Chapter Seventeen:
Laurel paced lightly by the river's edge, her deep blue gown trailing behind her. Legolas' heart stopped when he saw her. She was the most breathtaking sight. A thousand-watt smile lit his face and he raced down the hillside to her. As he neared her, however, another elf stepped around from behind her. Legolas skidded to a stop when he watched Haldir wrap his arms around Laurel from behind and draw her close to him. Laurel smiled up at him and turned in his arms. Haldir bent his head down to her and she wrapped her arms around his neck as they shared a passionate kiss.
Legolas felt like someone had just run a sword through his heart. He watched their exchange and their smiles as they drew apart. He watched Laurel turn to him, smiling as Haldir held her from behind. Her stomach was round now and Haldir lovingly rested his hands over their unborn child. She locked eyes with him and called to him.
"Legolas," she called. The elf in question swallowed thickly.
"Laurel," he nearly choked in reply. "Why are you with the marchwarden?" Laurel smiled up at the marchwarden behind her before reconnecting their gaze.
"You left me to die, Legolas."
"No!" he cried. "I didn't mean to! I tried to go after you!" Legolas felt a stray tear run down his cheek in his helplessness.
"You left me there to die, Legolas. Haldir saved me. He loves me more than you ever have." Her voice cut through him like a thousand knives. This was all wrong. She was supposed to be with him, not Haldir! She was supposed to start a family with him, to grow old with him, share her life with him. Legolas sank to his knees in distress, a burning sensation growing stronger just behind his ear.
"Laurel, please, wait..." Legolas called out desperately to her. Laurel and Haldir gave him one last glance before they turned away from him.
"Good bye, Legolas," she said softly.
"Laurel!" he called again.
"Legolas... Legolas... Legolas!"
Legolas jerked awake, being shaken by the ranger. His frenzied gaze met that of Aragorn, a worried look on his friend's face.
"Mellon...?" his friend whispered. Legolas shook his head to clear his thoughts, feeling the burning sensation behind his ear again. He reached up to feel behind his right ear and yanked his hand away when he felt the sting. Aragorn noticed his alarm and brushed Legolas' hair away from his ear to see what has caused him pain.
"What is this marking?" Aragorn asked, shifting his gaze back and forth between Legolas and the mark.
"What marking?" Legolas countered, confused.
"Theres a black marking behind your ear, it looks like vines braided in a circle," he explained. Legolas felt his heart drop. He had a soul mark. He stared down at his feet in confusion before Aragorn cleared his throat, obviously expecting an explanation.
"Its a soul mark," Legolas sighed. Aragorn's eyes widened in shock.
"But, wouldn't that mean you've found the person the Valar intended for you?" Legolas nodded slowly, surprised the ranger knew about the soul marks of Silvan elves.
"So the person you are meant to be with, they share this mark?" he asked for clarification.
"They are supposed to," Legolas sighed. "But I haven't seen another elleth in months, so I don't understand how this could be..." he trailed off.
"But you've been around Laurel," the ranger offered, glancing around their small company, making sure everyone was still sleeping and not eavesdropping on their conversation.
"But she's dead, Estel," Legolas whispered harshly. "Why would it appear now when she's already gone?" Aragorn felt bad for reopening such a fresh wound. Legolas had nearly isolated himself completely after Laurel had died, not speaking to anyone for very long, not even him. He was worried about his friend. Legolas had been tearing himself apart on the inside, thinking of all the times he distanced himself from Laurel because he thought she was with Glorfindel, romantically speaking. How many opportunities had he missed? What might their relationship have been like had he just mustered up the courage to ask her instead of assuming?
Legolas had to shake himself from the downward spiral his thoughts were taking him down. He stood quickly, rolling up his bed roll and dusting off his pants.
"Let's wake the others, I want to get out of these mines."
Laurel awoke to the sound of someone knocking on her door. She yawned tiredly and stretched her arms over her head. She swung her legs off the side of the bed and went to answer the door. A young elleth stood outside, a deep blue dress and a matching pair of slippers in her arms.
"Forgive me, my lady," she bowed her head as she spoke. "I was supposed to deliver these yesterday evening, but when there was no answer at the door, I figured you might be asleep and thus did not want to disturb you." Laurel gave her a grateful smile and took the dress from her.
"How very thoughtful of you," she smiled at the maid. "Thank for the dress, it's lovely." The elleth smiled back at her and quickly turned to leave. She shut her door and laid the dress out on her bed. She didn't care for dresses, but she was in someone else's home and it would be rude not to wear the dress they had sent her.
