Author note: Dhe suilon! (I've had to brush up on some Elvish for this chapter, which can only mean... there are more elves!). Yes we have finally reached the Halls of the Elvenking. Love him or hate him he's about to appear. But first, some ACTION - of both kinds ;) For those wondering why this elf/human couple are being a bit weird and, well, non touchy-feely, considering how much they're in love, here's your answer.

After the sadness and drama of the last chapter I hope this one brings a bit of light relief - hint, Keren is handy in a tight spot, and is not afraid of spiders.

Hi all new follows and favs, and thank you to readers long-term and new for your reviews as always. Could always do with more! Seriously they help me, motivate me, make me happy, and hopefully make me a better writer.

Much love until next time x

*Edit* - Apologies if you got two update emails - I had to go back and edit some glaring mistakes!

Chapter Two - Through the Forest

It was a long, long ride north. The days blurred into one, and Keren would never after be able to say how long their journey was - the view, of mountains to the west, river to the east, never seemed to change. Three more rivers they forded, one that she recognised, for they passed almost beneath the boughs of Lórien, and her heart yearned to linger, but Arod galloped on. Finally Legolas turned Arod east, and they forded the great Anduin at its shallowest and oldest crossing, the start of the Old Forest Road.

"We do not take this road though," he said as he turned Arod once more. "Further north there is the start of a path made by my people, leading straight to our lands, which should now be safe to travel again."

"How much further north?" Keren asked wearily, for the many days in the saddle had almost broken her, and she was longing for a walk once they entered the forest.

"One day if we do not stop for food or rest, two if we do. It is up to you, my love, how quickly you want the journey over."

"I can try and sleep in the saddle. I'm so tired I think I could, even at this speed."

And she did.

So they reached the elven Forest Gate, where long ago, Legolas told Keren, Gimli's father had stood, with Mithrandir, and Bilbo the hobbit with the ring that had caused all the trouble, though he did not know it at the time.

"We should not come across any trouble," he said as they passed beneath the first trees. "Evil should have forsaken these lands, when the Dark Lord fell. The power of the Lord of Lórien, as well as my father's, now lies upon it. But we must still be on our guard, for it is still an ancient forest, and things dwell in here that neither light nor dark can encourage to leave."

Despite Legolas' words their first day and night passed easily beneath the boughs of the twisted trees. There was a distant feeling, a dull memory, of pain, of fear, but Keren felt safe with Legolas, and when another night passed, entirely uneventful, she began to relax. She felt it truly was Mirkwood no longer.

But by the third evening they were deep into the forest, and the air was starting to feel thick and heavy. Keren found herself looking over her shoulder as they walked, Legolas leading Arod, but there was never anything there. She was disconcerted by the lack of movement and sound, so unlike the Golden Wood, for no breeze could penetrate the thick upper branches far above them. They moved through a strange half-light all day, and when the time came to eat and sleep, she was decidedly on edge. Spiders webs sometimes lay along the edge of the path, and Keren did not like the thought of them no doubt crawling over her as she slept, as they had done many times on all her journeys. But it could not be helped, and spiders now seemed the least of her worries.

Her fears were not calmed by the fact that Legolas seemed to be more alert, his body taught with tension, as if ready to spring at any moment.

"Is something out there?" she whispered, as she watched him, not moving a muscle, his eyes staring into the blackness between the trees.

"Hush," he said under his breath, and sat up straighter. But then he relaxed, and sighed.

"A deer only, more afraid of us than we are of it." He looked at her. "I think it is safe for you to sleep. I will keep watch."

He kissed her once, briefly, and did not touch her again as she lay down beside him. She had noticed him growing more and more distant, but was too afraid to comment on it - and too tired for an argument. She did not doubt that he loved her. He had said that he wanted her. But perhaps obeying his father's wishes was making him realise that, perhaps, he did not want her after all. He seemed to be finding their lack of physical closeness a little too easy. She screwed her eyes up tightly against the thought, and fell into a restless sleep.

What seemed only minutes later she was shaken roughly awake.

"Keren. Keren! We must go now, mount Arod and move quickly," Legolas said quickly. "I fear there are spiders nearby, perhaps even almost upon us."

"Sp - spiders?" she said sleepily, hoping she was still dreaming, although already on her feet.

