Mirkwood came faster then Erin expected. Perhaps it was because she spent much of her time thinking of Haldir. Yes, she was still thinking of him. She didn't find it appropriate to discuss him with anyone. Of course she could trust Aragorn, but did he want to hear about the love life of a young girl? Yeah right.
The Forest of Mirkwood was much larger than Lothlórien. The trees were so tangled and large that sunlight never reached the ground. Erin had to follow Aragorn closely or she would easily loose her way. Gollum had finally regained consciousness and was not the most pleasant guest.
"Will you just shut up?" Erin demanded from Gollum after enduring hours of his whining.
"The precious!" Gollum squealed, "We wants our precious."
Remember the tales Bilbo Baggins told. Gollum's so-called "precious" was a ring that Bilbo took from him. Obviously, Gollum was attached to it.
"I know where your precious is," Erin said mockingly.
"Where's it?" Gollum said hopefully.
"I'll tell you," Erin started, "First, I went into Gondor and had a large auction. A man bought it from me for quite a sum of riches and then I threw him into Mt. Doom with your precious. No more precious! Sorry!"
"NO!" Gollum screeched louder.
"ERIN!" Aragorn scolded her, "That's enough. You're only causing him to be more irritating."
"Fine," Erin said, "Maybe if you knock him on the head again, he will stop with..." Aragorn raised his hand to silence her as he looked ahead. His eyes darted back and forth as he drew his sword.
"Hva er det?" (What is it?) Erin whispered.
"Edderkopper!" (Spiders!) Aragorn shouted as one darted towards them. Stabbing it with his sword, the spider fell dead at Aragorn's feet. Now these were no ordinary spiders. Not only were they poisonous but also they were over ten feet tall, hairy, and were fast. Five more appeared behind Erin. Drawing her wand she yelled out the only spell she could remember off the top of her head,
"Sterf en terugkeer naar nooit deze wereld!"
Fortunately, it was the perfect spell and all five of the spiders fell to their deaths. All fell quiet including Gollum and the forest returned to its original state. Aragorn placed his sword back into its scabbard and glanced back at Erin.
"It finally worked!" she said smiling, "I succeeded."
Aragorn returned the smile. He was nice to see Erin have something to smile about. A few days later, they arrived at Thranduil's caverns, the dwelling of the Elven King. Erin expected to meet Thranduil, but instead their stay only involved dropping off Gollum to be imprisoned. She found it strange why they were leaving Gollum in Mirkwood. The prisons were not well protected. Bilbo Baggins had told her of his friends' imprisonment and their effortless escape. Was this really a good idea? Erin proposed the question to Aragorn who explained that not everything Bilbo told was necessarily true. Mirkwood had excellent guards and Gollum would be watched. Erin disagreed and thought she should discuss this matter with someone who would be able to give better information. She assumed she should confront Thranduil himself. Sneaking out of her room so not to disturb Aragorn, Erin tiptoed to the King's halls. They were empty. "Now where could I find him?" Erin said out loud.
"What are you seeking?" a voice said behind her. She wasn't startled because she knew it was an elf. Who else could have snuck up from behind her?
"King Thranduil," Erin answered as she turned to see the elf before her. His fairness surprised her. He was not like the wood elves like Haldir but he was slightly darker than them. He was well built and much younger then the other elves. His long blond hair was tied back and he worn dark green clothes.
"He's not here," the elf said, "In fact, you would be blessed if you were able to visit him. I know. I have lived here for many years."
"Who are you?" Erin questioned.
"My name is Legolas," he answered.
"Holy shit," Erin shouted, "You're the Prince of Mirkwood!"
Distraught at what Erin had said, Legolas tried to remain calm but a smirk glowed from his face. This was one of the first encounters he had ever had with a human girl. All he could think was how comical this new visitor appeared. Little did he know who she actually was and the gifts she owned. Legolas and Erin didn't have much time to become friends before her welcome expired. Not that she was any trouble to the kingdom, but the king was not the most hospitable elf in Middle Earth. Legolas bid Erin and Aragorn farewell and they continued their journeys. Aragorn returned to being his ranger-self and Erin returned to Saruman for her training.
