Urk-Hai as fast as he could pull the arrows.
Kenzie turned when he cried out and watched as Aragorn tore further down the hill, leaves flying up behind him as he went. He had made it only a few paces before he was brought to a halt by two more Urk-Hai. Turning quickly, Aragorn aimed his blade towards the creature's torso and sliced through the flesh. He then pulled the sword free and lobbed off the second's head before sprinting back down the hillside.
Once she could no longer see the Ranger's retreating form, Kenzie turned back to her own fights, twirling her knives and slicing any Urk-Hai that dared cross her path. She knew she couldn't stay too much longer as well; there was no telling when the Changer would take the opportunity to attack Frodo as he fled from the Fellowship. But she couldn't leave Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn with so many of the Urk-Hai surrounding them; not yet. She knew, however, that the longer she stayed the harder it would be for her to leave them in the end. Setting her jaw and coming to a final decision, Kenzie twirled her knives and stabbed the last Urk-Hai charging her before turning towards Legolas.
"I have to find Frodo!" she called just as another creature deterred from his path down the hill and moved to her.
If she had been looking at Legolas, she would have seen his eyes widened in disbelief as he released an arrow, "You aren't leaving?" he questioned, pulling another arrow.
Kenzie clenched her teeth as she pushed the Urk-Hai's sword away and slashed his throat easily. She whipped around to face him, her hair following her and slapping her flustered cheeks as she did so.
"I have to go!" she argued, turning her attention from the battle surrounding them for a split second.
"Kenzie, behind you!" Gimli's hoarse voice called out, causing the young witch to turn back to her previous stance.
Her blue orbs widened considerably and she instinctively leaned back, the blade of an Urk-Hai slicing through the air where her head had been. Kenzie reached up and grabbed the slimy wrist of the creature, using his stance to steady herself and raise her foot. She roughly kicked the Urk across the face and turned with his body, pulling the sword from his hand.
"You cannot leave! We need you!" Legolas' voice called back to her, anger filling the words as he spoke.
Kenzie clenched her teeth, using both of her arms to raise the crude sword and lob off the head of another approaching Urk-Hai. She then threw away the weapon, her anger now getting the best of her. The young witch turned towards Legolas and abruptly flicked her wrists. Suddenly, the two Urk-Hais that had raced up behind the elf dissolved into flames with two loud pops! The elven prince whipped around quickly at the noise and came face to face with the young witch.
They held each other's gazes for a split second before Kenzie sighed and jerked her wrists. Everything around them became uncomfortable silent. The Urk-Hai came to a stand still and Gimli stood with his axe high in the air, ready to strike. The only things moving now were Kenzie and Legolas. She broke eye contact first and placed both of her knives in her right hand as she closed the gap between them.
"Don't you understand, Legolas?" she began, "I have to find Frodo and protect him."
Legolas set his jaw before swinging his bow over his shoulder, "There are too many Urk-Hai for Gimli, Boromir, and I! You must stay and help us! Aragorn can find Frodo!" he yelled harshly.
"But Frodo is my Innocent!" she cried, stopping a few feet away from him.
The elf took a deep breath and looked away. They stood that way for an eternity it seemed, not looking up at one another or understanding the other's side. Finally, Kenzie sighed and closed what little space there was left between them. She tried to catch his gaze before she spoke, but couldn't.
"I don't want to leave you," she started softly, "but I have to."
He still wouldn't meet her gaze and her heart clenched as she felt tears sting her eyes. She didn't want to leave like this, not with him hating her again. She drew in a shaky breath and turned her head, squeezing her eyes shut. Why? Why oh Lord couldn't he understand? But how could he? For all he knew, the Fellowship would continue on with Frodo when this battle was over. He wouldn't realize until later that she would be leaving the company with Frodo, taking a whole new path in the war while he traveled another. Kenzie felt one solitary, salty tear race down her cheek as she bit back the sob that gathered in her throat. Then she heard Legolas draw a saddened breath as he stepped closer.
"Please," he started, turning her face back to him, "Do not cry, Ai'er."
His request only made more tears come as he gently wiped away the first with his thumb. Why was he doing this to her? Maybe it would have been better if they were yelling at each other; it would have been easier for her to leave him then. But not now, not when his gentle touch caressed her face and his soft, flowing voice tried to calm her.
"I am sorry," he continued, his eyes adverting away from her face, "You are right; Frodo's safety comes first. You must go."
She tightened her jaw again to hold back more tears. Drawing in another shaky breath, she steadied herself and looked up to meet his eyes. The disappointment that his glacier blue orbs held was almost enough to send her over the edge.
"Just promise me that you will do nothing foolish," Legolas stated, attempting a small smile.
Kenzie laughed lightly as she reached up and pulled his hand down from her cheek, intertwining her fingers with his. She wanted to say so many things; to tell him that she loved him, that she didn't want to leave, and that this war was truly worth all the effort and lost. But she couldn't do it; it would be wrong.