"Giant ones. They used to hunt here, but I thought they would have been wiped out with the fall of the Abhorred. It seems they are stronger than I gave them credit." He was hurriedly gathering their belongings as he spoke, throwing them to be close to Arod, and to her horror she began to hear a scurrying sound from all around them, distant, but still far too close for her liking.

"Run, Keren, run! Do not wait for me, mount Arod and fly!"

There was no way she was leaving Legolas, but she could at least free Arod, who was tied to a nearby tree. She sprinted towards him to undo the knots that held him there, but she stopped short as she saw something her mind could not process. Coming down from the gnarled branches was a single spider, larger than the horse, huge and hairy and black. She heard the sound of a knife being drawn behind her, and turned to see Legolas already ready for combat with two more who were creeping hurriedly onto the path. She remembered the knife Haldir had gifted to her in Lothlórien, that she had carried since then at her waist, more as a memory than anything else. She began to run towards him, to do she knew not what, but longing to help. But she did not get far.

"Legolas!" Keren screamed. Suddenly pincers were grasping at her hair, and she struggled as long, hairy legs wrapped themselves around her torso. She tried to pitch herself forward but she could not fight against the strength of the spider as it dragged her back off the path.

Legolas turned swiftly, dispatching the last creature approaching him with a quick flick of a long white knife, and as it fell dead he leapt over the three bodies and sprinted to reach her. He drew the other knife from his back as he ran, and wielded both, wheeling and slicing at the spider's legs which held tightly to Keren. Strange, squealing sounds emitted from behind her head, and she gritted her teeth, kicking out behind her in the hopes of knocking it off balance, for every time Legolas severed a limb another seemed to flail out and grab her.

To her dismay more spiders appeared behind the elf, moving quickly through the dark trees, pincers clicking with glee.

"Behind you!" she shouted. "Five more!" She had managed to free her arms and was fiddling at her waist, fingers hunting for purchase on her own knife. As she found it and pulled the dagger from its sheath Legolas hacked at another leg, driving the spider off course just long enough for Keren to turn quickly and stab it, without thinking, in the face, her first ever act of violence. This seemed to be the final blow, for it staggered briefly on its three remaining legs then fell in a slump at her feet. She turned quickly, no time to react, for Legolas had already moved forwards to tackle the five spiders now bent on capturing them. She ran to his side, wielding her knife, but he had already seen off three and now only two remained, one huge beast with what looked like a giant stinger protruding from its belly, and one only the size of a small sheep.

"Give me the little one?" she said, and her beloved looked at her quickly - an amused, slightly disgusted look on his face.

"Since when were you bloodthirsty?"

"Since I was made to be a healer at eleven years old. Blood and death don't scare me." She knew she had a slightly mad, wild look in her eye, and she was well aware she was trying not to laugh as the spiders drew nearer. "But I do fear pain, and I'm not going to let that pathetic little thing hurt me."

Legolas laughed heartily in surprise, and watched as his future wife, with no training in combat whatsoever, ran head-on at the tiny spider - a baby, he knew - knife blade glittering in her hand. It was too small to kill, or even to cause real injury other than a nasty bite, or he would never have let her try. He wondered if she would have balked at him, had he tried to stop her fighting a larger foe. But there was no time to ponder, or to watch the result, for he had his own problem to contend with - what he guessed was the mother. She was huge, stinking and spiky, and suddenly she was upon him, foul breath in his face as he was pinned to the ground, having watched Keren for a second too long. Pincer-like jaws went for his neck, but his hands found them, and he wrestled with them, buying time as he manoeuvred himself into a position where he could easily kick upwards into the foul thing's belly.

But perhaps she had grown wise to that defence method in her many victims, for her legs pinioned him in, stabbing down anytime he tried to roll from underneath her. He had dropped his knives in the struggle, and they lay out of his reach beyond the cage of her eight legs. Thinking quickly, he was running out of ideas.

"Here!" came a shout from above, and he and the spider stopped their struggle and looked straight at Keren, who was standing wielding the baby spider by one leg, her knife to its belly. It wriggled and writhed but she held it tightly in one hand above her head. It was as large as her, stretched out from hand to ground, but spindly and light.

"I'll kill your baby!" she shouted wildly, not having any idea whether the spider would understand her, but waving her knife around its child's head in a vain hope it could read her intention. "If you harm him, I will kill it!"

