Disclaimer: The Lord of the Rings is property of Tolkien and there are many references throughout to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I only own what you do not recognize. The character Chinky is not meant to cause offence and is named after a real horse whose name has been shortened from a Fiat Cinquecento (Chinky – Chento).
Chapter 17: Footprints in my soul
"Aragorn, Legolas, the hobbits cannot go on for much further; we must stop for a while." Boromir yelled to the man and elf upfront.
"If we keep going for another hour we will cross the Nimrodel River, we will be safe then." Legolas said to Boromir.
The company hurried on until even Gimli could see the golden wood approaching. They stopped for a few minutes on a large boulder protruding from the otherwise flat ground.
"Aragorn, I am sure this is where the horse and rider must have been, yet they have left no mark." Legolas said.
"Do not fear Legolas, they may have just been one of the guards coming out to patrol." Aragorn said patting his friends shoulder.
"I would believe you if my heart did not yearn so." Legolas said looking into the woods.
Aragorn looked at his friend and frowned. Many a time on their journey he had seen his friend late at night fingering the ring on his neck, when the elf thought that no one was awake. Aragorn would see him sit up and sing lightly the lay of Nimrodel while he ran his fingers over the bright metal ring.
Turning his gaze from the elf he helped the grumbling hobbits on to their tired feet.
"Come Frodo, Sam. Can you walk a little further? Once we are on the other side of the Nimrodel we will be safe and there will be fresh water for me to bathe your wounds in." Aragorn said.
The Fellowship continued walking till at last Legolas cried and ran forward. In the distance water could be heard. Within minutes the Nimrodel River wound its way before them. It's cooling, crystal clear waters glittering in the light.
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As soon as Amy saw the company she turned Chinky and forced her to gallop into the golden wood. The trees and branches wiped past the horse and rider as they thundered through the undergrowth.
Chinky slowed as she came to the river and cantered through it making sure that the spray got her master wet. She loved the feel of the calm waters under her hooves; the soft sand of the banks welcomed her as she finally got to the other side.
'That water is knee deep, yet why do I get the feeling I would be dryer if I had walked through myself?' Amy asked as she slipped off the wet horse.
'I can't help loving the feel of water under my hooves.' Chinky said innocently.
'But it's not only under your hooves is it? Even my hairs wet!' Amy said laughing and stroking the mare's nose.
Chinky pushed her muzzle into the crook of Amy's neck and blew out softly on the wet skin.
'That tickles!' Amy said gently pushing the Mearas away.
Sighing Amy straightened out her hair and wiped away any excess water from her top.
'Chinky, could you tell Galadriel that the fellowship has arrived? Then come back here please.'
The Mearas whinnied softly and nudged Amy in a sign of affection before cantering off into the wood.
"Now for a hiding place." Amy said looking round her. Judging how far away they were it would take them and hour or so to get here. If she remembered what happened in the book they would stop here for a while. Although it was over thirty years ago the last time she read it, and she knew, that with her coming, the book would be altered greatly.
Walking around she found a large mallorn tree with a large low branch, just under the foliage. She raised her hands above her head and jumped silently. Catching the branch nimbly she swung her right leg over the branch and made herself comfortable, praying that she would dry off before they arrived.
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The Fellowship stopped and stared at the river in front of them, it was wide yet shallow and crystal clear, every smooth pebble could be seen on the bottom as if the very surface of the water was made of glass.
Legolas was the first to pull off his boots and roll up his breaches. He stepped into the water and a wave of relief hit him. All the pain of losing Gandalf seemed to flow away with the water. The weariness - that was very rarely associated with elves - disappeared.
"Come on, we must get to the other side. The water will wash away your weariness, and refresh your aching limbs." Legolas said as he started walking across with a smile present on his lips.
The others witnessing the change in the elf followed him reluctantly. But as soon as their feet touched the water, a sense of relief washing over each and every one of them, all their fears and worries were flowing into the cool water. Once they were across that sat on the soft sandy bank with their feet still in the water. Laughing and telling stories like they had not a care in the world.
Aragorn let out a long breath as he splashed the refreshing water over his face. He stopped suddenly as he saw a very faint footprint in the moist sand next to him. He nudged Legolas next to him who instantly looked at where the ranger was pointing at. Sure enough there was a small foot print, taking a closer look there was another next to it, just as faint. Legolas quickly pointed out a hoof print, a little further away. Judging from the size it was a large animal, probably very powerful.
"It is an elf print." Legolas said.
"How can you be so sure?" Aragorn asked looking closely at it.
"Our feet are not as broad as yours." Legolas said with a grin.
