Gandalf stepped up to Aragorn, who was watching the horse head into the distance.
"You're worried about them, aren't you?" Gandalf asked.
"Yes, I am. I've seen the effects of someone being turned into a gargoyle because of Nanaylia and it's not pretty. Now Legolas has to go through the same thing. Even though he hasn't had the same exposure as she has, will he have to go through the same thing she will?" Aragorn explained.
Gandalf thought about his answer for a moment before turning to face Aragorn.
"I do believe so actually. The same magic was used against him and is now within them both. I believe that he will have to learn how to control it, just like what she has had to do. I know I haven't seen her for centuries, I can tell that she has gained an amount of control of the magic within her.," Gandalf told him.
"Even though it was not by choice," Aragorn put in. "Manlin wanted both of them to be changed into gargoyles, it's just that he only got her. I guess he finally caught up with Legolas, through Shentree."
Aragorn sighed as he heard someone walk up behind them. The two turned to see Gimli standing behind them.
"What?" Gimli said.
The dwarf glanced between them before taking a defensive position.
"Can't a dwarf be worried about a friend?" he demanded.
Both Aragorn and Gandalf gave a small laugh at this reaction. The dwarf walked up beside them as they turned backin the directionthe horse went in. The animal was now completely out of view.
"Yes, you can be for we both are worried about him as well. I know a few things about the gargoyles from knowing those two and their father these past several years. Thranduil knows more about them than anyone else I have ever met. I never even heard of gargoyles until well after I met him and Legolas," Aragorn explained.
"I know about the many different races in Middle Earth. I knew that gargoyles once thrived here but greatly dwindled over the millenia. I never knew why that happenedand I never met one until just recently. I thought they had all disappeared. I never expected to discover that a small band still resided in the forest of Mirkwood," Gandalf replied.
"While we're on the subject of gargoyles, what of Shentree?" Aragorn asked. "How is she doing?"
Gandalf didn't answer right away. He stared off ino the distance, wondering how he should give his reply.
"Gandalf, what's wrong?" Aragorn wondered, becoming slightly worried.
"She is gradually getting better. It is partly a good thing since we need her to answer a few questions, if we can. Something that confuses me, is her reaction from earlier. She said the book belonged to her, not the Mirkwood siblings. What confuses me even more is that after the spell was performed, the life was nearly taken out of her. I have to wonder why for I am a bit unfamiliar with the magic in that book. What I do know is that the magic in that book of Nanaylia's doesn't affect anyone that it is not directed at. Nor can just anyone perform it," Gandalf began to say.
"Then how were you able to use it if everyone can't use it?" Gimli asked. "That sounds quite strange if you ask me."
"I know it does and I'm not quite certain myself. That's why I have to question the lineage of Legolas and Nanaylia, the children of Thranduil. I know their father well but what of their mother? I did not know her quite well and I never did find out what kind of Elf she was," Gandalf told him.
"Their mother has been dead for some time now Gandalf. I've been told that Legolas and Nanaylia were quite young by Elven standards when she died. I thought you would've known that," Aragorn told him.
Gandalf pondered at the comment. He turned around and headed back inside, leaving a very confused Gimli and Aragorn behind. They shrugged their shoulders at each other, not knowing what to make of it. Haldir passed Gandalf on his way outside. He became slightly confused as he glanced at the wizard.
"What's wrong with him?" Haldir wondered.
"He's wondering on Legolas and Nanaylia's parentage. Seems the magic in that book of Nanaylia's can't be used by everyone. He never said who could use it though. I think he somehow believes that Nanaylia and Legolas are two elves who are able to use it but I don't know how. I think all they'd have to do is study it, just like Manlin did," Aragorn replied.
Haldir raised an eyebrow before placing a hand on his chin. Aragorn and Gimli watched him carefully.
"What's the matter?" Gimli asked. "You think you might know the answer?"
"I can't explain it either but I can rule out one thing," Haldir finally said.
"And what would that be?" Gimli said. "That they're not who they say they are?"
"I have known the royal family of Mirkwood for quite a long time. I knew their mother and father long before they were born. I think there's only one thing that Mithrandir would be questioning about their mother and it's not possible," Haldir replied.
"Why is it not possible?" Aragorn wondered.
"Their mother was as normal as any other elf. Nothing out of the ordinary surrounded her at all. She never got along well with Manlin but that's besides the point. So I can't explain anything else about her. Unless she was hiding something from everyone. I guess we were all fooled then," Haldir told them.