A strange cackling sound came from the huge spider, and Keren would always later swear it had waved a dismissive leg in her direction.

"I don't think spiders are particularly good parents," Legolas shouted over to her, grimacing, as the mother again took up its attack. "If she's hungry enough she'd eat it herself." He still was not especially worried about escaping, although he was starting to get annoyed at the beast's tenacity.

"Keren, my knives, you'll need to get them," he called to her as he again began grappling with the pincers, avoiding the sting.

Keren quickly dispatched the baby, watching for a second, disgusted, and a little shameful in her bloodlust, as it shivered, wailed and died. Once certain it was dead, she sprinted to get the knives lying on a bed of leaves, trying to keep out of the spider's vision, hoping to creep up from behind.

"No, no, slide the knives along the ground to me!" Legolas ordered. "You have no chance against this one. Slide them then get up a tree!"

"But - "

"Do as I say!"

She snatched the knives up, got as close as she dared behind the spider's great rump, whilst Legolas still evaded the sting and pincers by rolling, kicking, wrestling. She aimed to time the low throws with the tread of the creatures' feet.

Her first attempt went disastrously wrong, and the knife handle bounced off the great leg that had stamped down near it, causing the spider to hiss and turn in her direction. Suddenly she was facing it, confronted with a mass of eyes, all furious. Legolas, though, could finally escape, and he ran round to join her, picking up the knife as he went. As he reached Keren she hastily handed over the other knife, and once more he began an onslaught of graceful yet deadly movements which the spider was mostly dodging to avoid, though he was catching it in places, making it emit piercing shrieks.

"Get up that tree!" he yelled at Keren, sounding almost angry. She didn't stop to argue this time, for finally the sense of danger and shock was catching up to her. If she was travelling alone she would not have stood a chance. She would be dead, or more likely eaten alive. She felt her arms and legs begin to shake as she climbed up into the branches, but she still sat and watched rather than hide her face, for she had to see that Legolas was managing.

Of course he was managing, she realised very quickly. He was a wood elf, and had grown up fighting these spiders. Now he had found his feet he had gained the higher ground, and his whirling knives did not let up, leaving the spider no choice but to retreat or lose a limb. It seemed to Keren that the spider was slowly making its way towards her, but Legolas seemed wise to that and cut it off at the base of the tree, where his bow and quiver lay waiting. And at last Keren saw the side of him that he had warned her of at their very first meeting, the side he had said she would never get to see. The full vicious speed of the Silvan martial skills were laid bare, as was the fury and the sheer strength. She watched, a little afraid, a little with lust - just as she had the times she had dreamed of him fighting - as he grimaced, and roared, and savagely grinned at his foe, enjoying the fight. He lured the spider nearer, slowing his movements, allowing its legs to reach his feet, to play at his shoulders. Then suddenly, so quickly Keren did not see the exact motion, he turned, dipped to his quiver, loaded an arrow and shot the creature at such close range the arrow passed entirely through its head. It squealed and retreated, allowing him to take a longer shot - two arrows, one for the chest, one for the belly. It lay writhing, screaming, moving slowly away, until it too shuddered and lay dead.

Legolas was still for a moment, standing assessing the scene where all eight bodies lay, then, still in a fey mood, gathering his weapons, wiping the spider's blood on the grass, and checking his own wounds. He sucked at his hand that was bleeding, but Keren could see no other injury. She clambered down the tree, her heart still pounding, and went to his side. They took the measure of each other, neither speaking, both breathing heavily, wondering which would speak first. But there was no need for words. Keren walked to him and kissed him hard on the mouth. Their hands were in each other's hair, each pulling the other closer, and then his hands were on her body, following its curves, pausing a while to lay a gentler hand on her throat, a finger stroking the thin skin there, before becoming firm again, his hands seeking out places he had ordered himself to avoid until they were wed. But he could not help himself, could not control his desire, nor she hers, and together they moved until she was pinned against the tree, legs around his waist. All the time he kissed her, tongues sometimes meeting, lips parting, breaths growing deeper. But eventually he pulled away, as she had both dreaded and expected.

"I would take you up against this tree, now," he whispered, his forehead against hers, "were it not for the fact that there will be more spiders where these came from, coming to bury their dead, and kill us if they can."

Keren looked up at him.

"And that is the only reason you would not?"

