Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or settings from Lord of the Rings or Xena the Warrior Princess

Author's Note:

This is a LegoRomance (slow-burn)

~ LI: Fangorn Forest ~

Fangorn Forest, 3019 TA, March 1

They raced. It was a gloomy, rainy day. There were low grey clouds blanketing the sky above, and a cloud of mist hid the sun. The forested hills of Fangorn became bigger and greater as the sun moved westward. Single orcs with arrows embedded in their backs or throats were the only ones they came across, with no trace to the right or left.

It was nearing sunset when they finally reached the tops of the forest's trees and spotted the large fire burning in an open glade surrounded by the first trees. Helms and armour, broken shields, arrows and darts, shattered swords, and other war gear lay around. Goblin skulls were placed on spikes with white insignia still visible on their helms.

The river rushed out of the bushes and into a mound not too far away from the riverbank. The newly cut turves and fifteen spears had been set around it as it was just lifted from the ground. There was no light left to look at, and dusk came rapidly, dreary and cloudy. By the time the sun went down, they had discovered no trace of Merry and Pippin.

After finding a track, Aragorn continued his search. In her stillness, Xena fixed her eyes on the woodland in front of her. The way it spoke to her. She shook her head in disbelief. Because the other three were just behind her, she couldn't see them. Gore and the decaying smell of orc corpses and blood only served to heighten the sense of fear that they felt as they stood in the middle of it.

"We can do no more," said Gimli sadly. "We have been set many riddles, but this is the hardest to unravel. It will be hard news for Frodo, and hard too for the old hobbit who waits in Rivendell. Elrond was against their coming."

"But Gandalf was not," said Legolas, who trusted Mithrandir, more than anyone in Middle Earth. He had been a great aid to Legolas and to so many, the elf always accepted his judgment.

"Gandalf chose to come himself, and he was the first to be lost," answered Gimli. "His foresight failed him."

"The counsel of Gandalf was not founded on foreknowledge of safety, for himself or for others," said Aragorn. "There are some things that it is better to begin than to refuse, even though the end may be dark."

"Most ends are dark," Xena agreed with the Ranger "That doesn't mean we stop following our mission and forget our promises."

"A hobbit lay there.." Aragorn said moments later as he started following the trail. "They crawled." he followed the tracks, and Gimli and Legolas followed him. "Their hands were bound, their bands were cut. The tracks lead away from the battle! Into Fangorn Forest."

All three paused close watching in the Fangorn Forest. Xena skipped next to them. All four seemed to know the stories about the forest.

"Fangorn! What madness drove them in there?" Gimli said.

All four walked closer, with the horses following. Suddenly, the horses got scared of the Forest. They had dragged their pickets and disappeared. "The horses! The horses!" Said Legolas. He neither could believe their ill-fortune.

"They are gone! We cannot find them or catch them; they will return of their own will." Aragorn said at last as he gazed at the others and then at the sky. It was getting late. "We will go on our feet, at dawn. It's getting dark. We will camp for a few hours here."

"We will be walking again!" Gimli complained.

"Only this morning you were unwilling to sit on a horse of Rohan," smirked Legolas.

"It seems unlikely that I shall have the chance," said Gimli.

"They'll be back don't worry." the elf ensured him.

They camped a little distance away from the battlefield beneath a large spreading tree that looked like chestnut but still had many wide brown leaves from a previous year, like dried hands with long extended fingers, which rattled mournfully in the night air.

Gimli shivered. They had brought only one blanket apiece. "Let us light a fire," he said. "I care no longer for the danger. Let the Orcs come as thick as summer-moths round a candle!"

"If those unhappy hobbits are astray in the woods, it might draw them hither," said Legolas.

"And it might draw other things, neither Orc nor Hobbit," said Aragorn." We are near to the mountain marches of the traitor Saruman, we still have to be careful."

Xena paused cleaning the blade of her sword and let her blue eyes rest against Gimli. "Use your cloak, Gimli and stop complaining," she offered while shaking her head at how weary Gimli was. Then she gestured at the blanket "Use that one it will warm you!"

A grin spread over Gimli's face, and he bent in to take the single blanket that Xena had recommended. It wasn't until the blanket was pulled away from his clutches and a stern look was directed at him that his grip on the blanket was broken. As he approached Xena, Legolas grabbed the blanket and unfurled it. Then he exclaimed, "I'll take the first watch!" as he slung the blanket over her shoulders.

When she saw him move away from the little camp, the human raised an eyebrow and her gaze fell on the bandages wrapped around his hand. Those were bloodstained and filthy. She caught Aragorn's attention as he examined Legola's bandages and turned to face him. "I've seen the Healers in Rivendell employ that plant in their treatments..." Xena inquired of the ranger as she put her blade aside and gave the blanket to Gimli.