The Forest of Mirkwood was much larger than Lothlórien. The trees were so tangled and large that sunlight never reached the ground. Erin had to follow Aragorn closely or she would easily loose her way. Gollum had finally regained consciousness and was not the most pleasant guest.
"Will you just shut up?" Erin demanded from Gollum after enduring hours of his whining.
"The precious!" Gollum squealed, "We wants our precious."
Remember the tales Bilbo Baggins told. Gollum's so-called "precious" was a ring that Bilbo took from him. Obviously, Gollum was attached to it.
"I know where your precious is," Erin said mockingly.
"Where's it?" Gollum said hopefully.
"I'll tell you," Erin started, "First, I went into Gondor and had a large auction. A man bought it from me for quite a sum of riches and then I threw him into Mt. Doom with your precious. No more precious! Sorry!"
"NO!" Gollum screeched louder.
"ERIN!" Aragorn scolded her, "That's enough. You're only causing him to be more irritating."
"Fine," Erin said, "Maybe if you knock him on the head again, he will stop with..." Aragorn raised his hand to silence her as he looked ahead. His eyes darted back and forth as he drew his sword.
"Hva er det?" (What is it?) Erin whispered.
"Edderkopper!" (Spiders!) Aragorn shouted as one darted towards them. Stabbing it with his sword, the spider fell dead at Aragorn's feet. Now these were no ordinary spiders. Not only were they poisonous but also they were over ten feet tall, hairy, and were fast. Five more appeared behind Erin. Drawing her wand she yelled out the only spell she could remember off the top of her head,
"Sterf en terugkeer naar nooit deze wereld!"
Fortunately, it was the perfect spell and all five of the spiders fell to their deaths. All fell quiet including Gollum and the forest returned to its original state. Aragorn placed his sword back into its scabbard and glanced back at Erin.
"It finally worked!" she said smiling, "I succeeded."
Aragorn returned the smile. He was nice to see Erin have something to smile about. A few days later, they arrived at Thranduil's caverns, the dwelling of the Elven King. Erin expected to meet Thranduil, but instead their stay only involved dropping off Gollum to be imprisoned. She found it strange why they were leaving Gollum in Mirkwood. The prisons were not well protected. Bilbo Baggins had told her of his friends' imprisonment and their effortless escape. Was this really a good idea? Erin proposed the question to Aragorn who explained that not everything Bilbo told was necessarily true. Mirkwood had excellent guards and Gollum would be watched. Erin disagreed and thought she should discuss this matter with someone who would be able to give better information. She assumed she should confront Thranduil himself. Sneaking out of her room so not to disturb Aragorn, Erin tiptoed to the King's halls. They were empty. "Now where could I find him?" Erin said out loud.
"What are you seeking?" a voice said behind her. She wasn't startled because she knew it was an elf. Who else could have snuck up from behind her?
"King Thranduil," Erin answered as she turned to see the elf before her. His fairness surprised her. He was not like the wood elves like Haldir but he was slightly darker than them. He was well built and much younger then the other elves. His long blond hair was tied back and he worn dark green clothes.
"He's not here," the elf said, "In fact, you would be blessed if you were able to visit him. I know. I have lived here for many years."
"Who are you?" Erin questioned.
"My name is Legolas," he answered.
"Holy shit," Erin shouted, "You're the Prince of Mirkwood!"
Distraught at what Erin had said, Legolas tried to remain calm but a smirk glowed from his face. This was one of the first encounters he had ever had with a human girl. All he could think was how comical this new visitor appeared. Little did he know who she actually was and the gifts she owned. Legolas and Erin didn't have much time to become friends before her welcome expired. Not that she was any trouble to the kingdom, but the king was not the most hospitable elf in Middle Earth. Legolas bid Erin and Aragorn farewell and they continued their journeys. Aragorn returned to being his ranger-self and Erin returned to Saruman for her training.