Laurel slipped the deep blue silk gown over her head, letting it drape over the curves of her body as if it were made for her. She smiled at the dress, liking the loose-fitting feeling that came with it, not like the more restrictive dresses from Imladris. She ran the comb through her hair and smiled when it formed long, shimmering waves like it was supposed to. She hated how her hair grew tangled and dirty during their journey and truly delighted in washing her hair yesterday.
Setting the comb on the wardrobe, Laurel stepped into the blue shoes that matched the dress and left her room. Today she would familiarize herself with Lothlórien and meet new people, she decided. Once she had descended the stairs to the forest floor, she set about strolling through the streets, and looking for the marketplace.
Haldir had been discussing patrols with his second in command when he spotted her. The deep blue dress he had sent her hung from her hips in the most sensual way. She had slightly larger breasts than most elleths, even if she weren't as tall as they were, and hips that could make any man's mouth water. The bath had certainly transformed her into a new person it seemed. Haldir watched as the light caught her hair just right and shone in the sunlight as it cascaded in long chocolate curls to brush the small of her back.
"Excuse me for a moment," Haldir said, extracting himself from the conversation. He strode across the street to where Laurel was admiring the fabrics in a merchant's shop.
"Good morning," Haldir smiled at the woman. Laurel nearly jumped at the unexpected voice behind her.
"Oh! Haldir, good morning," she greeted him with a smile of her own.
"That dress looks stunning on you," he complimented as he took her hand and placed a polite kiss to her knuckles. Laurel blushed heavily, not knowing how to respond to such a direct compliment.
"Oh, um, well thank you," she stuttered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Would you care to join me for a stroll before I must leave for patrol?" He gazed into her eyes, admiring the striking emerald green depths.
"Of course," she complied with a grin, placing her hand on his outstretched arm. Haldir lead them toward the gardens, keeping a leisurely pace as they went.
"Where are you from, if I might ask," Haldir spoke, glancing down at the woman on his right. Laurel felt those old feelings of mistrust flooding back and reverted to her protective guise.
"Bree," she blurted out almost instinctively. Haldir nodded politely.
"I have never been to Bree. What is it like there?" Laurel felt her heart rate begin to rise.
"Oh, just like any other human town, very boring, not really much to talk about," she covered. Haldir stopped them once they came to a small fountain, dropping his arm to fold his hands behind his back.
"I find it hard to believe that anything about you could be counted as boring," the elf gave her a handsome smirk. Laurel had to admit it, this elf was very good looking, not as handsome as she thought Legolas was, but his strong and sharp features were something to behold, not to mention his strong stature and commanding presence.
Laurel looked into the fountain, watching small orange fish swim about in the bubbling water.
"I'm afraid it's true," she continued their conversation. She turned to face him again and noticed his intense gaze. Haldir placed a gentle hand on the small of her back as he took a small step toward her, narrowing the distance between them.
"Forgive me for being so forward, but I have never seen a human woman, or elleth for that matter, quite as striking as you," he spoke softly. He brought a hand up to brush her hair behind her right ear, but when he made contact with the skin there Laurel hissed in pain and jumped back.
"Are you alright?" Haldir asked, surprised by her reaction. "Did I hurt you?" Laurel shook her head, rubbing the tender spot behind her ear, not really knowing what just happened, but deciding not to think too much about it.
"No, no, you didn't hurt me," she replied hurriedly. "Just a, uh, a headache." Haldir gave her an understanding look.
"Then perhaps some rest might help? It is nearly time for me to leave for my patrol anyway. May I escort you to your rooms?" Laurel nodded and let Haldir lead her out of the gardens, a warm hand resting on her lower back to guide her. He led her back to the tree her rooms were in and up the stair cases and to her door.
"Thank you for the stroll, lovely Laurel," Haldir placed a last lingering kiss on her knuckles before taking his leave. Laurel felt like her heart was about to spring from her chest at any moment. Haldir stirred feelings in her that she normally only felt around Legolas. What did this mean, and why was the skin behind her ear starting to heat up?
"Over the bridge! Fly!" Gandalf shouted, the balrog hot on their heels. The fellowship raced through the mines and over the bridge that would lead them to their exit. They felt the rumbling of the entire mountain when the balrog roared, spurring them on. Gandalf ushered them all onto the bridge and was the last one to follow suit. When everyone was across, Gandalf turned to face the great beast.