Aragorn said, "Athelas," as he went through the provisions they had taken from the last camp and located a small portion he was taking with him. "I've discovered that it may delay poison and mild diseases, but it's mostly utilised to treat characteristics against the Black Breath. "

"He said that the blade was not poisonous," Xena's voice sounded more disturbed than she anticipated it would, she opened her eyes wide and looked at the elf.

A little jar of Athelas paste and a few white bandages were given to her by Aragorn. "It wasn't poisoned in any way. The only problem is that the blade was rusty, and because it hasn't healed yet, it's possible that it is infected." His words were interrupted by his observation of the human carrying the jar and bandages and following the elf.

As it turned out, Xena had no need for concern since the elf who had cut his hand was simply infected. Despite the fact that he carried himself differently today. Although it was only for a short time, she saw a little amount of exhaustion and melancholy on his normally placid and impenetrable face. Legolas was troubled by something, so she determined to find out what it was.

He had been leaning against a tall, abandoned tree, daydreaming until the elf saw that her motions were difficult and impeded as previously. He was uncertain of her arrival and what plan she had in mind at this moment. His eyes met hers for the first time in a considerable amount of time. There was a moment when he felt her warmth and stare upon him.

Although the elf realised he had spoken, his words appeared to emanate from a far location: "You were meant to rest."

"And you must quit lying to me," Xena said as she skipped beside him and gently took his hand. She kept his eyes for a time before unfolding the bandages and allowing them to fall to the ground. She began examining his wound to ensure that it was not poisoned.

"I did not lie to you," he said and tore away from those peculiar eyes, which had become more adept at reading him. Legolas turned his focus to the starry sky while she observed and cleaned his wound.

Xena halted and scowled at him, but the elf had already turned away. "You said that your wound was healing, but it seems to be infected," she remarked as the first bandage cleaned his incision and she applied the paste and began bandaging it. "You must realise that I can take care of myself and quit being hurt," Xena remarked in a more composed tone.

Finally turning his attention back to her, the elf saw that the way she was now staring at him was not hostile nor filled with animosity; rather, she seemed concerned about him. "It is healing," he stated as he raised his hand. "It is now!" He gave her a brief grin, but it quickly vanished. The elf acknowledged, "I know you are capable of taking care of yourself. As I know Aragorn and Gimli are capable of taking care of themselves does not imply I do not fear for them or that I would not assist them."

As she listened to the elf concede everything that he had shown, he saw a lost grin on her face. "So what, we are now friends?" she said with a cocked brow. "Wait, you and the dwarf are now friends? Didn't you despise me?"

"When were you, my enemy?" Legolas questioned tone's weariness "I have never despised you or Gimli. Such a harsh word, hatred. You may both easily anger and perplex me... And since we battled together, I see you as my trusted ally."

While listening to the elf, Xena flashed an even stranger grin before placing her palm on his forehead. "No, you don't have a fever, therefore you're not hallucinating," she said as she checked her own forehead. "Neither am I?"

Legolas moved her hand away from her forehead by placing his hand on hers. The elf murmured while pressing his palm on hers, "Stop making fun of me, you know exactly what I mean."

"I had no intention of playing games with you," Xena reminded him. "You are too exhausted to play games with. At least for today, I propose a truce."

Legolas regarded her with pride and said, "I thought we were on good terms?" And a second later, he found himself clinging to the tree's trunk in an effort to maintain his equilibrium; he felt dizzy for an extended period of time.

Xena reprimanded him, "I was correct, you are not well," and supported him against the tree. "Should I notify Aragorn?"

However, Legolas had already put both hands on her arms and drawn her close. "No, do not concern the others about me," he said as he finally leaned against the tree and embraced Xena in an unpleasant, uncomfortable manner.

Surprisingly, the human neither argued nor pushed him away. She sat with him in sincerity and wrapped her arms around him, giving him an embrace as an escape from the day's sorrow. The darkness was broken by the sound of wind and falling leaves.

"I will tell you a tale, you will listen silently and calmly tonight, and by tomorrow you will have forgotten what I told you," Legolas said abruptly, interrupting the tranquil stillness in which they were both immersed.

Xena only gaped at him, mute. In addition to the oddness of the concept of the elf narrating her stories, it made little logic. But in the end, her curiosity prevailed, and she heard herself ask, "What sort of narrative is it?"

Legolas did not respond to her query but instead began to talk in a soft whisper. His voice sounded like a forgotten tune that was gradually relaxing her spirit. "Once upon a time, before I was even born, there was a king. He was an extremely haughty ruler, yet his people adored him. He protected his kin and endured the presence of darkness. That king, who was so cold and arrogant, met a kind maiden who captivated his heart. Most felt that the King lacked a heart and that it was the maiden who gave him hers. However, they were mistaken since the King was profoundly fair and kind, but his position as king made him appear cold and haughty. His Queen gave birth to a son many centuries later, and the King now had a son."

