Chapter 5

They were out. Moria was behind them and Lóthlórien ahead. Gandalf had fallen and it took all her strength not to break down and cry. But she had to be strong for the Hobbits and so that the rest of the fellowship would work out who she really was.

It had been a relief when Gandalf didn't tell the rest of the fellowship about her. They had talked on the first night in Moria. Gandalf had said that he would tell anyone unless it jeopardized the mission in some way.

But now she had other problems. Galadriel!

Legolas had been to Lórien many times before as the princess of Mirkwood. After her mother had died her father saw the need for her to have some female influence in her life and so had sent her to the Lady of the Golden woods. This meant that many of the elves could recognise her and reveal her to the fellowship.

She could only hope that Galadriel would forgive her.

Legolas looked at the elves surrounding them.

"The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark." Haldir said.

Haldir looked at each of them in turn and he paused on Legolas longer then the others.

"Haldir o Lórien. Henion aníron, boe ammen i dulu lîn. Boe ammen veriad lîn. (Haldir of Lórien, we come here for help. We need your protection.)" Aragorn said, drawing attention away from Legolas.

"Aragorn, these woods are perilous! We should go back." Gimli said.

"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back." Haldir said, "Come."

Haldir lead them through the woods to a guard checkpoint where they were told they would be staying the night.

The March warden looked at the princess.

"Follow me please, your highness." He said before climbing the tree and leaving the other elves to help the fellowship. She looked at Aragorn for permission and after receiving a nod she followed Haldir.

"Forgive my bluntness, M'lady but shouldn't you be at home reading a book?" Haldir said when they were out of everyone else's hearing range.

"Yes that is blunt, It has nothing to do with you what I do with my time." She snapped.

"It does when the people you travel with obviously don't know what you really are!"

"Well Elrond and Mithrandir didn't stop me so why should you?"

"Come with me." He said before running off through the trees. Sighing she followed him.

"And just where are you taking me going."

"We are going to see the Lady and she will decided what is to be done with you." He said.

Feeling it would be better for Galadriel to find out before the rest of the fellowship arrived, she followed.

When they got to the platform where the Lord and Lady of Lórien meet with visitors, she was told to wait while Haldir went to find them.

"Would you please explain to me why you are dressed in the clothes of a Man?" Galadriel asked as she entered the room and descended the steps.

"My Lady I apologise but I didn't mean for this to go this far. I only wanted to visit Rivendell but when Elrond spoke of the quest I felt that I could be of assistance to the Fellowship so I volunteered to join the quest."

"That as it may be you are still female and therefore we must return you to your father." Celeborn told her.

"I am aware of that, my lord. But..."

Galadriel held up a hand to silence her.

"In the interest of peace between our lands we should return you to your homeland, but Gandalf must have known that you weren't what you seem so he must have had a reason for allowing you to go on the quest. Mithrandir has never done anything without reason so I am willing to allow you to continue, on one condition, if there is any reason that your true identity jeopardizes the mission then you are to return home."

"As you wish my Lady, I have also given that promise to Mithrandir and I don't mean to break that promise." Legolas curtsied to the lady of the woods, who raised an eyebrow at her so Legolas quickly changed to a bow.

Galadriel nodded and the left the room with her husband.

Legolas then followed Haldir back to where the Fellowship was staying the night.

Sorry about the long wait I have been working on some of my other fics, sorry to neglect this one.

Thanks again to my positive reviewers.