The fellow ship walked down from the hill of Cerin Amroth and walked toward the elven city of Caras Galadhon. "Here is the heart of Elvendom on Earth", said Haldir with a look of pride on his face as Caras Galadhon came into view.
As they walked closer to the elven city the small hobbits had a look of plain amazement etched on their faces. The trees towered so high they appeared to touch the sky, and not only that but they were so large with stairs winding around connected to the many flets throughout.
Haldir led them to one of the larger mellorn trees and climbed the stairs. They climbed up behind him and came into what appeared to be a large throne room and it was very brightly illuminated.
The Lord and Lady had been waiting for them and approached them as they entered. "Here there are 8", said Celeborn, "Yet nine there were set out from Rivendell; so said the messages, but maybe there was a change of council."
"Nay there was no change of council", said the Lady in her melodious voice like that of a swift stream, "Gandalf the Grey set out with the Company but he did not pass the borders of this land."
"Alas!" Aragorn spoke, "Gandalf the Grey fell into shadow. He remained in Moria and did not escape."
Many mournful gasps came from those elves who heard the terrible news in the room.
"These are evil tidings, the most evil that have been spoken here in long years full of grievous deeds", said Celeborn, "Tell us now the full tale."
Aragorn then told them in detail all that had happened on their long journey. In return the Lord and Lady told them much. Galadriel spoke to each of them privately in their minds and warned them all that their quest stood on the edge of a knife.
Finally Galadriel said, "do not let your hearts be troubled. Tonight you shall sleep in peace."
Leuthil walked to her flet thinking of the handsome elf named Legolas. She soon forgot of him as she came to the conclusion that an elf as handsome as this one would not even think twice about someone like her.
She still had the rest of that day to herself and decided she would go down to a small lake she visited often. As she began walking down the steps she met Orophin. Leuthil noticed at once how very disheartened he looked, and not only that but what was he doing off duty? "What is the matter Orophin?" she asked in the elvish tongue.
"I cannot believe you have not heard!" he told her with much urgency, "Gandalf the Grey has fallen into shadow." She gasped at his words. 'This cannot be true!' She thought. "The lamentation has just begun." Sure enough you could hear the faint voices of elves singing becoming louder as more joined in at the arrival of the sad news.
She felt a stab of loneliness and sorrow rip through her insides, she had been close with Mithrandir as the elves called him. He had always seemed to take a special interest in her on his visits, to Leuthil's great surprise as she was a simple elf, he always hinted at how intrigued he was on her natural skills and her odd nature, "your skills of weaponry coming naturally without you ever having practiced is extremely unusual. You are one of the best fighters in Lothlorien, even among the guards. This must mean something…" he would say with a puzzled expression, "but I just cannot think of what that might be." She remembered he would always tell her the same thing and then they would both laugh as if a serious moment was too odd for them to handle.
Leuthil did not like lamentations, they were so sad and it seemed as if not only her fellow elves were in terrible mourning but the trees joined in with them. She was glad they did not have them often.
"Where will you go for the lamentation?" Orophin asked her as he awakened her from her memories.
"I do not know", she told him, lying. She knew where she would go, she would go down to the lake as she had originally intended even before the horrible news. She only lied because she knew Orophin would follow her. He had taken an interest in her now for many years and would insist on knowing where she was at every moment, when he was not on guard. Of course he thought she did not notice it, but it was the most obvious thing in Lothlorien.
She said good bye and continued down the long stairs, as Orophin went up, then to the small lake.
Legolas and the rest of the Fellowship were led to a pavilion, where many soft cushions laid about. It was among many large trees and near a large fountain. Much to the hobbits liking they would be sleeping on the ground, not high in the trees.
The elves had given Legolas a tunic in the fashion of the elves of Lothlorien. Which consisted of a silver tunic and light green leggings.
"What are they sayin'?" Sam asked Legolas curiously.
"I have not the heart to tell you, for me the grief is still too near, a matter for tears and not yet for song" he said as he looked up into the tall trees with sorrowful eyes.
As most of the members laid down or just sat about talking for some much needed rest and relaxation, Legolas decided he would much rather prefer to take a walk through the woods he had not seen in many long years and be among his kindred.
Legolas simply strolled along listening intently to the lamentation and taking in the beauty surrounding him knowing that after leaving Lothlorien he would not see such beauty again in a very long time if ever again. As he walked a voice seemed to be much louder and not coming from above him in the trees but from somewhere quite near him.