Aragorn smiled at his friend, even if he had just ribbed him. It was good to see his friend laughing again. Perhaps a stay in Lothlorien would do him good.
"I said I saw a horse and rider, by the looks of it, they left here an hour or so ago. Maybe they have gone to tell the guard of our whereabouts. I would very much like to speak with Haldir." Legolas said frowning.
The conversation in the party soon picked up again and they found themselves sat in a circle with a small fire burning in the centre.
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Amy sat in her tree looking at the party, she had cursed silently when they had noticed her footprints in the sand. But she breathed again when they didn't think anything else of it.
Her breath caught in her throat as she laid her eyes on Legolas. She could just see him through the foliage of her tree. His hair was as golden and as silky as ever. And his eyes shone like the bright blue sky. He looked the same as he did when she last saw him as she galloped out of Rivendell on that day thirty years ago.
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The company went quiet as Legolas started to sing. His soft melodious voice floating away on the wind.
"Legolas, who is it that you sing so sweetly of?" Frodo asked.
"'Tis, Nimrodel, the elf maiden, she was the fairest maiden ever to walk this land. This river was named after her." Legolas said, so lost was he in his memories that his elven hearing didn't here the very soft 'thud' of light feet landing of the ground.
"I remember a time," a soft voice said, "in distant memories when you told me something, when you believed me to be asleep." Amy walked silently toward Legolas. He was sitting with her back to her, so most of the Fellowship could see her.
The rest of the fellowship stared dumbstruck as an elf lightly walked towards them. Her voice fairer than Legolas', a feat, which the hobbits did not think possible. Her jet-black hair was tied up in the traditional elvish style, half up half down with the sides plaited so that it stayed out of her eyes. Her clothes were soft blues and greens, a large sword hung at her waist and a quiver and bow on her back. Her feet were bare as she soundlessly approached them. A soft glow radiated from her tanned skin, creating an aura of power around her. They all recognized her to be elven, how could she be anything but, and her pointy ears gave her away. Yet she looked young, yet she had a timeless quality about her, which suddenly make them realise she wasn't as young as she looked. Though their gaze was drawn away from the elf maiden in front of them to Legolas. He had tensed at her voice and started once again fingering the ring around his neck.
At the sound of that voice Legolas tensed up. It was so familiar, yet so different. He shut his eyes as she started talking again.
"I remember it like it was yesterday, you told me: Amy daughter of Onlee: You are more fair than Nimrodel of the golden woods. You are forever in my mind and heart. To that do you still hold?" Amy said conscious of all the eyes looking at her.
Not turning round Legolas opened his eyes and then finally opened his mouth to talk, but nothing came out. Swallowing deeply he tried again.
"To that I still hold. Those words are forged in my mind like footprints in my soul."
Amy stopped a few feet away from him and looked down at the prince in front of her. Before her eyes registered he was on his feet staring at her. She shut her eyes slowly and took a breath. Slowly he reached out with a hand and touched her cheek with the back of his hand, as if to prove to himself that she was real, and he wasn't dreaming. When his hand came in contact with her cool, tanned skin he shuddered. Opening her eyes Amy wrapped her arms round Legolas's chest. Sighing deeply she rested her head on his shoulder as she felt his strong arms going round her back - somewhat awkwardly due to her bow. Breathing in she could smell his distinct smell, a sweet smell that always made her shiver.
Aragorn looked upon the two elves in front of him. He had heard her walk up to him, she had changed, quite considerably over the years as had he. She was defiantly all elf now. Even down to the glow of her skin. A smile lit his face as he saw them hug. Thirty years apart, the reunion was an emotional one. He could see the tears leaking down the face of the girl he never thought he would see again. The happiness was also plain on his friend's face, the sheer joy of seeing her again. Slowly he watched them pull apart.
Amy pulled away slightly reluctantly from Legolas. She laughed at the tears on her cheeks and was about to wipe them away, but she was stopped by Legolas. He reached up to her face wiped away the tears with his thumb.
"Hush now Little Warrior. I have many things to tell you. Though I fear that Aragorn may be getting jealous!" Legolas said with a slight humour in his voice.
Looking over at Aragorn, Amy saw that he was on his feet looking at her.
"Come, Little Warrior, do I not get a hug?" Aragorn said putting on his best puppy dog eyes.
Amy ran over to him and threw her arms round his chest. Aragorn laughed and placed his arms round her small shoulders.
"It has been too long Little Warrior. Come, you must tell us what you have been doing all these years! You have not aged a day!" Aragorn said releasing Amy from his grasp.
