Chapter 3

Raeya turned and walked down a slope until she came to a cave entrance and walked inside, Legolas followed her. It was beautifully carved in an elivsh design, with flowing lines around the entrance and walls. Large stone statues loomed over of mountain elves that were thousands of years old. Each one was beautifully carved yet seemed solemn as they stood alone in the empty mountain. Each was small compared to woodland elves Legolas observed, but they still seemed formidable.

She led him deeper into the mountain until they came to an opening. A large chamber of rock that was as beautiful as the passage they had come through. But the chamber glistened, it glowed with colour. The walls and ceiling were full of gems and stones. It looked as if a rainbow had been captured and turned to glass. There was furniture, but none made of wood. All were intricately carved from rock or forged from precious metals. There were carvings and parchment every where as if a great scholar had studied here for many years.

Raeya took up a small pack and began to fill it with books, stones and smelling salts. She looked at Legolas' astonished face as he took in his surroundings.

"It is beautiful is it not? It has been my home for many ages." She reached out and stroked the wall,"The stones help me to clarify the images I see of the future."

"The walls help you to tell the future?" said Legolas still amazed at the beauty of the room.

"No they do not tell me what the images mean. But with out them the pictures are distorted. Even fate may not know the outcome of some events, as they are placed around a single insignificant action. Whether this action is done or not done will affect the future of that time."

"One single action may determine the outcome of middle earth? Then how are we to stop it if it is so insignificant, it could happen anytime without our knowing!"

Raeya smiled, "It is the risk you must take if you will delve into the secrets of time."

Legolas stared at her face. It was not like the elfish beauty he had known before, there was something else. A wildness, a danger about it that appealed to him. Perhaps it was the lack of the formal airs that attracted him to it, or the fact that she was so unreserved. She studied him carefully.

"Why do you stare at me in that way?"

"I am sorry." said Legolas, "I did not mean to stare."

"Do my features repel you Legolas Greenleaf of The Woodland Realm?"

"Indeed not, quite the opposite in fact."

"I see." Raeya looked deep into his eyes. "You wonder about me. You wonder why I would live here alone for so long. You wonder why I do not wear maiden's clothes. And you wonder about the wilds. About things that cannot be tamed." She smiled.

"I.." He choked lost for words. His eyes stared, fixed into her gaze and glazed over as if he were in a trance. "Your eyes. They enchant me." He reached out a gentle hand and stroked her cheek.

"Then look into them no more, Master Elf." Said Raeya and turned her face away. "Come Legolas Greenleaf. We have much to do if I am to meet Gandalf the white."

Legolas looked like he had just woken up from a dream, and snapped out of his trance abruptly. He mounted his horse, while Raeya called into the mountain to summon hers and she too mounted. It was then they heard the crack of a bow. The arrow whistled through the air narrowly missing Raeya as her horse reared and set off at a gallop. Legolas followed after her and cried,

"Orc's! Take cover."

The two of them hammered down the mountain side, weaving from left to right in order to dodge the barrage of arrows that were flying at them. Legolas glanced behind him and saw that the entire mountain was now covered with Orc's. They were coming from all sides, there seemed like no escape. Raeya let go of her reins and drew her bow. She picked off the orc's that drew close enough to attack her but there were just too many of them. Legolas did the same, Raeya looked over at him, his face stern concentrating on his shooting, it was then she realised what a brilliant archer he was. He was fatally precise and extremely fast. He looked athletic and brave as he fought, courageous yet dangerous. He wasn't as feeble as she had first thought, he was he wasn't one of those spiritless chanting elves from the forests. He was fierce, yet there was something there, a love for nature and beauty that drove him to explore Middle Earth even when, deep in his heart she had seen, he yearned for the west and the sea. He seemed deadly to his enemies and yet kind to those he was companioned with. Yes. She thought. We will be great friends. But in her heart she yearned for something more. After three thousand years alone, she had finally found someone who she would want to share the rest of time with, someone who intrigued her, interested her. She had known as soon as she had seen him jumping to help her. She had not needed to delve deep into his heart; he held it out to her as if he was not ashamed of anything she may learn. He was different, he was nothing she had ever encountered before, he did not hide away, he did not try to conceal his feelings. Yet she knew she couldn't. It was against her people's wishes, against her kin. The Mountain Realm and The Woodland Realm could never be united again, it could only lead to ruin.

Still riding now, still trying to escape the onslaught of the Orc's Legolas called to Raeya.

"We must ride to the forest. They can not follow us into there!"

"No! I cannot go into the forest! We can out run them!" Raeya shouted afraid. She could not go into the forest, it would be as bad as loving a Woodland realm elf.

"We have no other choice! These orc's could follow us for days and not tire; we must find refuge in the forest!"

It was a hard decision, Raeya did not want to upset her Elders, but it was either the forest or certain death and it wasn't her time yet. Raeya went within herself and carefully tested the waters of time. It was clear that her destiny would move on beyond this point, so this meant going into the forest.

"Very well." she called and she and Legolas raced into the deep dark of the wood. "Forgive me my kin" she mumbled as Legolas led them deeper into the trees.