I've finally updated! Sorry it took me so long. I wanted to make sure this chapter was alright. Thank you very much for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please let me know.

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings. I only own Aria and her family.

Note: Dialouge in bold is spoken in Elvish.

Chapter 30

They had been riding for a little over three weeks and Aria was growing anxious. "Legolas, how much further?" she asked as they rode with the setting sun to their left. Legolas smiled.

"Four days ride," he paused and glanced at her. "Would you like to rest for a time?" Aria looked at him and smiled.

"I would like that, just for a moment." Legolas nodded and they both stopped their horsed. Legolas quickly dismounted and walked over to Aria. He gripped her by the waist and lifted her down. Aria smiled as he held her and she raised her hand to brush a few strands of hair away from his face. "I'm getting nervous." Legolas laughed and shook his head.

"There is no need for you to be. My parents will love you." Aria sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. Legolas smiled and ran his hand up and down her back. "Let us sit for a moment and refresh ourselves." Aria nodded and they sat down in the soft grass near a boulder. She sighed again and laid her head against his shoulder. He laced his fingers with hers and smiled.

"Something tells me that life will not be this easy once we arrive in Mirkwood." He took a deep breath and kissed the top of her head.

"It may not be, but we shall be together and that is all that matters." Aria nodded.

"That is true." With a sigh she looked up at him. "We should go if we want to cover more ground before nightfall. Are we going to travel through the night?" Legolas nodded.

"We will save more time if we do." Aria nodded and stood. She held out her hand to Legolas and he smiled as he took her hand. Aria was about to mount her horse when she heard something in the distance.

"Legolas, did you hear that?" she asked. Legolas was standing stock still. He hadn't moved since she turned to mount her horse. Legolas looked sharply to his left. Aria knew that some orcs and Urks were still roaming freely as they had escaped, but they were few in numbers. She looked in the same direction Legolas did and there she saw a small band of about thirty orcs heading in their direction. "Legolas," she whispered but he already had his bow out and an arrow readied and focused on the group.

"Ready yourself Aria," he said calmly but Aria could feel his worry and fear for her deep down in him. Aria held her hands out and readied herself. The horses took off for safety and they both knew they would come back to them once the battle was over. Legolas launched an arrow and one of the orcs instantly fell. The orcs looked at their fallen comrade and turned their attention to the two elves once more and charged even faster. Legolas launched arrow after arrow, everyone hitting their mark. However, the band reached them in a matter of a few minutes and a battle began.

"Aria!" Legolas called when an orc's blade was coming down on her she turned quickly and shot fire at the orc causing him to screech and turn away from her. There were only four orcs remaining and three of them were on Legolas. Aria quickly took down the orc that was fighting her and went to help Legolas. She gasped when she saw an orc slash at his side. Aria raised her hands and remembered nothing until the orcs were nothing but chared ashes floating down onto the ground. She ran over to Legolas as he clutched his side.

"Legolas!" she practically screamed. Legolas sighed and looked up at her.

"I'm alright," he whispered. Aria shook her head. She could feel his pain and tears filled her eyes.

"Lay down," she choked and held her hand over his side.

"Aria, what are you doing?" he asked. Aria looked at his face as she began to chant. Legolas felt warmth spread across his side and the pain slowly subside. He felt light headed but let her continue. Soon she had stopped and looked at him. He took deep and slow breaths, the pain was gone, but he still felt terrible. He looked at Aria and he easily saw the tears in her eyes and down her cheeks.

"Legolas, we must get you to Mirkwood and soon." He looked at her and frowned. "I've stopped the bleeding and created a seal on your wound, however, I believe the blade was laced with poison. I don't know how to get rid of the poison. I only know how to slow it. We must get you home now." She stood and whistled for the horses and Legolas found he could barely move. She whispered to Arod in Elvish. "Arod, I need you to ride us to Mirkwood as fast as you can. Legolas is in need of aid. When we mount ride as swiftly as your legs will allow."He neighed and nodded his head. Aria looked to her horse. "Follow us, Sundare as swiftly as you can." She neighed and Aria turned to Legolas and quickly helped him stand and mount Arod. Aria swung herself up behind him and took the reigns as Legolas laid against her. He felt very tired and he could feel Aria's fear overwhelming his senses. Arod took off in a fierce stride.