"You cannot pass!" he shouted, squaring off with the ancient demon. He began chanting, blocking a blow from the monster's sword with his staff. "Go back to the shadows!" The fellowship could only look on as the balrog cracked a giant whip that burned like fire, with nothing but the grey wizard blocking his path.
"You shall not pass!" cried the wizard, slamming his staff onto the bridge in front of him and watched as it crumbled away, taking the balrog with it. However, the balrog slung his whip one last time, catching Gandalf's heel and dragging him off the bridge. The fellowship gasped as he caught himself on the ledge.
"Gandalf!" Frodo cried, lunging forward. Boromir had to restrain the you hobbit to keep him from dashing out onto the crumbling bridge.
"Fly you fools," Gandalf grunted before losing his grip.
"No!" Frodo shouted as they watched the wizard plummet into the shadows. The fellowship was shocked into stillness once again as they lost another member of the fellowship. Boromir and Aragorn, however, had to keep them moving as the goblins began to flood the mines once again, firing arrows in their direction. Legolas lead the group up a staircase with Aragorn watching their backs as they ran.
They made it out of the mines finally and out into the light of day, stopping on the jagged, rocky landscape. The hobbits broke down almost immediately. Sam had to cover his face as the tears fell and Merry held Pip as he shook with his sobs. Even Boromir embraced Gimli in the dwarf's distress.
"Legolas," Aragorn called to his friend. "Get them up."
"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir cried out to the ranger.
"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs," Aragorn reminded them, pulling them back into the reality that danger lurked around every corner. "We must reach the woods of Lothlórien. Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, get them up!"
The men sprung into action at the direct order, seeing as Aragorn was the rightful person to lead them now that Gandalf was gone. Aragorn lifted Sam to his feet, patting his shoulder.
"On your feet, Sam," he said before turning to find Frodo. He spotted the hobbit a little ways away, seeming to have walked a few yards to distance himself from the group. "Frodo," he called to the hobbit. The dark-haired hobbit turned his watery gaze to the ranger, not bothering to mask his anguish. Aragorn wanted to give them time to mourn, but they simply did not have that luxury.
They gathered up the hobbits and headed in the direction Frodo had began walking, making their way down the rocky hill side. The grassy area that lead to the tree line was extremely exposed, so they had to be quick. They could not afford to be caught out in the open.
A half hour later found them entering the golden wood, making it through the tree line and slowing their pace to a walk again.
"Stay close, young hobbits!" Gimli whispered. "They say a great sorceress lives in these woods. An elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell."
Legolas rolled his eyes at the dwarf's warning.
"Well, here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily!" he boasted. "I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox- oh!" Gimli nearly walked into a pointed arrowhead of a Lothlórien guard. The fellowship was surrounded on all sides by elves, arrows drawn.
"The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark," Haldir drawled as he approached them. Legolas tensed when he saw the elf that spoke. Instantly he felt a sort of anger build up inside him, albeit for no reason, seeing as there was no way that dream could have indeed happened. Suddenly, the guards backed away from them when Haldir gave them a hand signal.
"Welcome, Legolas Thranduilion," Haldir greeted when he recognized the woodland prince. "Aragorn of the Dunedain, you are known to us," Haldir greeted the ranger as well.
"So much for the legendary courtesy of the elves," Gimli huffed. "Speak words we can all understand!" Haldir cast a cold gaze down upon the dwarf.
"We have not had dealings with the dwarves since the dark days," Haldir trailed off as he shifted his focus from Gimli to Frodo, ignoring the curse Gimli slung at him.
"You bring great evil with you," he eyed Frodo, sensing the one ring. "You can go no further." Aragorn and Legolas looked at the marchwarden in surprise. Frodo felt his spirit slip just a little further at the bad news and slumped against a tree. The hobbits formed a small group while Aragorn tried to negotiate with Haldir.
"Gandalf did not die in vain," Boromir spoke to Frodo while they waited. "You carry a heavy burden, do not carry the weight of the dead." Frodo was about to respond when Haldir spoke up again.
"You will follow me," he said curtly, turning on his heel. The fellowship quickly righted themselves and followed after the marchwarden, flanked on each side and from behind by the guards. They walked for a while, the sun starting to dip lower in the sky before they finally reached Caras Galadhon, the largest city in the Golden Wood.