He turned to the right, hiding behind the tree with only his head peaking from behind and to his surprise he saw the same elf that had led him blindfolded through the woods. He recognized her immediately with her long flowing extremely dark red-brown hair, rare among the elves of Lothlorien, and dazzling green eyes. She was sitting by the lake with only her toes touching the water, and singing along to the lamentation. She looked extremely grief stricken by the look on her face and in her eyes. He wondered if she would mind if he sat next to her, interrupting her lamentation. He decided it would be extremely rude and turned to leave when he heard her say, "are you spying on me?" with a truly curious voice.
He turned in surprise that he had been caught, Leuthil herself was surprised she had caught him there, "No, of course not my lady. I was simply taking a stroll and heard a strong voice, and well I came upon you. I did not wish to interrupt you, it is extremely rude of me, I am truly sorry," Legolas said hurriedly.
She smiled at how concerned he was about having "interrupted" her lamentation, "It is no bother, really I do not like lamentations very much, especially so soon after hearing the news. I can barely bring myself to sing." her smile quickly turning into a frown. "If you would like to join me it would be no bother."
Legolas smiled at her in a thankful gesture as he walked to sit next to her. He decided to steer away from speaking of Gandalf, apparently she still had not had enough time by herself to think of the tragedy. "Thank you, it has been a long while since I had the company of someone of my own kindred."
"You are on a very long journey then I would suppose, I myself have not traveled very far from these woods." she said somewhat longingly.
"I do miss my homeland at times, but I think of my journey and the importance of our task. I think of how my home would be affected if I did not continue on." he seemed shocked at his own words, he had just informed her that he was not a simple visitor in the land but on an expedition of great importance. He looked over at her and noticed she did not seem at all surprised or affected by his words.
"You come with very strange companions I would be shocked if your journey was not one of great importance." she looked at him and saw that he was staring at her waiting for her next words, "Do not worry I will not tell anyone of your secret, though I do not think you can call it a secret for you did not really tell me anything of importance."
He chuckled to himself, and looked up at the tall trees towering above them and watched as the sky became darker with the setting of the sun. "You have lived here your whole life?" he asked her.
"Yes, all my life."
"You seem to get along exceptionally well with Haldir…" he told her curiously.
"Yes, we have known each other for many years, since we were but young elflings. He is a very good friend, though I do not see much of him these days, he is march warden and extremely busy." she said thinking of her friend who was so humorous at times, yet was lethal and deadly serious when it came to his duty.
"Do you hail from Imladris?" she then asked him curious as to know where he was from exactly. She knew of Imladris because many elves visited often from that land.
"No, though I do visit the House of Elrond often, I hail from Mirkwood forest." he now turned his attention to the water and the beautiful reflection of the sky and trees he saw in it, he stared at the elf sitting next to him through the waters reflection longer than was intended seeing as she didn't notice him.
"Mirkwood forest…. I have heard tales of that place. Tell me, do giant spiders really roam the land freely?" she asked seeming interested in learning about the place.
"Yes, they do. Well, they do not roam freely when they are being hunted. We try not to bother them, so long as they do not bother us." he told her.
"Strange…. I would have thought the elves of that land would be appalled by the large spiders and try to find a way to eliminate them at once!" she said somewhat shocked, "at least that is what I think I would do."
"My father does not think the lives of his soldiers should be spent on trying to get rid of spiders unless they harm one of our own." he said sounding somewhat defensive.
"Your father? Is he an advisor of the king or general or something of the sort?" she asked puzzled.
He laughed silently to himself at the confusion written all over her face at his last statement, "My father is the king, King Thranduil." he said now wishing he hadn't brought it up as a look of shock crossed her face.
"I am truly sorry! I did not know.." she said somewhat embarrassed at having questioned the way the king, his father, defended his own land. She was also chastising herself for being so discourteous to him.
"You have nothing to be sorry for. I find that it is better when people do not know my title, they sometimes seem to act differently around me, as if I might send them to be executed if they do not call me highness or lord."
"I thought I could pick royals out like dry petals on a freshly blossomed flower! I suppose you do not act or look as kingly as other royals I have met…" she looked away as her eyes became huge and her cheeks bright red with surprise and embarrassment at the words that had just come out of her mouth. "I did not mean that! I am truly sorry!" she said hurriedly as she got up and slipped on her shoes.
"No, do not leave" Legolas said chuckling to himself as he spoke, "I did not take it as an insult. I understand, I am at fault for not telling you at once."
"It is quite alright, and I am at fault for my show of disrespect", she said as she retreated back into the woods, "it was a pleasure speaking with you. Good bye…" she bowed and then was gone.
Legolas remained sitting where he was as he watched her retreating form through the trees for the second time, again managing to find out almost nothing about her.
A/N hope you liked it, please review, I'd like to know what people think of it so far and in what direction they would like this story to go.