Aria was near tears as the forests of Mirkwood came into few. She didn't know how she knew where Mirkwood was, but she figured it had something to do with her bond to Legolas. It was almost like he was directing her. "Oh, Legolas, do not leave me," she said to him through their link. He had lost conscious that morning and night was quickly approaching. She only hoped they would make it in time. She had done every spell she knew that would slow the poison and had given him various herbs that Haldir taught her about, but her hope that he would survive was slowly fading just as her love was fading her arms. Arod rode as fast and as hard as his legs would take him. Sundare was right on their tail as they entered the dense trees.

Aria glanced at Legolas as his head rested against her shoulder. A thin layer of sweat graced his forehead and his face was no longer held its luminous glow. She kissed his forehead as they rode. "Please do not die my love. Please do not go," she said to him through their link. They continued quickly down the path when suddenly three elves stood in their path forcing Arod to stop and Sundare to dot the same. Aria gasped and looked at the three wood elves as they held arrows pointed directly at her. She had no time for this. "Let me pass! Prince Legolas is in need of aid!" she screamed as loud as she could. Their arrows only lowered slightly at the mention of Legolas' name. It was obvious to her then they did not know common. She sighed. "Let me pass! Prince Legolas is need of aid! He was stuck by a poisoned orc blade!" she screamed this time in Elvish. Her tears were no longer held at bay and they fell from her eyes. The three elves lowered their arrows and then noticed their prince in the arms of the elleth.

"Who are you and why is Prince Legolas in your care?" One elf asked. Aria rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"I have no time for explanations now! I must make for the palace or someplace where a healer can administer the proper medicine. I've done all I can but he needs aid or he will die! He is at deaths door as it is! Please just let me pass!" The elves looked at each other and then at their prince and his obvious ill state. They nodded and parted. Aria urged Arod down the path and in no time she arrived outside the palace. "Help! Someone please help!" she called as she stopped in front of the palace. Several servants came rushing out. "Prince Legolas has been struck by a poisoned orc blade. I have done all I can but he needs medicine that I do not have." The elves nodded and she lowered him down to an ellon.

"I am a healer in the palace. I will care for him milady," he said as he quickly took Legolas into the palace with several of the small group following him. Aria wiped her eyes and dismounted Arod. She ran inside following behind the small group as she continued to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Aria stood outside of the healing chamber the healer had brought Legolas into just minutes ago. She sighed and leaned against the wall, her tears had finally stopped. They had made it to Mirkwood in almost two days instead of the four that Legolas said it was. She only hoped that it was in time to save him. She looked down at her hands and saw that they were stained with blood, Legolas' blood. Tears flooded her eyes and a sob escaped her lips as she looked at her hands. After a few minutes she composed herself and took a deep breath.

Suddenly, she heard the rustling of robes and skirts and she looked up to see an ellon with dark hair and eyes dressed in dark green and brown robes. He wore a silver circlet on his head and his face was noble. The elleth was beautiful, with long blonde hair and piercing silver-blue eyes that reminded her of her beloved. Her dress was a matching dark green to the ellon's robes and her circlet was similar only more feminine. "Legolas' parents," she thought as she wiped her face once more.

"What is the meaning of this? Who are you?" the ellon asked. Aria swallowed hard as his dark eyes bored into hers. She turned her attention to the elleth who had tears in her eyes but her gaze was not as harsh as the man. She knew she looked a fright at that moment, but her thoughts were in the room where Legolas laid and she was at a lost for words. "Answer me!" his voice echoed through the cave walls and Aria jumped and managed to get her tongue to work.

"My name is Aria. I was part of the fellowship that set out to destroy the ring along with Legolas. We were on our way here, when we were attacked by a stray band of orcs," she replied quickly. "Legolas was struck by a poisoned blade. I did all I could to help him and I rode with him for nearly two days straight to get here." Tears once again rolled down her cheeks as the ellon's dark and hard gaze bore down on her. She raised her left hand and wiped the tears from her cheeks when she heard the elleth gasp. Aria looked at her and followed her gaze to her left hand and the ring that rested there.

"It has happened. At long last it has happened," she whispered. Her voice was soft and Aria looked at her slightly confused but knowing what she meant. The ellon looked at the elleth and frowned. He turned back to Aria and was about to speak when the door quickly opened and a healer stepped from the room.