Smiling Amy walked back to Legolas and stood next to him, enjoying the feeling of his strong body next to hers.
"And who is this young lady? If I may ask? And what did I hear about Onlee, did my ears deceive me?" Boromir asked.
"Oh, sorry. Amy sit down and we will introduce everyone." Aragorn said sitting down and moving over slightly so that Amy could sit between Legolas and himself.
"Well, this is Gimli son of Gloin. Boromir of Gondor. Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin of the Shire." Legolas said pointing out everybody.
"And this," Aragorn said pointing at Amy. "Is Amy daughter of Onlee. Yes Boromir you heard right."
"So you are the girl who gave Legolas that ring. The one with the dragon on it. You are the child of the dragon." Frodo said in awe.
Amy looked over at Legolas to see he had gone a pink colour.
"You still have my ring?" Amy asked.
Legolas nodded and pulled the chain out from under his shirt. Giggling, Amy pulled out the chain from her top, the silver leaf with the arrow hung on the end of it.
"Well it seems you both want to hold onto hope." Sam said. Instantly his head started throbbing. The cut on it from earlier had only been quickly bandaged up and so was starting to get infected.
"You are hurt little one." Amy said, it was a statement not a question.
"No, I am fine, Mistress Amy. Frodo here has a hurt worse than mine." Sam said nervously.
"Come let me heal you, both of you." Amy said standing up and walking over the other side of the circle. "Besides, I am sure Legolas and Aragorn want to see what thirty years have done to my powers. I am no longer floating balls of light in the air!"
Legolas and Aragorn laughed as they remembered her juggling balls of light in front of her. They were both eager to see what she could do now.
Carefully Amy knelt down next to Sam and undid the bandage around his head. Instantly she could see that athelas had been put on it, but it was still starting to get infected. Placing her hand on his head she felt him wince slightly. Embracing her power she singled out Spirit and let it flow through her veins. Moving her hand to his cut she focused the power. Sam started shaking slightly, but in a minute, he had stopped. Opening her eyes she removed her hand from his head. Where there had once been a dark wound, there was nothing. Not even a scar.
Legolas watched as he saw Amy fill herself with the power. Her elven glow increased dramatically as she fed the power into Sam. He was amazed as everyone else to see the lack of even a mark.
She walked over to Frodo and did the same, not a scratch was left on him from where he had been impaled through the mithril coat.
She walked back over to Legolas and sat down. "Well is that a bit more impressive than juggling balls of light and opening the lock on the door when you are in the bathroom."
"So that's how you got in!" He said with a look of humour on his face.
"I'm sorry!" Amy said with just as much sarcasm. She picked up his hand and squeezed it, to add to the effect. Though afterwards she didn't much feel like letting go and apparently neither did he.
Aragorn looked at the pair and saw their intertwined hands and smiled. Reunited at last, they had been apart far too long, and now they had thirty years to catch up on.
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They sat around the fire for hours talking about their journey and what they were doing. Of course Amy knew it, but she didn't say anything. She told them of her training, they had seen her demonstrate a few things now. One being fire, as there's had gone out a while ago. So now a large flame flickered hovering a few inches off the ground.
"Come, night falls quickly in the forest, and though we may be past the Nimrodel it is still not safe after dark." Amy said standing up.
"Amy we can't go any further tonight, the hobbits, they cannot walk any further." Aragorn said.
"Do not fear; they will not have to walk!" Amy let out a long high-pitched whistle.
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Chinky whinnied as she heard her master call. She was heading back to her anyway, but now she broke into a gallop and arrived at Amy's side within a few minutes.
"This, my friends is Chinky, Queen of the Mearas," Amy said patting the piebald's neck.
'Elf boy! I haven't seen you in ages. How have you been? Amy sure has been worried about you!' Chinky said.
Legolas smiled as he fondled Chinky's ears. 'I've missed you to!'
'Chinky, you think you can manage the four hobbits?' Amy asked.
'Sure.' Chinky said. She put her front knees on the ground followed by her back legs so that they could clamber on.
Frodo climbed on first and shuffled forward as far as he could go. He was soon followed by Merry, Pippin and Sam. Very carefully She stood up, trying not to rock or jerk. Boromir and Aragorn held the hobbits upright as she did this. Despite her best efforts getting up smoothly from her knees was never a strong point of hers.
"This is a fine beast you have here," Boromir said in awe as Chinky walked forward as if she had nothing on her.
"She is. Haldir doesn't think so though!" Amy said.
They walked deep into the trees to the centre of Lothlorien as night fell around them.
