Chapter Eleven:
The view was spectacular. He had taken her out the east side of the forest
and they stood on a slight hill to watch the sun rise in the far distance,
over the great river Anduin. The sky started with a rage of orange and
steadily faded into pink and then blazing magenta. The few remaining rain
clouds embraced this colour and lent their form to create a deep plum,
which in turn, fashioned a fantasy of colour in the heavens. It was the
single most spectacular thing Kayla had ever seen in her life. The sky
reflected on the calm waters of the river, with the morning breeze creating
ripples on the surface, making the clouds in the reflection jump and dance.
Kayla stood, speechless. She didn't want to ruin the moment by speaking, but she did reach out and take Legolas by the hand. He seemed hesitant for a moment but then relaxed, and stood with her, enjoying the view. The sun rose too soon for Kayla's liking, and soon they had set off once again. With every step closer to Mordor, a dark feeling grew in Kayla's stomach. Something terrible was growing, and she wanted to be nowhere near when it exploded.
After they had been trekking for what felt like hours, Kayla felt a pain lance through her head. She stopped, temporarily blinded by the pain. She brought her hands to her head and squeezed her eyes shut, willing the pain to go away. Suddenly, an image flashed in her head. It was Gandalf. He was riding his horse, Shadowfax, when, out of nowhere, a band of Uruk-Hai attacked him. He was holding his own until one slipped through his defence and hit him on the temple with the flat of his sword. Gandalf crumpled and was soon swarmed by the creatures, pulled from Shadowfax and hauled off.
"Gandalf!" Kayla cried out in pain, and stumbled. Legolas caught Kayla before she fell, and helped her to sit. "Mankoi lle ele? " he asked her in a worried voice. "It was Mithrandir," Kayla answered, unconsciously using the Elvish name for Gandalf. "He was riding and he was attacked. They captured him and took him somewhere. I didn't see where." "Who attacked him?" "A group of Uruk-Hai. There were so many." "Do you know where he was when they showed up?" "No, all of this land is unfamiliar to me."
Legolas was worried, for both Gandalf and Kayla. He did not know how or why she had this vision, but he knew it was not a good thing. "Did you see anything that could help us to find him?" "Amin elee i'anoron. I All I could tell was that they had not yet crossed the river." "So it happened not long ago. If we hurry we may find him yet." Legolas turned to survey the open spanning plains. "He was most likely heading towards Emyn Muil." Legolas turned to face roughly northeast, to where Emyn Muil lay over the open plains and the river Anduin, and he whistled a long, low note.
He then turned to Kayla and asked her, "Lle quel? " "Amin quel, diola lle. I" "Lle dele amin. " "Amin hiraetha. I I worried myself too. I don't know where that came from." Kayla looked like she wasn't in pain anymore, but still puzzled over where her vision came from. "Well, hopefully it'll all be worked out soon." Legolas scanned the horizon. "How do you figure that?" Kayla was confused. "You'll see. We may have to wait awhile, so make yourself comfortable. How are your muscles? Do they still ache from yesterday's exertions?" "Like it never happened. What did you put in the water? I feel brand new. It was like magic." "It was no magic, just simple Elvish medicine." That was all Legolas would tell Kayla about that.
They sat for a considerable amount of time. Kayla was glad for the patch of shade they had found, for shade was scarce in the open plains. Kayla napped, but Legolas stayed alert, scanning the horizon for something. After staying like that for a time, Legolas spotted what he was looking for on the horizon and jumped up. Kayla stopped rummaging through her pack and looked at him curiously. Then she heard what Legolas had been waiting for. Hoof beats. *He must have called Shadowfax,* Kayla realized. *He'll know where Gandalf was taken. He can take us there.*
Shadowfax arrived to where Kayla and Legolas had been waiting. While Legolas played horse whisperer, Kayla marvelled at how beautiful a horse Shadowfax was. He was pure white, not a coloured hair anywhere. He stood proud and tall, and moved with the grace of a smaller, daintier animal. Legolas turned to Kayla and said with a grin, "How do you feel about travelling with style?" "At this stage, I'll welcome anything that's not walking," Kayla replied as she stood and gathered her things.
Shadowfax stood perfectly still as Legolas helped Kayla onto his back, and then leapt up himself. Shadowfax then took off at a gallop leading Legolas and Kayla ever closer to Mordor.
The trip was easier his time for Kayla. There was none of the earlier tension or suspicion, just comfortable silence and a feeling of peace, despite their bleak destination. Kayla, seated in front of Legolas on the horses' bare back, leaned back into the strong arms and chest that held her safe.
The journey was swift. They seemed to fly along the plains, and anyone watching them pass would merely see a white blur streaking across the field. Kayla daydreamed of better times, but Legolas stayed ever alert, watching for signs that could tell them of Gandalf's whereabouts.