Xena had opened her lips to offer a question, but the elf's unpleasant noise interrupted her. He then added "In those days, both his kingdom and his family grew in prosperity. Until one day, when he decided to leave his fortress to purchase a very unique present for his queen. Under the mountain, he rode and met the king, with whom he negotiated a deal to graft for the king one of his finest pieces of jewellery for the queen..."

There was a lengthy interval, during which his expression shifted from one of calmness to one of despair and anguish. Then, Xena realised that he was not giving her a random fable, but rather a narrative that was directly connected to him and his family. Her arms tightened around him as she knew he was safe from danger.

"Upon his return, he was told that the orcs had abducted his queen. The King was upset, so he used all of his resources to locate his Queen. He never did. The Orcs tortured and murdered the Queen. Her corpse was never discovered, and she was presumed to have died on the day the king lost her. The date was March 1... It was a weird day, similar to today." Legolas ended.

The human turned and saw a tear running down his face as he regarded her. She wiped away the tear with her fingers before asking him, "The Queen... Was she your mother?"

Someone had apparently told her that Legolas was truly a prince since he was startled that she already knew this. However, it was neither the time nor the place to remark. He looked at her and nodded to let her know why he was exhausted and depressed on this long night.

No more conversation occurred that night. Legolas closed his eyes and rested himself on the individual. It was the first time in ages that the prince admitted his exhaustion and allowed others to witness his frailty. However, this did not concern him. Surprisingly, having the human on his side made this day easier to endure.

The rest of the night all four rested. Xena and Legolas were away from the camp, though this time the ranger did not seek them. He knew what this day meant to Legolas. And if the elf managed to have a restful night in the arms of the human so be it.

"Wake up! The light is growing fast." Aragorn cried as he stood up, and put the fire out.

Gimli complained again as he also was on his feet and gazing at the forest "What about the horses? We will walk?"

"Let us look first for the hobbits! We worry about the horses later! Come!" said the ranger.

Even while far from the camp, Legolas opened his eyes when he heard the voice of his companion. Now that he had recovered and the day of mourning had passed, his icy and resolute demeanour had returned. The rapid action of Legolas' ascent to his feet roused the human. This time, she accepted his offer of assistance when he extended his hand. She could see the delight on the face of the 'annoying Elf', but she opted to ignore it for the time being.

The four-member party had finally reached Fangorn Forest. Aragorn was following the path, searching for any traces of the Hobbits. Xena followed closely after him. Legolas walked behind her, he was overwhelmed with the age of the forest. Gimli walked last and did not seem to like the woodland. Four individuals roamed aimlessly in the Fangorn Forest for many minutes.

Legolas' intellect was active on several levels. Initially, he was concerned about the hobbits. Similar to his three previous friends. Second, he could not conceal his delight in traversing an ancient forest such as Fangorn. The last notion was one that troubled him in several ways. Xena. The Elf reached the conclusion that Xena was one of his closest friends. He could no longer deny it. He was as concerned about her as he was with Gimli. When Éomer threatened Gimli, he readied his bow to shoot. The same would apply to the human.

He never anticipated that humans would be so difficult. Neither robust. She seemed more powerful than any maiden he had ever seen. Essentially, she was the strongest maiden he had ever encountered. She was impolite and could easily anger him without hesitation. The damsel had shattered and struck his nose more than any orc before her. Despite her wildness and imposing demeanour, he knew she cared. In a peculiar manner, they were his trusted companions.

The human female was likewise distressed. Now that she was well-rested, her thoughts were unfettered. She rewound the events of yesterday. She saw that all three were anxious. Since she arrived in this desolate land, her life has taken a different direction. Did it imply she now had friends? Strange ideas invaded her mind. She attempted to bury and dismiss these ideas. She knew in her heart that she had friends. Friends who were concerned about her. She had friends that cared about her. A little spark ignited. A glint that indicated she was not authorised to go. She had companions. However, with Friends come obligations. She had to worry, and provide care, and aid. She thought, 'That's why I don't want friends.' However, she refused to comprehend that she already considered them friends. And she was concerned about them. Her pride was great, her hunger even deeper. She would not readily acknowledge such emotions.

She inhaled deeply, genuinely perplexed. It seems that the Elf continued to perplex her on a daily basis. His icy and impenetrable visage piqued her attention more and more each day. Most of the time, the elf carried himself with great pride and might, yet he had a kind and caring side. He would provide assistance to individuals he loved dear without expecting anything in return. He had such a temper and could be playful and cheeky at times. However, his peculiar insight and purity drew her closer to him.

"Orc blood!" Gimli cried suddenly getting everyone's attention.

"These are strange tracks," said Aragorn.