"What would she possibly be hiding, especially from her own family?" Aragorn wondered.
"I don't know unless - no! Could it be them? No, it can't be them, they've never existed. My mind has been thinking strange ideas these past few days," Haldir said, immediately lowering his voice.
"What? Who's never existed?" Gimli wanted to know. "Tell us!"
Haldir gave them a smile before turning around and began to head back inside. Aragorn hurried up to him and grabbed his shoulder.
"What aren't you telling us? Is there something about Legolas and Nanaylia that you're not saying?" Aragorn asked.
"I don't know too much more about those two than what you do. I know a bit more than what you do since I'm a little older but I am serious about this. Believe me, please. I don't know anything different than what you or I know," Haldir replied. "It's only a theory I have but I don't want to elaborate since I don't want anyone else getting any ideas. Legolas and Nanaylia are the same as we've always known them but with a little something extra because of a certain elf or gargoyle. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to see the king. I have to let him know what's going on before heading to get something to eat."
"Aren't you going to head back to Lothlorien soon?" Aragorn asked. "I mean, most of your surviving troops have already left."
"Without Nanaylia? Her father wouldn't hesitate to kill me if I arrived in Lothlorien alone," Haldir explained. "I'm staying here until she returns with her brother, then we are heading back to Lothlorien."
Aragorn gave a small laugh but it soon stopped. There was a thought at the back of his mind that wasn't going to let him rest one bit.
'What was Haldir talking about when he said they never existed?' he thought to himself.
His thoughts went back to Legolas and his current condition. He began to think about something before hurrying away from Gimli.
"Where are you going?" Gimli called out.
"I have to go find someone and I have to find them quickly," Aragorn replied.
The dwarf was now alone and slightly confused. He glanced from side to side at the empty area around him.
"Everyone's gone except for me. Now what am I supposed to do? Wait it out I guess. It's the only thing I can do at the moment," he muttered.
He began to head inside, looking for someone who would actually talk to him.
00000
Nanaylia rode into the forest, wondering where she should go with her brother.
'There's only so many places you hide a gargoyle transforming back into an elf. I was lucky enough to be at home, with Lord Elrond watching over me the entire time. Legolas has to deal with this in a forest far from home and with me. I can only comfort him,' she thought to herself.
As luck would have it, she passed by a cave. She helped Legolas off the horse and into the back of the somewhat large cave.
"Legolas, can you hear me?" she said to him.
His eyes were wide open but he wasn't saying anything. His stare soon came to her and the fear in his face began to dwindle. His body relaxed and he seemed to be drifting into a sleep. She took notice that his eyes were beginning to close.
"Do you recognize me Lego?" she asked him. "I can't help you if you do not talk to me."
He opened his eyes slightly and stared at her. She placed a hand on his cheek.
"Nanay," was all he said before closing his eyes again.
He fell into a deep sleep. Nanaylia sighed as she leaned against the rock wall.
"It's a start but it's going to be a few more days of this. Maybe Aragorn should have known where we are. Then he could have checked up on us," Nanaylia quietly told herself.
Her stare turned towards the cave entrance and realized that they could easily be found by the wrong person. She walked to the entrance of the cave and looked around the area. She lifted up her arm, the immediate surroundings changing before her eyes through her will.
"There we go. Now no one will be able to find us unless I want them to. We can see out but they can't see in," she quietly said.
She heard a groan coming from Legolas and she was quickly as his side. His one hand was now placed on his injured shoulder. She groaned herself for she never thought of his injuries. She saw them but they didn't register. She realized they were trying to deal with his injuries before she dragged him out of there.
"I was so worried about getting him out of there because of something else, I forgot about these. Now I wish Aragorn knew where we were. He would know how to take care of these," she said.
She took a blanket out of her bag and placed it over her brother, knowing that he would be a bit cold.
"Everything will be fine Legolas," she quietly told him.
00000
A lone figure on a horse headed into the forest. He knew what he was doing and no one knew that he was doing this. He had enough time to grab a few things and put them into a bag before running off since he didn't want anyone to know what he was doing. The horse ran to the edge of the trees and its rider slowed down a bit.
"Now where could two Elven siblings be now? Where are you two? I just want to help," he barely said.
He climbed off the horse and soon found the tracks of the other horse.
"At least I found your path. Now to find where you've ended up in here," he said.
He climbed back onto the horse and began to follow the tracks into the forest.
TBC...