The sky grew ever darker and when Shadowfax stopped in a small gathering of trees, the sun was making its final descent to rest behind the mountains. It was there that Shadowfax, after allowing his passengers to climb off his back, began to paw at the ground. It seemed as if her were trying to show the two travellers something. Legolas moved to where the agitated horse stood, and looked at the ground. He was puzzled, but not all that alarmed, at what he found.
Kayla stood, speechless. She didn't want to ruin the moment by speaking, but she did reach out and take Legolas by the hand. He seemed hesitant for a moment but then relaxed, and stood with her, enjoying the view. The sun rose too soon for Kayla's liking, and soon they had set off once again. With every step closer to Mordor, a dark feeling grew in Kayla's stomach. Something terrible was growing, and she wanted to be nowhere near when it exploded.
After they had been trekking for what felt like hours, Kayla felt a pain lance through her head. She stopped, temporarily blinded by the pain. She brought her hands to her head and squeezed her eyes shut, willing the pain to go away. Suddenly, an image flashed in her head. It was Gandalf. He was riding his horse, Shadowfax, when, out of nowhere, a band of Uruk-Hai attacked him. He was holding his own until one slipped through his defence and hit him on the temple with the flat of his sword. Gandalf crumpled and was soon swarmed by the creatures, pulled from Shadowfax and hauled off.
"Gandalf!" Kayla cried out in pain, and stumbled. Legolas caught Kayla before she fell, and helped her to sit. "Mankoi lle ele? " he asked her in a worried voice. "It was Mithrandir," Kayla answered, unconsciously using the Elvish name for Gandalf. "He was riding and he was attacked. They captured him and took him somewhere. I didn't see where." "Who attacked him?" "A group of Uruk-Hai. There were so many." "Do you know where he was when they showed up?" "No, all of this land is unfamiliar to me."
Legolas was worried, for both Gandalf and Kayla. He did not know how or why she had this vision, but he knew it was not a good thing. "Did you see anything that could help us to find him?" "Amin elee i'anoron. I All I could tell was that they had not yet crossed the river." "So it happened not long ago. If we hurry we may find him yet." Legolas turned to survey the open spanning plains. "He was most likely heading towards Emyn Muil." Legolas turned to face roughly northeast, to where Emyn Muil lay over the open plains and the river Anduin, and he whistled a long, low note.
He then turned to Kayla and asked her, "Lle quel? " "Amin quel, diola lle. I" "Lle dele amin. " "Amin hiraetha. I I worried myself too. I don't know where that came from." Kayla looked like she wasn't in pain anymore, but still puzzled over where her vision came from. "Well, hopefully it'll all be worked out soon." Legolas scanned the horizon. "How do you figure that?" Kayla was confused. "You'll see. We may have to wait awhile, so make yourself comfortable. How are your muscles? Do they still ache from yesterday's exertions?" "Like it never happened. What did you put in the water? I feel brand new. It was like magic." "It was no magic, just simple Elvish medicine." That was all Legolas would tell Kayla about that.
They sat for a considerable amount of time. Kayla was glad for the patch of shade they had found, for shade was scarce in the open plains. Kayla napped, but Legolas stayed alert, scanning the horizon for something. After staying like that for a time, Legolas spotted what he was looking for on the horizon and jumped up. Kayla stopped rummaging through her pack and looked at him curiously. Then she heard what Legolas had been waiting for. Hoof beats. *He must have called Shadowfax,* Kayla realized. *He'll know where Gandalf was taken. He can take us there.*
Shadowfax arrived to where Kayla and Legolas had been waiting. While Legolas played horse whisperer, Kayla marvelled at how beautiful a horse Shadowfax was. He was pure white, not a coloured hair anywhere. He stood proud and tall, and moved with the grace of a smaller, daintier animal. Legolas turned to Kayla and said with a grin, "How do you feel about travelling with style?" "At this stage, I'll welcome anything that's not walking," Kayla replied as she stood and gathered her things.
Shadowfax stood perfectly still as Legolas helped Kayla onto his back, and then leapt up himself. Shadowfax then took off at a gallop leading Legolas and Kayla ever closer to Mordor.
The trip was easier his time for Kayla. There was none of the earlier tension or suspicion, just comfortable silence and a feeling of peace, despite their bleak destination. Kayla, seated in front of Legolas on the horses' bare back, leaned back into the strong arms and chest that held her safe.
The journey was swift. They seemed to fly along the plains, and anyone watching them pass would merely see a white blur streaking across the field. Kayla daydreamed of better times, but Legolas stayed ever alert, watching for signs that could tell them of Gandalf's whereabouts.
The sky grew ever darker and when Shadowfax stopped in a small gathering of trees, the sun was making its final descent to rest behind the mountains. It was there that Shadowfax, after allowing his passengers to climb off his back, began to paw at the ground. It seemed as if her were trying to show the two travellers something. Legolas moved to where the agitated horse stood, and looked at the ground. He was puzzled, but not all that alarmed, at what he found.