"The air is so close here," Gimli complained as he rose his axe.

"I do not think the wood feels evil, whatever tales may say. This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory and anger. So old that almost I feel young again, as I have not felt since I journeyed with you children. It is old and full of memory." Legolas told them as he stood under the eaves of the forest, stooping forward, listening to the trees.

"I'm not a child!" Xena said, irritated gazing back at Legolas.

"Compared to my age, you are. In fact, extremely young. You do not realise how alluring your limited years and mortality are to immortals." He conceded.

"I'm bothered now, did you like the old years of the forest or the short years of mine?" Xena scoffed. Legolas glared at her angrily.

"She is right Lad. You are confusing us." Gimli said with a smile on his face. Though the smile fainted away as he could hear sounds coming from the trees and the dwarf rose his axe again.

"The trees are speaking to each other," Legolas noted.

"Gimli!" called Aragorn "Lower your axe."

"Oh!" said the dwarf and lowered his axe.

"They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it: waking up the trees, teaching them to speak." The elf said.

"Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm? Except for the consistency of squirrel droppings." Gimli said, not understanding why the trees should speak at all.

"Aragorn, nad no ennas!" [Something is out there!] Legolas suddenly cried, his eyes widening as he stepped in front.

"Man cenich?" [What do you see?]" the ranger asked him.

Legolas focused his eyes and responded, "The White Wizard approaches."

"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us!" he said loudly as he held his sword up.

Xena drew her blade, Legolas held his arrow between his fingers, and Gimli rose his axe again.

"We must be quick," the ranger whispered.

The company of four turned on once. They didn't wait and attacked. From nowhere a bright light emerged. The dwarf lost his hand and his axe fell. Aragorn and Xena dropped their blades as they burned them. And Legolas' arrow was gone.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits." The wizard spoke. Xena tilted her head, it sounded like Saruman. But in a calmer voice.

"Where are they?" Aragorn demanded.

"They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" the wizard put into words, still shining and hiding his face.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Aragorn cried loud as all four were gazing at him.

Suddenly, the brightness dimmed and the wizard's face was revealed. It was Gandalf dressed in a White Coat. The group of four was astonished, and the same time glad. Legolas bowed, and Gimli too. Xena remained watching the old man in front of her. He looked more like Saruman, the White Wizard she had seen in her dreams.

"It cannot be!" the ranger said.

"Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman." the elf apologized with a soft voice.

"I am Saruman. Or rather Saruman as he should have been." Gandalf told them.

"You fell!" Aragorn added.

"Through fire. And water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as the life age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt light in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done." Gandalf the white said.

"Gandalf? Oh yes. That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name. I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide." the wizard said.

"Gandalf?!" Xena asked last. The wizard nodded. "I thought you were dead. We all did!"

The wizard smiled once again. He was actually glad to find her alive "Come now, child! One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed." he said as he was walking through the forest.

"Edoras? That is no shorter distance!" asked Gimli as he followed them.

Aragorn informed the wizard "We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king."

"Yes, and it will not be easily cured," Gandalf said.

"Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits here?" Gimli asked.

Gandalf responded "It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."

"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." the ranger noted.

"Hmm?" Gandalf turned and looked at him.

"You still speak in riddles." Aragorn and Gandalf laughed.

"A thing is about to happen here that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong." The wizard explained.

Xena blinked, confused "Ents waking up." she said. She was sure she had heard once Gandalf speaking about the Ents. Though she thought back then that it was only children's tales.

"Strong? Oh, that's good." Gimli said still confused though.

"So stop your fretting Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be." the wizard added.

"This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one," Gimli complained

Xena cracked a smile. "And what about you. You are complaining more than a child would."

"Oh, Lassy. My worries are true. They aren't childish." the dwarf defended himself as he went on talking about his worries.

Next, they reached outside the forest. All four were surprised as their horses were back. Gandalf whistled piercingly. Moments later a white horse showed up. It rode proudly and tall towards Gandalf.

"That is one of the Mearas unless my eyes are cheated by some spell," Legolas said with eyes wide open in joy.

"Mearas?" asked Xena confused.

The horse stopped in front of Gandalf. "Shadowfax! He's the lord of all horses, and has been my friend through many dangers," noted Gandalf.

The team of five leapt on their horses. Only Gimli was riding with Legolas. While they were riding to Rohan, Legolas, Xena, Gimli and Aragorn informed Gandalf about their journey until today. How long they had spent in the land of Lórien. About the elves. How they lost Boromir. And about Frodo and Sam. Xena spoke with him about the dream she had about Saruman. And Gandalf only told her that it was not a dream but trickery of Saruman. He had suspected that the enemy wanted the human who came from another realm. And he had more reason to know why, but he did not share that information with her. It was not time for her to find out the truth.

((Upcoming Chapter Fifty-Two))

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