He looked at her steadily. "In truth it is becoming more and more difficult to not break my word to my father and wed you on the road. I cannot touch you for fear I would not stop, though it is more of a struggle to me as each day goes by. But still I will obey him. We must do this by the book, Keren, or my home will be closed to us forever, and we will lose the love and protection of my people."

She let out a little moan of frustration, but allowed herself to be lifted down and away from him. At least she had an explanation for his distance, and she felt a warmth inside that he felt the opposite of what she had feared.

"Arod." Legolas called to the horse, still tied to a tree, eyes wide and nostrils flaring with fright. "Will you carry us, will you run?" He slowly approached him, stroking his flank, then his mane, then his nose, holding the great head in his hands, his breathing slowing to calm the animal down.

Gentle whispers emanated from their direction as Keren gathered the packs, laid strewn around, kicked by the spiders. She tried not to look too hard at the bodies, some of which she had brought down, and instead tried to concentrate on the elf chatting to the horse. The things she had killed were evil, a remnant of a once great Evil, but still, she had killed. And she had not thought twice about it. Was that who she had thought she would become?

"Come, Keren," Legolas said gently. "We must leave now."

As he helped her up onto Arod, she stopped and turned to him.

"Thank you for saving my life," she said.

"I am only sorry I have brought you somewhere where it was at risk. I thought these lands were safe. The Shadow is slower to fade than I had hoped, here where once it was darkest."

"I want you to know…" she began. "I would have given up my life, if it meant you could have escaped. If it had come to it."

"I know. I too, for you."

They were frightening, heavy words, and now they had been said by both there was no escaping them. Death would part them, and death had come too close that day.

Legolas kicked Arod on, and they rode as fast as they could along the winding Elvish path, in the darkness at first, but soon dimly lit by the sunrise trying to break through the heavy trees. Hours later, when the sun was at its highest but the road still lay dark, they reached a stream blocking their way, but with a boat ready to take them across.

"The western border of my father's realm," Legolas said. "He has laid an enchantment upon it to protect his kingdom from anyone who wishes to enter - be they friend or foe," he added darkly. "Most, seeing the shallowness of the river, forego the boat and attempt to wade across, but the moment their foot first touches the water they slumber. For days. So have a care."

"What about Arod?" Keren did not want to part from the horse now, not after all their journey together.

"The boat is sturdy, far stronger than it looks, though its size means for a slow crossing if there is a large party. I will take you across first, then go back for Arod. Once you set foot on the far bank you are under the protection of my people. You may not see them, but they are there. No doubt word is already speeding to my father that we are here."

Keren did indeed feel a strange shift in the air once she was across the river, similar to that when she had entered Lothlórien. A feeling of watchfulness, thoughtfulness, but above both of these, defence. This was a land that, even in a time of peace, was wary of strangers. Watching Arod clopping about in the tiny white boat was amusing to her, though she was briefly concerned that he would tumble into the water and they would have been stuck with a sleeping horse. But he did safely reach the bank, and Legolas led him carefully from the boat to the shore, watching for the smallest piece of hoof close to the water.

"Are we safe from the spiders now? And anything else?" she asked, looking around, the eastern shore not looking any different, any safer, than the west.

"It is hard to say, as I had thought them all gone. In the dark days they paid no heed to the borders, and plagued our lands. Most of the forest-dwelling Silvan's had retreated to my father's halls by the time I left for Rivendell. I wonder now how many of our people are braving the forest once more. Regardless, some will be watching us from afar, and almost certainly some of my father's guard."

"Why from afar? I am a stranger, but they know who you are, surely? Why not just come out and - and say hello?"

Legolas stopped, as if the thought had never occurred to him before.

"It is just our custom. Though I am here, you are unfamiliar. They will only show themselves if we are in danger, or if you break any rules," he added with a smirk.

"Why only me?"

"Because I am their captain, and they know I would never disobey my father's laws." He was knowingly avoiding her eye, and trying not to smile.

"How far to your father's halls?" Keren asked as she mounted Arod once more.

"A week's march on foot. So, upon Arod, perhaps two or three days. By this time tomorrow, give or take, we should be in far more pleasant surroundings."

His words proved true, for the dark, tunnel-like path opened out early the next evening, and the trees all about them were beeches, tall and thin, letting more light in. They rested, feeling the threat of spiders was far behind, and ate the last of the food in their packs.

