Just as Sydney predicted they had to cross the mountains, and, obviously, it wasn't easy.
Neither was her company. Legolas refrained from saying anything while they tramped through the dense forest. It seemed like he was avoiding her but Sydney knew he was actually looking around for any danger. And maybe, avoiding her just so much that she wouldn't be able to run away.
- As if I'd run away from a guy with unearthly agility who owns two daggers and a bow with lots of arrows. She thought sarcastically.
She tried her best to keep up with his pace till now, but slowly she felt drained. Pondering over what might happen to her if she'd collapse anytime soon, she didn't notice Legolas had stopped, bumped into him and fell over.
Rubbing her backside after getting up she gave him a look and said "Thank you for reminding me I still have my funny bone."
For some reason the elf thought this amusing and smiled for the first time since they'd met. "Charming" she mumbled under her breath.
Obviously Legolas had stopped for a reason and as Sydney looked around she couldn't distinguish anything specifically important.
He pointed upwards and Syd felt her stomach lurch. There was another tree to climb. She approached it carefully and ran her hand over the bark, shivering. She looked back at Legolas who looked at her behaviour very strangely.
Sighing in defeat she told him "I…I won't manage. To climb the tree I mean."
The elf looked impassively at her. "Did you not climb one just like this where I found you?"
"Yeah, well I didn't prance around the forest or climb halfway up a mountain before that."
"Try."
Sydney was too exhausted to argue about whether or not she'd be able to climb the tree. Instead she shrugged and approached the trunk, cautiously looking for anything she could set foot upon.
A few minutes later she was half way up but couldn't remember doing much. Confused she looked down at a curious elf and almost lost her grip. Struggling up the last few metres, she collapsed on a similar plateau.
She was accompanied shortly after.
Ignoring him, she started to look after herself. Examining the profile of her shoes, rubbing her hands, dusting off her shirt.
Legolas in turn started to rummage in his pack and pulled out something that looked very familiar to toast.
He offered her some but she denied it. She wasn't going to give in to the hunger. She would be able to go through a day without food if it had to be.
"It is unwise."
Sydney took her time to answer. "How come?"
"We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow. Past this valley and into the plains of Rohan. We will have to move swiftly, for we are going to be very visible. That is why I strongly advise-", "Listen. Slowly I'm getting tired of this little prank you're playing here. I don't remember how I landed in that lake but if- if Matt set you up to do this…To lure me somewhere-" she stopped, embarrassed. "Excuse me…I'm not sure…nothing makes sense anymore." Her mind drifted back at the night she tried to analyze the sky to figure out where she was, the wolves, the mystical runes. Actually the mysterious lake was reason enough to convince her that she wasn't in the alpine area she started off in.
Legolas studied her as she thought over all the evidence, silently brooding, but said nothing.
Sydney felt scared, lost and especially, alone. A unknown force pressed down on her and she felt very helpless. Shivering she wrapped her arms around herself and broke down, silently weeping.
In all this time Legolas had not moved a muscle. Instead he pushed some of the food over to her and a flask with water.
Sydney tried to calm down and gladly took some sips of water. She closed her eyes and breathed through deeply.
"I set off with George, my dog…" and she told him her whole journey up to the point where she jumped into the currant and woke up unconscious. "You see, I have no idea where I am and…I wished I knew whether, whether my dog survived-" her voice broke, but she caught herself.
"I found that tree by chance. I knew I had to get up there. Somehow. If I hadn't I wouldn't have survived the night considering all the wolves." She leaned back against the tree trunk and sighed.
"Your story is very interesting." The elf began. "What I do not understand, is how you were able to climb that tree."
Sydney was speechless. She had just confided her whole situation to him and all he could wonder about was how she got up a tree?
-You must be joking, she thought dumbfounded.
"Wh- What?"
"The tree. How did you climb it?" Came the same question again.
Sydney chuckled, laughed and completely lost control and laughed maniacally.
"Do you mean to tell me that from everything I've told you, the only thing worth asking questions about is that stupid tree I climbed?" She shook her head and started chuckling again.
"I consider it interesting, because I know of no mortal who has ever managed to find, not to mention climb a tree which can only be seen and climbed by elven kind."
Sydney knew nothing to say about that. "So I ask you again. How did you do it?"
Annoyed, Sydney carelessly threw the remains of her knife over to him.
"It wasn't easy." She growled.
After examining the shrubby piece of metal he handed it back to her. "But today you climbed this tree without the help of your knife."
The look in his sky-blue eyes would have seemed quite shrewd to anyone, but somehow Sydney read curiosity, respect and pride in them.
"I guess two hours of practicing paid off then." She replied airily, but actually was quite tempted to find out more about this new habit of hers. How did she find it? Was it just luck or was she really special?
Luck seemed more plausible to her.
The next day the stood at the edge of the forest. In front of them was nothing but wide and beautiful plains flowing into each other like waves in the sea. Here and there big rocks dotted parts of the plains. Sydney crouched down and grabbed a bunch of the blond grass.
"This is Rohan?" she turned to look at Legolas.
"Aye." He too seemed to be quite taken by the view in front of them. "We should hurry." He said gravely, glancing back into the forest.
Sydney took off after him but couldn't stop herself from glancing back into the place in which her journey began. The forest had a sentimental value for her. Especially since she found out she might be able to be someone special after all.
A/N: Thanks for the many reviews I still can't believe people are actually reading this...oO
Hehe. I'm sorry to say that there might not be any further chapters until mid december.hides from angry mob I just graduated from school and am taking a well deserved holiday in Asia and then learning some Espagnol in Madrid. If I find a -café and some privacy you guys might get lucky. But I don't want to make promises I can't guarantee to keep.
I know some of you are wondering "Where the heck is Éomer?" No worries he'll show up.)
This is a Legolas, Éomer and OC fic and I'm really trying to make this asrealistic as possible without getting too Mary-Sueish.If I do, in the name of God please let me know so I can change that.
Once again thanks for reading, reviewing and your patience with my grammar mistakes.