Instead, she nodded her head and sniffled, "I promise," she breathed, staring up into his face.
'Leave', her mind said sternly, 'You have to leave now or you never will.' Kenzie swallowed and pressed her lips together, setting her resolve to finally go. She then did something that she never thought she would do. Slowly rising to her tip toes, she gently placed a small kiss on his fair cheek. The young witch didn't know what possessed her to take such an action; maybe it was the adrenaline or the fact that she wanted him to know that she cared for him deeply. Whatever the case, she was forever grateful that she did give him that simple kiss. For when she started to fall back down on her feet, Legolas leaned forward and softly placed his lips on the corner of her mouth.
Kenzie couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her and she shuddered as he took advantage of her slightly parted lips. His mouth fitted over hers perfectly and he kissed her gently and tentatively, as if he were afraid that she would reject him. A light, fleeting feeling rose from the pit of Kenzie's stomach as his soft lips moved with hers and she leaned into him for support. Suddenly, an image sprang in front of her eyes. An arrow flew towards the elf, striking true in the center of his back.
The memory of what Galadriel's mirror showed her caused the young witch to pull away. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, a single tear trickling down her cheek. Legolas cupped the side of her face gently, brushing away the tear with his thumb.
"You should go," he whispered smoothly, but Kenzie had a feeling that it took him more effort than he showed.
She swallowed her sob and nodded her head, "Yes, I should."
He smiled faintly and leaned down, kissing the corner of her lips, "I shall see you soon, Ai'er," he whispered.
She fought her emotions as she gently returned the kiss and pulled back again, "Be careful."
"I will," he replied, nodding his head.
Kenzie stepped back more, putting distance between them, "When I leave, everything will unfreeze, so be prepared," she warned.
The elf nodded his head again before looking her directly in the eyes, "Good Luck."
She smiled faintly and then twirled her knives, sliding them into their sheaths as her waist before disappearing back towards the camp. Legolas took a deep breath and pulled out his own knives.
"May the Valar watch over you, Ai'er," he whispered, ready to continue on with the battle.
xxxxxx
Kenzie dashed back down the hill, pushing tree limbs out of her way and occasionally sliding a considerable distance in the leaves. As she continued on her path, she found that not only did she have to push back her tears, she had to constantly push her nagging conscience out of her mind as well.
Images and words repeated over and over in front of her eyes; mostly from her meetings with Galadriel, her dreams with the demon's messages, and her sister's premonition. The frustrating part of it, however, was that the harder she tried to push everything away, the more persistent the images and words became.
"He is just watching you.....This demon has been watching you for sometime."
Kenzie thought on the Lady's words as she roughly pushed another branch from her path. But hadn't she already thought about all of this before?! After her second vision, she had been for sure that the only reason that the Changer was waiting was to strike Frodo at the right moment. The young witch had only put two and two together and deduced that the demon's proper moment would be when the hobbit fled from the company. Then why was her gut telling her that something just didn't fit now?
"I saw a demon....killing Aragorn."
Kenzie skidded to a halt in the leaves, the memory of Katlin's premonition becoming fresh in her mind. All of a sudden, the theory that she and her sisters had put together didn't click in her head. Originally, the sisters thought that the only reason the vision centered on Aragorn was because the Ranger was standing in the way of the demon's ultimate goal, the Ring. So if the Changer's task had been to acquire the Ring, then Frodo would be her Innocent.
That explained Katlin's premonition. But why would the demon wait so long?
"He had so many opportunities to just shimmer in and grab Frodo, then shimmer back," Kenzie stated out loud, her gut feeling telling her to keep working through the thoughts.
She thought back to her latest vision of the demon and then cocked her head, "Unless his job was to get something else."
"But what else would Sauron need so badly?" she asked, clenching her jaw in frustration.
Everything continued to roll around in her head, demanding to be sorted out. Nothing was making sense now! Sauron needed the Ring; that, of course, was the reason he had Saruman and all his minions out searching for it. Why the need for another evil to come in and possibly screw up everything? The Changer wasn't really necessary, so why had he been called to retrieve "the One"?
That's when it all clicked.
"The Ring isn't the only One on this journey," the young witch breathed, her eyes widening as everything began falling into place.
"Aragorn is the heir of Gondor,.....the one that will unite all men," Kenzie finished, turning back around and looking up the hill.
"It all works now! Katlin's premonition, why the demon's been waiting, Lady Galadriel's vagueness...., it was so oblivious all along!!" she explained to herself, "Saruman didn't send the Changer for the Ring. He sent him to kill the hope of men......Aragorn."
She stopped and her eyes became as round as saucers, "Aragorn's my Innocent!"
Just as her words sounded, a faint cry of a horn echoed from the distance, causing the young witch to stop and listen intently; the Horn of Gondor. Without a second thought, Kenzie raced back up the hill and towards the battle as fast as her legs would take her.
She had to get back to Aragorn.....before it was too late.