"I will hunt if you grow hungry, for we are still a day away," Legolas said as they took up the march again.

The next day the beech gave way to oak, at the bottom of a great valley, and Legolas knew he was near to his home. He smiled, breathing in the lighter air.

"Can you feel it, Keren?" he asked. "The love of my people for this land? And now it is healing, and full of light."

They reached the Elvenking's halls just as twilight was at its fullest. The trees opened out to show a broad valley, with a river gorge cutting deeply through the middle, and, beyond that, stark, wooded, grey hills, but with the southward sides richly decorated, arches and doorways and pillars hewn out of the rock. Warm light came from within. Above them some early stars shone down, the first of the night sky Keren had seen for a week, since entering the forest. But she could not lift her head to look clearly, for she was feeling unusually faint with hunger and weariness after their long journey, a feeling that had been growing steadily since their fight with the spiders, and had now hit her full-force.

"I need to wake up to meet your father," she said groggily. "I need him to think I'm strong."

But her betrothed had other ideas. "My father must not even entertain the idea of meeting with you until you are fed and rested. You have had weeks of very little food and sleep. He must not begrudge you one night of rest, although you must be prepared to have your own chamber, and not spend the night with me."

"He would not separate us for the whole of our stay, would he?"

"He will try," Legolas said. "And we must make him believe we will obey."

"We… won't obey?"

"I have friends amongst the court, amongst those that will no doubt have been ordered to keep us apart. They will have pity on us, I am sure. We will be able to see each other alone every day, I promise you, even if only for a short time. And of course we will always appear together in front of the court. There is a feast planned, no doubt, for tomorrow night."

He brought Arod to a gentle walk, and they slowly passed over the great open bridge that separated the forest from the caves, across the wide and fast-flowing river.

"The Forest River, flowing east to the Long Lake. Gimli's homelands are not too far beyond the northern end of it."

Keren thought fondly of their friend, so far from his home as he worked with the King to repair her own. But her attention quickly focussed on the gates before them, and the two tall guards that stood at either side. They bowed to Legolas as they approached, and greeted him in Sindarin, in a far stronger accent than she had been accustomed to in Lothlórien. She had forgotten the Silvan elves had made changes to the language after thousands of years of separation from their nobler kin, and though she had caught a couple of familiar words she was a little lost.

"Echiar, Hwanher," Legolas nodded to them both in turn, smiling at his friends, for all who were guardians of the woodland realm took their orders from him when he was home. He dismounted from Arod, and helped Keren down, propping her up a little. "Se i hiril vuin, Keren Maleroniel."

"Le suilanthon," she said a little hesitantly, hoping they could understand her.

"You are most welcome here," the fairer one said, slowly, having guessed their accent was strange to her. "My Lord Legolas, how was your journey? Your lady seems exhausted."

Keren hid a frown, whilst Legolas' face grew dark.

"We ran into spiders, three days into the forest. Beyond our borders, but still, I had hoped they would have fled long ago."

The fair elf, Hwanher, nodded.

"None have dared to cross into our lands, not since the Abhorred was defeated. They are growing weaker. But I am sorry they crossed your path. I hope no harm was done to your lady?"

He looked a little warily at Keren, who was looking ready to drop.

"She killed two of them," Legolas said simply. "But we have had a long and arduous journey, she is in need of much rest. Will you send word to my father that I am taking her to a suitable chamber, and that she will meet with him upon the morrow? And get some food sent up to her."

"Yes, lord." Hwanher looked slightly fearful, for he knew his message would not please the King, but he could not disobey the King's son either. He left swiftly.

"I will send someone to join you on the watch Echiar," Legolas said to the other elf, as he and Keren slowly began to walk beneath the great gates.

Her head felt fuzzy, and her eyes were drooping. She had not felt such weariness since the long days of the siege, back when she was just Keren, a healer of the Houses. She had wanted to march into the throne room of Thranduil, proud yet polite, and prove her love for his son. But now all she could seem to do was sleep.

"I don't feel well," she whispered, and she saw him look down at her with concern, before his face disappeared and all was black.

Author note: Don't worry, she's fine. Ish. Now who's ready for Thrrrranduillllll? (I feel I should point out he has appeared in this story already, ages ago, haha, but now Keren's about to meet him he feels like a big deal again).